According to a recent EAB study, students in the average American elementary school classroom are losing almost 15 days of education a year—that’s three entire weeks of instruction—due to classroom disruptions. This study also suggests that the disruptions themselves have escalated and few teachers feel confident in the classroom management training they have received. 

Is it any wonder why teachers worry about finishing the curriculum by the end of the school year or dread returning to school on Monday mornings? 

However, teachers, you don’t have to lose hope! If you are struggling with your classroom management, remembering and implementing the following guidelines can provide you with the encouragement you need to maintain a hopeful perspective:

1. A written classroom management plan followed consistently with kindness and firmness will improve your classroom culture and, according to that EAB study, give you more instructional time as well. Writing down the plan is key!
2. If a classroom management plan isn’t working, it’s okay to adjust. Just because something has worked in the past does not mean it will work now. As the culture shifts, kids change. It’s okay to shift your plans sometimes too. Remember, the goal is improvement, not perfection.
3. You are God's vocational ministry partner. You are not working alone, and you have a greater mission than the chaos happening in front of you. When you interact with your students, you reflect the love, justice, and mercy of God. 

Managing a classroom can be tedious and requires a lot of time, planning, and more patience than we can summon on our own. But teachers, don't lose heart. Regardless of how you are feeling today or the results you may or may not be seeing, there is always hope!

Linda Kardamis taught middle school math before founding Teach 4 the Heart. She is the author of Create Your Dream Classroom and Take Heart and Teach and the creator of Classroom Management 101. She and her husband are raising their four kids in Northeast Ohio.

For more classroom management help, sign up for Linda's FREE on-demand training: How to Reduce Disruptions So you Can Actually Teach. 

Christian Educators Members with Coverage receive a 40% discount on all Teach 4 the Heart courses as a benefit of membership. Log in to your membership account at christianeducators.org to access your discount code.