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By Christine Girtain, Theresa Maughan, Joe Nappi, Angel Santiago and Stefanie Lachenauer
Research and experience are clear: one of the greatest indicators for educators’ long-term success and job satisfaction is effective classroom management. The NJEA Review asked the five recent New Jersey state teachers of the year to share practices and advice for fostering productive, respectful learning environments.
Grade school discipline starts with routines—but grows with relationships
Angel Santiago: Response to Intervention (RTI)elementary school teacher, Loring Flemming Elementary School in Blackwood, Camden County, 2020-21 NJ State Teacher of the Year
“We needed to throw another “R” in there: relationship.“
In college, our instructors always emphasized drilling routines and procedures during the beginning of the year. I think we can all agree it’s essential to have proper procedures and routines. But as a new teacher, I had no idea what that looked like. It took some time, observing colleagues––which I believe all first- and second-year teachers should have access to. Through observation, I discovered Whole Brain Teaching before I understood how to create a safe and well-oiled learning environment.
From our morning meeting, where we review the day’s itinerary, to setting clear goals and expectations for each lesson, to assigning roles during group work––even the seemingly minor tasks like lunch count and asking for a pencil––everything follows a consistent, clearly taught procedure. I make sure that my students know what’s expected of them and give them the support and resources to accomplish those daily goals.
I believe that teaching these expectations is essential. Using real-life examples through role-play or videos can make these expectations more relatable and effective. Once I mastered the routines and procedures, I realized I also needed to give my students a reason why they mattered. It took a couple of years, but I came to understand that alongside routines and procedures, we needed to add another “R” to our mix: relationships. So, in addition to establishing routines and procedures, I made it a goal during the first two weeks of the school to really get to know my students––their likes and dislikes, their dreams for the future, their cultures, and their identities. Learning who my students are and what they aspire to be allows me to use lessons in class to help bring them a little closer to those dreams.
Before disciplining a student, I always ask myself, “Would I want a teacher to say this to my child in this manner?” We must remind ourselves: these are people with feelings, ideas, compassion and fears. It’s OK to be firm, but we must never intentionally provoke a fight-or-flight response in our kids. Fear isn’t a useful tool in education.
It’s almost impossible to develop strong classroom management without begging, borrowing and stealing from seasoned colleagues. Find a veteran teacher bestie and soak everything in. Be open to change and to constructive feedback. One of my professors, Donna Bender, gave me the best advice for new teachers.
“In order to become a brilliant teacher, you must always be willing to be a brilliant student,must always be willing to be a brilliant student, she said.” she said.
Never, ever stop being a brilliant student of this profession.
Build a learning community, not just classroom rules
Theresa Maughan, social studies teacher at East Orange STEM Academy, East Orange, Essex County, 2021-22 NJ State Teacher of the Year
“Reflect on your own identity and be sure you’re not bringing personal biases into the classroom.“
It’s not about “managing behavior,” but about building a community of learners. That’s the key to reducing potential classroom conflicts. So how do I build a community?
Each year, I devote the first week of the school year to activities that foster trust and a sense of belonging. I begin with something as simple as our names. I ask students to share the phonetic pronunciation of their names to show respect—because our names are part of our identity. My students also create “identity charts,” which we then share together.
I use many strategies outlined in Facing History and Ourselves Back to School: Building community for connection and learning. One of the most important strategies is collaboratively creating our classroom guidelines or expectations. I have students use Padlet to list positive suggestions for how students should treat each other in class. We review the responses together, and students vote on a final list of expectations. I print the Padlet responses in the classroom for everyone to see.
It’s also essential to establish classroom routines early in the school year. Students should have roles such as timekeeper, teacher assistant (distributing journals/materials) and class ambassador (guiding discussions). These responsibilities work well, even in high school. The goal is for students to feel comfortable with the daily procedures the moment they enter the room.
