classroom management Archives

5 Ways to Create a Calm Classroom Environment

August 29, 2025 teachersbrain Classroom Behavior Management

A calm classroom can make a huge difference in how your students feel and how smoothly your day runs. When kids feel safe, focused, and settled, learning just happens more naturally.

Here are five simple ways to create a calm, supportive classroom, plus a few resources to make it even easier.

1. Have a Predictable Daily Routine

Kids love knowing what’s coming next. A clear daily routine helps them feel secure and makes transitions much smoother. A visual schedule is a lifesaver, especially for younger learners who aren’t reading fluently yet. With an editable daily visual schedule, you can customize it to fit your class, use fun icons, and let students see exactly what’s coming up during the day. No more guessing or mid-morning meltdowns!

Check out this visual schedule resource!

2. Keep Your Decor Calm and Simple

Your classroom environment sets the tone for the whole day. Soft colors, nature-inspired visuals, and organized spaces help kids feel relaxed. Even little touches, like a small plant or color-coded centers, can make a big difference. Calm decor isn’t just pretty, it actually helps students focus and feel ready to learn.

3. Add Mindfulness Moments

Mindfulness isn’t just for adults! Short deep-breathing exercises, guided visualizations, or even a quick quiet moment between activities can help students reset. Consider creating a “calm corner” with soft seating, sensory tools, or calming visuals. It’s a cozy spot where students can pause, take a breath, and come back ready to engage.

4. Give Students Classroom Jobs

When students have roles in the classroom, they feel important and responsible, and the class runs more smoothly too! Using an editable classroom jobs chart (with or without pictures) makes it easy to assign and rotate roles. Students can help line up, pass out supplies, or tidy up. It’s a simple way to build ownership and keep your classroom organized.

Check out this classroom jobs resource!

5. Display Positive Affirmations

We all need reminders that we’re capable and valued, especially kids! Positive affirmation mirror cards are perfect for daily encouragement. They help students start the day with a positive mindset, reinforce confidence, and create a classroom culture where everyone feels supported.

Check out this positive affirmation station resource!

positive affirmation station for a calm classroom

Creating a calm classroom doesn’t happen overnight, but little changes can have a big impact. With predictable routines, thoughtful decor, mindfulness moments, classroom jobs, and positive affirmations, you’ll notice calmer, happier students, and a more enjoyable day for yourself too!

Looking for more classroom management tips? Check out this post where I share 10 classroom management tips that actually work in k-2.

10 Classroom Management Tips That Actually Work in K–2

August 1, 2025 teachersbrain Classroom Behavior Management

Let’s be real, classroom management in kindergarten and first grade is a skill all its own. Between the wiggles, blurting, and constant questions, you need strategies that are simple, consistent, and actually work with young learners.

Whether you’re a brand new teacher or just looking to refresh your approach, here are 10 tried-and-true tips for managing a K–2 classroom with less stress and more smiles:

1. Keep Expectations Clear and Simple

Use kid-friendly language and visuals to teach rules. Model them, practice them, and review them often, especially during transitions or after breaks.

2. Use Positive Reinforcement Often

Catch them being good! A quick “I love how you’re sitting criss-cross!” can go a long way in setting the tone.

3. Try a Whole-Class Reward System

Encourage teamwork with a system like the Marble Jar. Add a marble for great behavior, completed routines, or compliments from specials teachers. Once the jar is full—celebrate!

4. Give Students a Visual Reminder for Blurting

Talking out of turn is super common in early grades. Try using Blurt Beans as a gentle, visual way to help students become more aware of how often they’re talking without raising their hand.

5. Create a Calm-Down Corner

A cozy space with calming tools can help students regulate big emotions. Teach how and when to use it so it becomes a tool, not a time-out.

6. Build Classroom Community Early On

Morning meetings, team-building games, and kindness read-alouds help students feel safe and supported, essential for good behavior.

7. Use Visual Schedules

Knowing what’s coming next helps students feel secure and reduces anxiety that often leads to acting out. Check out this one!

visual schedule for classroom management

8. Try Desk Pets for Individual Incentives

Kids LOVE these! Desk Pets are a fun way to reward responsibility and kindness. Students “earn” accessories or habitats for their pets through positive behavior.

9. Practice Transitions Like You Practice Routines

Play music, use a timer, or challenge students to transition before the song ends. Make it fun and consistent!

10. Be Consistent (Even When You’re Tired)

The real magic of classroom management? Following through. Consistency helps students feel safe, and know that your words have meaning.

✨ Want ready-to-use tools to support your classroom management? Click here to check out these favorites!

For more classroom tips, check out my post here!

