Back to Basics: The Classroom Management Book

I can easily admit that I have struggled with classroom management in the past. I first started teaching right out of college, and the state/school I was hired by did not have a student teaching requirement at the time so I was as fresh and raw as you could be. I was teaching high school so I never really felt it necessary to develop my management skills (how wrong I was!). It wasn't until I started a new teaching position, grade level, and subject all in one that I began investing in myself and started searching out classroom management professional development.

That is where this, the most useful book I have ever come upon, The Classroom Management Book comes into play! I was moving from 12th grade English to 6th grade English/History and I knew my management style was sub-par (at least to where I know I could be). I asked around to some other teachers for suggestions. Many of the books I read I just couldn't get in to or they didn't give me ready examples to start implementing in the fall. I didn't want theory, I wanted something I could use.

I think that is what I love about the Wongs (Harry and Rosemary... yes, we are on a first-name basis in my head LOL). The first part of the book explains why classroom management is important, how it can improve your classroom environment, save you headaches, etc. But a huge chunk of the book is easy to read, easy to implement examples with pictures, descriptions, and real-life teacher examples for MULTIPLE GRADE LEVELS! Hallelujah!!

This is the number one thing I suggest to new teachers when they ask me what should they get to start things off right in their classroom. It's also what I suggest to veteran teachers, like myself, who could use reflection or a little polish to their classroom management style. I just keep coming back to this book over and over again.

With that said, here are some pictures of things around my classroom (or digital creations) that were inspired by the teachings and examples found in The Classroom Management Book.