I can tell how effective a teacher is before seeing them in action. I just need a few minutes in their empty classroom during a typical day.
If it’s orderly . . .
- Desktops clear and neatly aligned.
- Zero visible clutter.
- Floor free of paper scraps, broken pencils, etc.
- Learning materials stored away.
- No boxes stacked in corners or atop cabinets.
- Fresh bulletin boards.
- Backpacks in same, unified positions.
- Teacher desk organized.
- Generous open spaces.
Then I know the likelihood of classroom management success is excellent.
Here’s why:
The teacher is observant.
Being aware of your surroundings. Being present and focused on the here and now. Being alert to nuances and changes to energy, habits, tone, and behaviors.
These critical teacher characteristics are revealed in a pin-neat, well-organized classroom. They bode well for the teacher’s ability to supervise and see misbehavior whenever and wherever it happens.
They point to the kind of person who consistently follows through and lives up to the promise to protect their students’ right to learn and enjoy being in their classroom.
The teacher is detail-oriented.
If the teacher is detailed in maintaining an attractive, Spartan-like room environment, which in turn influences good behavior and academic focus, then they’re also detailed in their instruction.
They’re able to clearly set the boundaries of their rules. They can communicate precisely where the line is that distinguishes between acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
They can convey what they want and what success looks like in a way that allows students to work toward it and know when they’ve reached it. Details are also compelling to students and keep their attention.
The teacher pursues excellence.
You’ve heard the saying “How you do anything is how you do everything.” It’s a truism perhaps more apropos in teaching than any other profession.
If the environment displays excellence, so too does the teacher. They hold themselves to a high standard, which means they can’t help but to require the same of their students. It’s who they are.
Their standard of excellence transfers to everything they do. They push and learn and work until they get there. And their determination is reflected in the maturity, purpose, and focus of their students.
The Flip Side
Of course, the flip side is also true. I’ve been in very few classrooms where the environment is a mess but teaching and classroom management is solid.
99 percent of the time a disorganized environment means unhappy, distracted students and a stressed-out teacher way in over their head.
Tidying up your classroom is the first and best thing you can do to begin gaining control and reversing the tension, bad behavior, low motivation, and poor work habits.
And its obsessive-like maintenance will profoundly influence everything you do.
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