5 game changing classroom behaviour management strategies for a calm class

Classroom behaviour management strategies are by far one of the biggest challenges for teachers, new and old. The Teacher Wellbeing Index (2024) found that 63% experienced a rise in challenging behaviour and an overwhelming 82% said their mental health had suffered as a consequence. 

The Department for Education found that schools are losing an average of seven minutes every half an hour of lesson time to misbehaviour- that’s almost NINE WEEKS across a school year! 

This post will give you 5 practical behaviour management strategies that you can implement TODAY to create a calmer classroom and as a result, a calmer you. 

In This Post You’ll Learn

• Why some behaviour management strategies fail

• The simple change that can reduce disruption before your lesson even begins

• A classroom management tool many teachers underestimate

• The habit that makes students respect your expectations more consistently

Struggling With a Tricky Class Right Now? 

I’ve put together a free guide: 5 Quick Ways to Impact a Tricky Class packed with practical strategies you can use tomorrow.

Why is behaviour management so hard? 

Teachers make an average of 1500 decisions every single day.  I remember hearing this statistic on my first day of training and thinking surely that cannot be the case! Then I started teaching and realised this is very true.

 In a single lesson you’re thinking about your lesson objective, how to deliver the lesson effectively, do these kids get it, did I explain this well, how to differentiate. 

THEN on top of it all there’s the behaviour. You’ve planned an amazing lesson but the constant calling out, talking over you and genuine disrespect ruins it all. 

This is the thing – behaviour makes or breaks everything else.  If students are not behaved it doesn’t matter how good everything else is – good behaviour is the foundation that all other elements are built upon. 

Behaviour management is hard because not only is it exhausting but it easily erodes your confidence and can make you question your teaching ability. 

We often try various  behaviour management techniques in an attempt to settle the class, however one of the most important things to know is this: behaviour management must never be random but well thought out and predictable. 

Implementing the right strategies at the right time can make the world of difference. 

Here are the 5 behaviour management strategies that create a calmer, more peaceful classroom environment. 

Entry Routines: A Core Classroom Behaviour Management Strategy  

The uncomfortable truth: Most teachers begin their entry routine after students have already entered. By then, it’s too late. 

Every lesson must begin with a clear, consistent entry routine, something you do every time regardless of the class in front of you. Why? Because predictability removes confusion. When students know exactly what to expect from your lesson, they feel safe and misbehaviour is less likely. 

Teenagers are particularly attuned to inconsistency – and uncertainty can often manifest as defiance. If you keep changing expectations, transitions, starts and ends of lessons students will act up. 

When students arrive at my classroom, I stand in the doorway and say the same thing to every class, every lesson

 “Good Morning Year  [X] entering in silence, straight to your seats, the Do Now is on the board.” 

Before students enter the room they know exactly what they need to do and how they need to do it,  there is no confusion. My clarity makes non-compliance immediately visible. 

A Do Now activity is a short written task, usually retrieval based, that is on the board when students arrive or handed to them on entry. Doug Lemov describes the purpose of a Do Now as deliberate; it is not there as a filler but intentionally positioned to create predictability. 

Students should enter a room with expectations already built into it. The Do Now signals to students that learning has already begun  before the teacher has said a word – and it is one of the most powerful tools in your classroom behaviour management arsenal. 

What to do next lesson: 

Start simple – pick one phrase that you will use repeatedly as part of your entry routine. 

This could be how students should enter the classroom, what they should do on entry or how they should complete a task. What’s important is that your instructions and ultimately your routine are clear, consistent and easy to monitor, meaning non-compliance can be identified with ease. 

Let Your Seating Plan work to your Advantage 

It was getting towards the end of term and my Year 11 class had been working really well. Not only were they my Maths class but also my form group so we had a good relationship. 

They asked “Miss, can we sit with our friends today?”

It was Period 7 and I thought why not, they’re a good class. 

Ten minutes into my exposition I realised I had made a terrible mistake. The students chatted constantly. I made my expectations clear and got brief periods of silence – then the chatting returned. 

At the time it felt like a behavioural issue but…

This was not a student problem, it was a system problem. 

My ‘kind’ reward backfired. Sitting with friends removed the incentive to behave. I remember thinking – ‘that’s why there is a seating plan!’ 

