Begin with clear, firm structure. Rituals and routines are essential to a well-run, peaceful classroom. Explain them well and practice them with your class often. Whether it is walking in a straight line, without talking or touching, or raising their hand for permission to speak, your students must learn the rules. Seasoned professionals say that failure to rehearse the basics with students in the beginning of the year makes it very difficult for the teacher to recapture control later on.
Lay out the ground rules each morning in a clear, positive tone. State your expectations and give them a little preview of the exciting things they will learn that day. Introduce the day with an exciting lesson or motivating group activity. Reinforce good behavior within the first 30 minutes to encourage continued cooperation.
Keep the flow. Do not allow disruptions to sidetrack your message. When students speak without permission, interrupting your lesson, they must be hushed but do not give them the spotlight. Quickly remind them that they are out of turn and you will be happy to let them speak at the right time. This is not the right time. Then go right back to what you were saying.
Create an incentive system made with rewards and privileges. Whether you use stickers, prizes or coupons, give your students something to strive for.
Coupon system: Each time a student is "caught being good," she earns a star coupon. Print a large supply. Make it habit to reward a few students, or all of them, early in the day as a reminder of what good behavior can bring. Have them count up their coupons sometime each day so that they can see how well they are doing.
At the end of the week, allow them to visit the treasure chest or goodie basket to pick out a small toy or candy as their reward. Those who did not live up to standards, won't have enough coupons to get anything. Encourage those students to do well next week.
Make posters or even write a class song. Students need to buy into the plan. Have them design and make their own colorful posters for the classroom, cafeteria, halls and even bathrooms displaying the rules by which everyone should abide. These should include how they are to treat each other. Bullying is not an option. They must be kind and thoughtful toward each other and their teachers.
Have your class create a song, class motto or a rap to express themselves. Encourage positive wording. Instead of "do nots," have them take a "we do" approach.
Plan well; plan plentifully. It is better to plan too much than too little. If you lack quality, creative lessons, and have too much free time in the day, your students will fill it in for you. The next day could require much more work to get them back in line.
When working with groups of students, provide the rest of the class a task that requires quiet concentration and production. Incorporate goals with a reward for accomplishment to keep them on task.