During my first year of teaching, I had the worst-behaved class in the entire school. I was told I was "too nice" and that my students wouldn’t take me seriously. I struggled daily with classroom management, constantly putting out fires and feeling overwhelmed.

Fast forward to today, and I’ve been asked to train substitutes in my district on classroom management. So, what changed?

It all came down to three major mindset shifts that completely transformed the way I managed my classroom. Today, I want to share these shifts with you so that you can create a thriving, well-managed classroom where students respect and listen to you without fear or frustration.

1. Reacting Vs. Being Proactive to Disruptive Behavior

In my first year, I felt like I was playing a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. A student would disrupt the class, and I’d react—whether it was with frustration, incentives, or consequences. But no matter what I tried, the behavior kept happening.

I spent so much time focusing on how I responded to misbehavior that I didn’t realize veteran teachers weren’t just great at handling disruptions—they were great at preventing them in the first place.

The key to effective classroom management is proactively setting up systems that reduce the likelihood of disruptive behavior happening at all. That means having:

• Clear and consistent expectations
• Well-established classroom procedures
• Logical and fair rules
• Predictable consequences that students understand

Once I stopped obsessing over how to respond and instead focused on building a foundation that prevented misbehavior, my classroom completely changed.

2. Society’s Good Teacher Vs. YOUR Good Teacher

Early on, I thought that a "good teacher" looked a certain way. Most of the teachers around me used clip charts, called students out in front of the class, expected total silence, and withheld kindness until December. I tried to fit into that mold, but it just didn’t work for me.

I wanted to:

• Build strong relationships while maintaining firm boundaries.
• Create an engaging, movement-filled classroom.
• Use private conversations instead of public shame.
• Ditch my clip chart.
• Show mutual respect to my students.
• Let students take ownership of the classroom so it ran like a well-oiled machine—even without me micromanaging.

For a long time, I doubted myself. I thought I was doing something wrong. But the reality was, I needed to stop trying to be society’s definition of a "good teacher" and start creating my own definition based on what truly worked for me and my students.

Ask yourself: If you knew no one would judge you and every strategy you used would work, what would your classroom look and sound like? Once you answer that, start aligning your strategies with your vision, not someone else’s expectations.

3. From "Band-Aid" Strategies to Long-Term Systems

At first, my classroom management relied on what I now call "band-aid strategies." These are short-term tactics that reward positive behavior but don’t actually teach students how to regulate their behavior long-term. Examples include:

• Clip charts
• Class rewards
• Desk pets
• Secret students
• Sticker charts
• Student bucks
• Class parties

These can be fun and motivating when used correctly, but they shouldn’t be the foundation of your classroom management. Instead, I shifted my focus to long-term systems that actually create lasting behavior change:

• Classroom procedures that students follow automatically
• Classroom rules that are clear and consistently enforced
• Logical consequences that teach responsibility
• Proactive classroom management strategies that prevent problems before they start

Band-aid strategies are the icing on the cake—but you need a solid classroom management system as the foundation.

Final Thoughts: The Mindset Shifts That Changed Everything

By making these three mindset shifts, I completely transformed my classroom management:

1. Proactive vs. Reactive – Focusing on prevention rather than just discipline.
2. Society’s Teacher vs. My Teacher – Defining my own teaching style and strategies.
3. Band-Aid Strategies vs. Long-Term Systems – Prioritizing habits and routines over rewards and punishments.

If you’re struggling with classroom management, I encourage you to start shifting your mindset in these areas. It won’t happen overnight, but once you implement these changes, you’ll notice a dramatic difference in your classroom.

Next Steps

• Grab my FREE Classroom Management Guide to learn more about these strategies.
• Join my Classroom Management Event happening at the end of the month!
• Stay tuned for my Classroom Management Bundle, packed with resources to help you set up a structured, stress-free classroom.

You don’t have to struggle with classroom management forever. With the right mindset shifts and systems in place, you can create a classroom that runs smoothly—without burnout.