What should be the characteristics of a well- managed classroom. Also identify principles related to sound management?

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Students, as well as teachers, spend a majority of their time in classrooms and in school. The classroom should, therefore, be a stress-free environment where students and teachers feel comfortable spending so much time. It is essential to have a well-managed classroom to improve classroom efficiency and create an environment conducive to learning. A well-managed classroom is not limited to discipline, unlike the popular belief that discipline is the only vital management skill a teacher must have. There are various characteristics that describe a well-managed and efficient classroom. Student Engagement Classroom management includes various aspects, but one of the most vital is that the students are engaged. A well-managed classroom will keep the students engaged at all times in the learning process. Students are involved in the learning process, which helps foster higher-level thinking skills in students. Teaching creatively can be a major factor in student engagement because a lesson that is not interesting will cause the students to stop listening and become distracted. A more creative teaching method will capture the student's attention and allow them to focus. Clear Expectations Expectations such as class objectives are clear in a well-managed classroom. Students know the material they will be tested on, as well as the teacher's expectations for the various assignments they will be graded on. This also allows for efficiency in the classroom because students manage their time accordingly to move from one task to another effectively. A good way to ensure that students are clear on what the class objectives are is to write the daily tasks on the board at the beginning of each lesson, as well as write any exam dates in a place that students can see regularly. 

Effective Time Management
To minimize wasted time and improve efficiency, a well-managed classroom has good time-management skills. The students know which areas in the classroom are accessible to them, as well as where items are placed in the classroom. They also know exactly what to expect from each class in order to ensure good time management. Procedures for distractions such as using the bathroom are in place to avoid minimizing the time students can spend on tasks during class time. Positive Work Environment A positive work environment is one of the main characteristics of a well-managed classroom. Students are comfortable asking the teacher questions. The classroom environment is also stress-free to ensure a good workflow and positive environment. Decorating the classroom, as well as allowing the students to participate in classroom decorating, can help encourage a positive work environment. Firm Discipline Discipline is an important factor in well-managed classrooms and one of the main characteristics. Students have clear and firm guidelines on which behaviors are allowed in the classroom and which are not, which allows students to remain disciplined and encourage an efficient workflow. Simple things such as guidelines on going to the bathroom or raising their hands when speaking are in place to help keep a positive and effective work environment. Students should also be given positive reinforcement and praise for appropriate behavior and good work to help encourage them and others in the classroom. Principles related to sound management in classroom: Effective classroom management requires awareness, patience, good timing, boundaries, and instinct. There’s nothing easy about shepherding a large group of easily distractible young people with different skills and temperaments along a meaningful learning journey. So how do master teachers do it?

To get a deeper understanding of experienced teachers’ go-to classroom management strategies, we took an informal poll on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Unsurprisingly, there is no silver bullet for classroom management success. That said, as we pored over the more than 700 responses, we did see some clear trends. Here are the most often cited and creative approaches.

1. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR STUDENTS As the airline safety videos say: Put on your own oxygen mask first. To learn effectively, your students need a healthy you, said our experienced teachers. So get enough sleep, eat healthy food, and take steps to attend to your own well-being. In her first year of teaching, Jessica Sachs “was working 15-hour days and was completely stressed out. My husband finally said to me, ‘The most important thing that you do at school is make decisions. If you are too tired to do that properly, it won’t matter how well-prepared you were the night before.’” A few deep breaths can go a long way to helping you identify frustration before you act on it. Mindy Jones, a middle school teacher from Brownsville, Tennessee, notes that “a moment of patience in a moment of frustration saves you a hundred moments of regret.” 

2. FOCUS ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS This was the theme we heard the most: Building healthy student-teacher relationships is essential to a thriving classroom culture, and even sets the stage for academic success. The phrase “build relationships” occurred 27 times during the Facebook and Instagram discussions, and other variants of that wording appeared 78 times. “Rapport is huge!” confirmed middle school teacher Kim Manzer, before adding that she always makes the time to talk to students as a whole class or one on one. Simple efforts like greeting kids outside the classroom before the start of the day pay outsized dividends. “They appreciate it so much when I just stop to listen and take interest.” Teacher Amanda Tait from Prince George, British Columbia, adds a little spice to the ritual: “I always meet them at the door and we do a ‘high-five, chicken-five,’ touching elbows with a ‘wing.’” 

3. SET RULES, BOUNDARIES, AND EXPECTATIONS (AND DO IT EARLY) 
Students don’t thrive amid chaos. They need some basic structure—and consistency—to feel safe and to focus. But maintaining a culture of mutual respect doesn’t mean your goal is to “make pals,” noted middle school reading coach Heather Henderson. “You can’t be their friend. You can be kind, loving, and supportive, but you still have to be their teacher.” Establish the code of conduct early in the year, and be sure that everyone—including the teacher—makes an effort to stay true to it. Predictability counts: “Follow through with rewards and consequences. If you say it, mean it. And if you mean it, say it. Be clear, be proactive, and be consistent,” said Lori Sheffield. 

4. TAKE A STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH In a long back-and-forth about classroom management practices, it might have been the most memorable quote: “Find ways to make your hardest kid your favorite kid,” said Karen Yenofsky, turning a nearly perfect phrase and triggering an avalanche of teacher love. “When you connect with them... it makes everything smoother.” That’s not easy, of course. A strength-based lens means never forgetting to look beneath the surface of behavior, even when it’s inconvenient. “Find the root of the problem,” urged teacher Judi Michalik of Bangor, Maine. “I have never met a student that doesn’t want to be successful. If they are misbehaving it is kind of like when a baby cries; there is something wrong in their world. If they are misbehaving for attention then find out why they need the attention and how you can give them what they need.” 

5. INVOLVE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS “Never forget that every student is someone’s child,” writes Molly Francis, echoing many teachers in our thread. “Parents/guardians/caregivers want to hear that you see the good in their child. A positive connection with home can often help in the classroom.” The popular apps Remind and Class Dojo were frequently praised, and appear to be well on the way to replacing phone calls—both from teachers to guardians, and in the other direction, too.