What are good practices for classroom management and building positive relations?
Dear fellow teachers,
I'm a starting teacher in the Netherlands. I teach history, geography, and citizenship in lower secondary vocational education (VMBO-BK), a practical/vocational pathway for students aged 11–15.
I work in a community with significant social challenges, including poverty, youth crime, and familial instability. As part of my professional development, I'm putting together a guide for beginning teachers on restoring classroom order, building positive relationships, and encouraging good behaviour beyond what is typically found in classroom management literature.
I'm looking for practical strategies and experiences from other teachers. What techniques have worked particularly well for you when managing challenging classes?
Some examples that work for me:
When students keep talking, I calmly say: "If you can hear me, clap once. If you can hear me, clap twice," until I have everyone's attention.
I sometimes use students' second or third name in a playful way and joke about my own unusual name as well. This often reduces tension when I need to correct behaviour.
If a class consistently follows basic expectations for a week (materials ready, seated correctly, etc.), I reward them with a football match, Uno, or another activity on Friday.
I use a humorous call-and-response phrase that rhymes in Dutch to regain attention. It's a bit childish, which makes the students laugh, but it still works. (1-2-3-4 alle oogjes hier/ all your eyes are here).
I count down from three and redirect individual students by name if necessary. Repeated disruption means moving to a seat closer to me.
I regularly call parents with positive news when students work hard, improve, or achieve a sollid result.
Occasionally, I offer small rewards, such as hot chocolate, when students complete homework that they would normally avoid.
What are your most effective classroom-management techniques, especially for students who are disengaged, disruptive, or resistant to school?
I'd love to learn from your experiences and include some of the best ideas in my guide for new teachers.
Thank you, and have a great weekend!