A seating plan will not solve all behavioural issues.  However, research shows that the person a student sits beside is a strong predictor of behaviour; especially if the person is inattentive. 

A seating plan is a powerful tool in your behaviour management toolbox – if used deliberately. 

When creating a seating plan you need to factor in students with SEND needs, Pupil Premium students, behavioural needs, friendship groups, visual/hearing impairments.  

Follow these core principles: 

• Separate students whose behaviour worsens when seated together 
• Position your most distractible students where your presence is strongest 
• Pair focused students with those who need support to stabilise attention. 

Remember: a seating plan is not concrete. Alterations are necessary. If it isn’t improving focus, change it. 

Build Relationships: The Behaviour Management Strategy Many Teachers Overlook  

You are juggling thousands of decisions every day and just about managing to stay afloat. 

You don’t have enough time to get everything done let alone build relationships outside of the classroom. 

We often see building relationships with students as an extra  task but in reality it makes things easier. How? Relationships mould behaviour. When students know you care, they’re more receptive to correction. 

Research consistently shows that strong teacher-student relationships reduce problem behaviour and improve positive behaviour. 

I remember having issues with one particular student in my Year 9 class. He was constantly disrupting and got easily distracted. I began working with him for an hour after school; helping him with homework and explaining concepts he struggled with.  

Within a matter of weeks… everything changed. 

He started listening to me the first time, apologising when he messed up and stopped the constant antagonism. 

Teenagers will never admit this but they want to feel seen; we all do.  Listening to how their day is going, remembering their favourite football team, checking in with them outside of the lesson or watching them play a sport after school. These all have a direct impact on their behaviour within the lesson. 

When students know you care, they want to give you their respect. And once students respect you, the behaviour management battles reduce.

What to do this week:  Pick three students and find out one of their interests. Remember it and reference it next week. 

Want a quick- start version of this? Grab the free guide 5 Quick Ways to Impact a Tricky Class 

Consistency: Say it Once, Mean it Every Time 

“Miss why have you given (X) so many chances but I get a warning for just talking once?” 

No one keeps tabs on injustice more than teenagers in a classroom. They constantly track sanctions, rewards and judge your approach to fairness. 

After this student pointed out my error, I was left with nothing to say – and that’s not a good position to be in. Students need to know what to expect from you every single time. 

Consistency must be your reputation.

When you are consistent in your expectations, rewards and sanctions students fight the system less. Antagonising isn’t worth it  because they know what your response will be. 

Imagine you have just asked all students to work silently. One student talks to another across the room and you sanction them. Shortly after another student talks to someone behind them, helping them with a question. 

This student must also be sanctioned, why? Because you have just asked for silence. 

We never want to get into a position where students question the integrity of our words. Say it once and mean it every single time. This will cause them to respect you more, even if it doesn’t seem like it. 

If you struggle with consistency you are not alone.  We have all let things slide for the sake of peace. But, a lack of consistency only harms you in the long run. 

Remember, it is never too late to reset your classroom expectations – and start meaning what you say. 

Specific, Positive Praise 

“Thank you for making me believe in myself” 

This was the closing line in a thank you card from one of my Year 11 students just before she started her GCSEs. 

It was a moment that caused me to reflect on our lesson time and reminded me of the power of praise. 

But it’s not just any old praise, it is the way you praise. 

This particular student didn’t need a generic well done, she needed to know she was able, that she could succeed and that I believed in her. 

Research has found behaviour-specific praise increases positive social behaviours and academic engagement, and decreases off-task or disruptive behaviour. Students need to know exactly what they have done well so they can repeat those behaviours. 

Specificity leads to repeatability. 

Start with acknowledgement. 

“I can see that you are trying really hard, keep going, well done”

“I know it has been a difficult day and you’re still putting in effort, great job”

“Year 9, everyone is now working on the independent task, thank you” 

Be specific in your individual and private praise, narrate your observations and publicly acknowledge the good you can see. 

Effective behaviour management isn’t about finding a magic strategy. It’s about consistently applying a handful of simple systems that create predictability, trust and accountability. Start with just one strategy from this post and build from there.

Before you go –  if you’ve got a tricky class right now and need something you can use tomorrow, grab my free guide: 5 Quick Ways to Impact a Tricky Class.

Related Post: 5 Powerful Ways to Control a Classroom Without Yelling