My classroom practices shifted once I recognized the importance of creating a learning community that provides a safe space for students to accept our differences. Centering our community norms around the word “Respect” leads to fewer behavioral conflicts. I model the behavior I want to see—speaking to students with respect, and helping them understand that in our community, we lift each other up instead of using words that are put-downs.
My advice? Start with some personal archaeology. Reflect on your own identity and be sure you’re not bringing personal biases into the classroom—ones that could unintentionally make students feel unwelcome. Also, remember that the more engaged students are with the class activities, the less likely they are to act out.
I like to begin each period with a brief writing prompt in a journal or notebook. It could connect to the day’s lesson or ask students for their opinion on a current issue. The New York Times Learning Network is a great resource for student opinion prompts that can be adapted for your “Do Now” activity. Also, give yourself grace. Some days will be more challenging than others.
See the needs of your students, make them feel special
Christine Girtain, science teacher and the director of Authentic Science Research at Toms River High School North and Toms River High School South in Toms River, Ocean County, 2022-23 NJ State Teacher of the Year
“No one is innately bad–especially at that age.“
When I have a student dealing with behavioral issues, I try to get to know them before it ever gets to the point of detention. If it’s a situation that warrants immediate detention, the student serves it with me, and I don’t just sit silently with them. I talk to them and get to know who they are. When you understand where they’re coming from—or when they understand where you’re coming from—that line of communication becomes essential. It helps both of us move forward.
I’m still close with the first student I ever gave detention to. I ran into him at ShopRite. We hugged and ended up crying together. He was so happy for me with the teacher of the year honor.
“I’m going to go to the car, and my wife is going to ask why I’m crying,” he said.
He’s in the military now.
One of the best pieces of advice I can give is: See the needs of your students. Make them feel special. Make sure they know they have something to contribute. Let them know when you need their help. Students feel valued for what they understand they bring to the table.
Whatever the issue is, it’s coming from somewhere. No one is innately bad—especially at that age.
The students are different post-pandemic. They’re more stressed, and they’re not handling that stress the way they used to. I teach high achievers. I could push them before, but I can’t in the same way now. I must be mindful of where they are emotionally and mentally.
If I’m having issues with a student, I’ll talk with other teachers about the student and see what works for them. For example, I once had a student who looked miserable in my class. Another teacher said she looked the same way in his class—and it was affecting how he interacted with her. But she told me she loved his class; she just had a resting unhappy face. I told him that, and it changed the dynamic. He stopped internalizing her expression. I also encouraged her to be mindful of how she appeared.
I recommend sitting in on other teachers’ classes during lunch. You might pick up on student dynamics that help you better understand them. I had one student who wore a fluorescent green sweatshirt, and I noticed everything he did. So I was really riding him because it seemed out of the ordinary for me but for him, these were things that he’d been doing all along. We joked about it.
“You need to get rid of that sweatshirt,“ I said.
We were all good because we talked about it.
You have to figure out what works for you by trying lots of things. Because what works for one teacher might not work for another. Newer teachers have to give themselves grace.
Be firm, fair and follow through
Joe Nappi, social studies teacher, Monmouth Regional High School, Tinton Falls, Monmouth County, 2023-24 NJ State Teacher of the Year
” Sometimes the students who are hardest to love are the ones who need it most.“
I got some really good advice early in my career about the three F’s of classroom management, and they’ve served me well over the years.
The first F is firm, if there’s going to be a rule in your room, you need to fully understand why it exists and be able to explain that to your students. Let them know why it matters—and don’t waiver in your commitment to upholding that rule.
The second F is fair. It’s crucial to be fair when enforcing your rules and policies. This is where equity comes into play in classroom procedures. A student who’s late to class because they came from the other side of campus is not the same as one who’s late when their previous class was across the hall. I generally don’t allow students to take phone calls during my class, but if someone is in school while a family member is having surgery, that rule needs to be flexible. When students see that you’re fair and willing to work with them, you open lines of communication and build relationships.