5 Benefits of Using Visual Schedules in Early Elementary

March 14, 2025 teachersbrain Classroom Behavior Management, Teacher's Pay Teachers, Writing

Consistency and routine are key in early elementary classrooms, and one of the best tools to support this is a visual schedule! A visual schedule provides a clear, predictable structure for young learners, helping them navigate their day with confidence.

So how important is a visual schedule for kids? Here are five benefits of using a visual schedule in your classroom:

1. Reduces Anxiety and Builds Confidence

For many students, uncertainty about what comes next can cause stress and anxiety. A visual schedule helps ease those worries by clearly outlining the day’s activities. When students know what to expect, they feel more secure and confident in their learning environment.

2. Supports Independence

Young learners thrive when they can take ownership of their day. With a visual schedule, students can independently check what’s coming next and prepare accordingly. This reduces the number of questions like, “What are we doing next?” and helps students feel empowered in their daily routine.

3. Improves Transitions

Transitions can be challenging, especially for students who struggle with changes in routine. A visual schedule provides a concrete reference to help children move smoothly from one activity to the next. It gives them time to prepare mentally and physically, making transitions less stressful and more efficient.

4. Enhances Comprehension for Visual Learners

Many young students are visual learners who benefit from seeing information rather than just hearing it. A visual schedule reinforces verbal instructions, helping students understand and remember the flow of the day more effectively.

5. Encourages Classroom Management and Engagement

When students understand the schedule and expectations, they are more likely to stay engaged and on task. A visual schedule helps set clear guidelines for the day, reducing disruptions and improving classroom management.

If you’re ready to bring structure and ease into your daily routine, check out this Editable Classroom Daily Visual Schedule! 🌟

This resource features retro-groovy, calming designs that are perfect for any early elementary classroom. Plus, it’s fully customizable to fit your needs! Grab it here!

For tons more visual schedule options, check out my shop!

Looking for more classroom management tips? Check out my post here!

4 Ways Seasonal Themes Help With Classroom Engagement

October 5, 2024 teachersbrain fall writing prompts

How do you engage students in the classroom?

As teachers, we’re always looking for ways to keep our little learners engaged and excited about what they’re learning. One of the best ways to tap into that enthusiasm and engagement is by incorporating seasonal themes into your lessons. Whether it’s the pumpkins of fall, the snowflakes of winter, or the flowers of spring, these themes can create a sense of excitement and connection to the world outside the classroom.

If you’re looking for tips to get engaged students in the classroom, this post is for you! I’m sharing why seasonal themes are so effective in engaging kindergarten and first-grade students, and I’ll share some ideas for how you can use these themes to create meaningful learning experiences.

Plus, I have a fun fall activity resource that your students will love!

Why Seasonal Themes Work

1. Familiarity and Excitement

Seasonal themes work because they are already part of your students’ lives. They see pumpkins in stores, feel the crisp autumn air, and notice the changing leaves. When you bring these familiar elements into the classroom, it helps make learning feel more connected to the real world. Kids naturally feel excited about things they’re seeing and experiencing outside of school, so when you incorporate those things into your lessons, you’re tapping into their enthusiasm and using it to help them reach those goals!

2. Helps with Retention

You likely already know that when students are excited, they’re more likely to engage with the material and, ultimately, retain it. Seasonal themes provide a memorable context for lessons. For example, using pumpkins to teach counting or patterns makes the learning more vivid. When students think of pumpkins later, they may also recall the skills they learned.

3. Encourages Creativity

Seasonal themes also open the door for creative learning activities. Whether it’s through art, writing, or hands-on STEM projects, the possibilities are endless. With a fall theme, you can do everything from pumpkin painting to creating a class poem about the season.

4. Multisensory Learning

Many seasonal activities encourage multisensory learning, which is especially effective for younger learners! Whether it’s feeling the texture of leaves, hearing the crunch of apples, or seeing the vibrant colors of fall, using the senses helps deepen the learning experience. To bring this to life in your classroom, consider using these materials in your lessons as part of math centers or writing crafts!

A Fun Fall-Themed Resource to Try

One of my favorite seasonal activities for fall is Five Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Gate. This timeless poem is not only fun and catchy, but it’s also packed with opportunities for teaching literacy, math, and even science! I’ve created a special resource that pairs this classic poem with engaging STEM activities designed for kindergarten and first-grade students.

With this resource, your students can work on STEM activities while enjoying the playful theme of pumpkins.

You can check out the Five Little Pumpkins resource here and bring some fall magic into your classroom!

By incorporating seasonal themes into your lessons, you’ll not only capture your students’ attention but also help them build meaningful connections to the world around them. Whether it’s pumpkins in the fall or snowflakes in winter, these themes can be the perfect way to make learning more engaging and memorable!

What are your favorite ways to get student engagement? Let me know in the comments!

For more classroom management tips, check out my post here all about behavior management!