Create an eighth grade English class rule list and post it in the classroom. Rules will help avoid distractions and problems within the classroom. Eighth graders work best with positive feedback instead of negative. Offer a reward system for students who do well each unit without having problems. Rules can include examples, such as, keep hands and feet to yourself, refrain from note passing, no candy and no gum.
Create a seating chart within the second week of school. Give students the first week of school to sit where they want and to give you a chance to "feel out" student personalities. You will want to separate those who tend to disrupt the class, but avoid sitting quiet students in the center of noisy students. You do want to disband the gang of noise, however, do not be unfair to the quiet students in the process. Offer them two minutes of "talk time" at the end of the English hour if they remain on task to keep students focused.
Keep attendance in order. Most schools require you to log attendance into your computer at the beginning of class. Pay close attention to the attendance sheet that you received from the office each day. If a student is not present in your classroom, yet she doesn't show up as absent on the absence form, inform the office immediately. Staple or clip all paperwork together for absent students and write their name on the top. Slip it into a file for the student to complete when she returns to school at a later date.
A unit in an eighth grade English class is usually comprised of the following lessons: a cryptogram, a spelling list, a vocabulary quiz, a word list, a word chop, a word scramble and a word search. Some schools complete daily oral language, or dictation. Pass out the appropriate worksheets on the appropriate weeks during the unit as required by your unit. This requires you to hold specific tests during specific weeks, library visits during specific weeks, reading days and review days. Hold lecture before assignments, explaining all assignments before passing out the worksheets.
Grade all assignments and record the grades into the grade book and the electronic grade book to average all grades at the end of the unit.