A Quick Guide to More Balanced Classroom Management

“Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.”  -13th-century poet  Rumi

In many ways, managing a roomful of students is also a delicate balance of holding on and letting go.  Classroom management is the collection of strategies a teacher uses to guide what happens in the class.  What’s the optimal amount of teacher control, you ask?  Well, that’s certainly up for debate and varies from teacher to teacher.

However, it’s generally agreed that a Goldilocks approach is best. Too much teacher control creates a dictatorial vibe, while too little can be stressful for many students.  Results will vary depending on the students, of course.

In another post, we covered the four main classroom management styles.  The primary difference between each style is the amount of teacher control exerted over the students.

An Authoritative style is ideal (Goldilocks) because it provides a balanced management approach.  Haven’t found the right balance yet?  This article is for you!  We’ll focus on specific strategies to help newer teachers find the sweet spot between strict and loose.

Article contents:

1. Assess your current classroom management practice
2. Identify your management style
3. Discover ideas for balancing your management plan

Step 1: Assess your current management practice.

Reflect on the following four questions.  Don’t worry, this isn’t a test and there is no score.  

Question 1: Who makes the decisions in your classroom? 

• I make all classroom decisions independently.
• I seek student input on classroom procedures or norms. 
• I let students figure things out on their own. 
• I tend to give in to maintain rapport with my students.

Question 2: What role does student voice play in your room?

• Students rarely speak in my classroom.
• My class has a balance of teacher voice and student voice.
• Student voice is largely unregulated.
• Student voice guides much of our class.

Question 3: How would you describe your reaction when you see misbehavior?

• Misbehavior is quickly addressed with consequences, usually in front of the class.
• If possible, I redirect and offer friendly reminders before issuing consequences in private.
• I feel overwhelmed with behavior and have largely stopped addressing it unless very serious.
• I typically ignore behavior issues in favor of maintaining good rapport with students.

Question 4: Do you notice any of these management red flags?

• Students regularly ask “What are we supposed to be doing?”
• I feel emotionally drained at the end of each day.
• Other teachers comment on noise from my classroom.
• I spend large amounts of time redirecting student behavior.
• I’ve heard students (or parents on the student’s behalf) express feeling unsafe or uncertain in my class.
• I avoid calling or emailing home about behavior issues.

Step 2: Identify your classroom management style.  

You’re likely a mixture of several styles.  Choose the one style that describes you best from the image below.

Step 3: Strategies to balance your management plan.

Next steps:

1. Choose one idea to implement.
2. Try it out for a week.
3. Observe a colleague who demonstrates effective management in that area.
4. Keep tracking your progress

It’s important to remember that developing an effective management style takes time. Most teachers naturally lean toward one style and gradually develop a more balanced approach through experience and reflection.

Want specific strategies for your situation?  Follow us on Facebook or Instagram or sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Or you could download our free classroom management guide below!

Amanda Melsby has been a professional educator for 20 years.  She taught English before working as an assistant principal and later as a high school principal.  Amanda holds an Ed.D. in Educational Practice and Leadership and is currently a dean of teaching and learning.