Classroom Management

Classroom management is the process that teachers and schools use to create and maintain appropriate student behavior in classroom settings.

Best practices for classroom management include:

establishing rules, routines, and expectations
reinforcing positive behavior through praise
consistently enforcing consequences for misbehavior
maximizing structure
fostering student engagement by including opportunities for active student participation

Effective classroom management is associated with higher levels of school connectedness.

The benefits of effective classroom management extend to academic-related outcomes, including decreasing disruptive behaviors and increasing academic learning and engagement.

Classroom Management

Approaches that Support School Connectedness

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Schools and local education agencies can provide professional development on classroom management to teachers and school staff.

Resources

CDC. How to Conduct More Effective Professional Development. This website describes the six CDC professional development practices and provides tools and resources to assist school districts in achieving a sustainable professional development framework.
American Psychological Association. Classroom Management: Teacher Modulesexternal icon. This resource provides scenarios and a set of suggested evidence-based responses for teachers on topics relevant to classroom management.
Advocates for Youth. Rights, Respect, Responsibility. A K-12 Sexuality Education Curriculum. Classroom Management: Answering Students’ Questionspdf iconexternal icon. This specific module discusses classroom management within the context of SHE.
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Classroom Management Resourcesexternal icon. This landing page includes links to articles, books, webinars, and online learning modules on classroom management.
Wong HK, Wong RT. The First Days of Schoolexternal icon. This book provides a guide for teachers on classroom management and designing lessons for academic success.

CDC. School Connectedness. This webpage provides resources for schools to enhance school connectedness.

Kratochwill TR, DeRoos R, Blair S. Classroom Management: Teacher Modulesexternal icon. American Psychological Association website. Accessed August 2018.
Greenber J, Putman H, Walsh K. Training Our Future Teachers: Classroom Management. Washington, D.C.: National Council on Teacher Quality; 2014.
Simonsen B, Fairbanks S, Briesch A, Myers D, Sugai G. Evidence-based practices in classroom management: considerations for research to practice. Educ Treat Children. 2008;31(3):351-380.
McNeely CA, Nonnemaker JM, Blum RW. Promoting school connectedness: evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Healthexternal icon. J Sch Health. 2002;72(4):138-146.
Hawkins JD, Guo J, Hill KG, Battin-Pearson S, Abbott RD. Long-term effects of the Seattle Social Development Intervention on school bonding trajectoriesexternal icon. Appl Dev Sci. 2001;5(4):225-236.
Marzano RJ, Marzano JS, Pickering DJ. Classroom Management That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher. Alexandria, VA: ASCD; 2003.

Page last reviewed: April 9, 2021

Content source: Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion