First, set clear expectations. Consistency is the key. Be explicit about your expectations for their behavior, participation, and daily routines. I always start my class in prayer followed by classroom rules. Be firm, consistent, and practice often.

Second, keep them engaged. Middle school students have a lot of energy. Sitting still for long periods can lead to behavior issues. You need to plan lessons that include collaboration, and hands-on learning. Use stations, gallery walks, manipulatives, or think-pair-share to keep them engaged in the class discussion.

Third, use positive reinforcement. Recognize their effort, progress, and good choices regularly. Reinforcement can be verbal praise or small privileges. You can make a “Kindness Wall” where students are recognized weekly for their kindness and helpful behavior.

Fourth, carefully plan the classroom seating arrangement. It is important to plan the seating arrangement especially when you are familiar with their academic performance and behavior. One of my practices is changing of seats every month. I make sure that students with behavior challenges are seated in front or near to my table. This will help me to monitor them easily.

Lastly, be flexible and reflective. Use various formative assessment techniques, such as questioning, observations, exit passes, or peer discussions to gather information on student progress. I provide timely and accurate feedback to help them reflect on their learning. Students can also provide feedback to one another. I adjust instruction based on the information I gather, by reteaching or differentiating as needed. These strategies will help me create student-centered lessons that will lead to improved learning outcomes.

I also learned some of these classroom management styles from my colleagues, trainings, and experiences. As your first year of teaching in America, you can apply various classroom management techniques that you think are effective with your students. Always remember, be firm and consistent!