The final F, follow-through, is the most important and the hardest for novice teachers. If I say something, you better believe I mean it. If I say anyone who doesn’t put their phone into the bin will get a teacher detention, then I follow through with that.
While I’m not a big punitive guy, but when it comes to classroom management, I will have students meet with me after school or during their lunch—especially if they have to work, for example—to discuss their behavior, why it is a problem and how we can move forward together. I’ve found that handling these situations myself, rather than outsourcing discipline to the assistant principal’s office—except in cases where a student endangers others—is far more effective.
Although I set high academic expectations and have established classroom procedures—many of which I “borrowed” from other teachers I’ve observed over the years—I’ve added an additional rule and that one is all about respect. That one is nonnegotiable. I keep a framed picture of Aretha Franklin on my classroom shelf and play her song “Respect” for them on the first day of school.
“Aretha is watching!” I tell my students.
It doesn’t take long before they’re calling each other out, even making each other apologize to Aretha.
What about the other norms and expectations for the class? We create them together. As a class, we develop a contract, and everyone signs it. Facing History and Ourselves has a great strategy for developing class contracts that new teachers might find helpful. (facinghistory.org)
I believe that with fair rules, engaging lessons and community building, most classroom problems will disappear. When issues persist even in that environment, it’s usually a sign of deeper concerns. These are the kids who make us earn our salaries, and they’re the ones most deeply impacted by how we respond. I know this because I was one of those kids. When you encounter one of them, remember this: Sometimes the students who are hardest to love are the ones who need it most.
Building community, not just managing a classroom
Stefanie Lachenauer, Skills for Success and Global Leadership teacher, at Montgomery Upper Middle School in Montgomery Township, Somerset County, and the 2024-25 NJ Teacher of the Year
“We hold one another accountable with kindness and grace. It is everyone’s responsibility to create the classroom culture we want.“
For me, classroom management is about relationships. I don’t love the term “classroom management” because what we’re really talking about is behaviors and connection with students. From the first day, I work with my class to build relationships—with each other and with me.
We begin by creating community agreements. These are not the same as classroom rules or norms, they are commitments we make together.
We ask: What do you want this classroom to feel like? What makes you feel safe enough to ask a question? What environment do you need to learn best?
These conversations lead to thoughtful agreements that we all sign—students and me—and then post in the classroom. Later, when something comes up, we return to the agreements and ask whether we are missing something or whether something needs to change. This allows us to hold one another accountable with kindness and grace. It is everyone’s responsibility to create the culture we want.
Students will act out, call out or argue. That is part of being human. But instead of labeling it as misbehavior, I try to look through a lens of curiosity: What does this student need that they are not getting? Maybe they need to stand while learning, sit closer to the board or move away from distractions. Sometimes they just need to be seen and heard. Approaching behavior this way helps all of us understand what is missing and then support the student in finding healthier ways to meet that need. When we teach through a trauma-sensitive lens, we are always thinking about students’ needs and how we can best support them.
Clear expectations and routines are another foundation of a safe learning environment. I model everything—from communication to assignments—so students know exactly what is expected of them. If I want a project completed in a particular way, I spend time going over it, showing examples and building skills step by step. This alleviates confusion, reduces anxiety and helps students feel confident in their work.
Restorative practices are also central to how I think about community. Instead of focusing only on behavior and consequences, restorative practices help the community take responsibility for actions. When something breaks down, we talk about how to repair it. When feelings are hurt, we discuss how to heal the harm. In my classroom, restorative conversations and circles give everyone a voice in restoring trust and strengthening our community.
Finally, mindfulness has been a game changer. Helping students regulate themselves and prepare their brains for learning makes everything else possible. The more students know who they are, what they need and how they learn, the better they are able to show up for themselves and their education. I am so passionate about this that I have embedded mindfulness into my curriculum and even written a book for students on the practice.
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