Initial Management Strategies Make a Positive Difference
Early Classroom Management Studies
Addressing the non-academics of Classroom Management in the first week can make over a 50% difference in student engagement later in the year – at all grade levels.
Evidence-based Practices Produce Results
Evidence-based practices, respected as the gold standard in education, earn this coveted title by meeting three criteria: The educational practice is
(a) evaluated using sound experimental design and methodology,
(b) demonstrated to be effective, and
(c) supported by at least three empirical studies published in peer-refereed journals.
In Classroom Management, eight practices merit this designation. See how the GOTAGS course from Ready to Teach aligns with each of these in the table to the right:
GOTAGS Produces Positive Outcomes
Teachers take away a lot of ideas from the GOTAGS course. With a written record of ideas to try, they implement 75% of them – with screencast users actually recording and using 33% more.
Over 1,000 teachers have reported positive results after implementing Ready To Teach ideas in their own K-12 classrooms the first days of school:
- Increased confidence in starting the year
- Increased student academic engagement
- Increased student cooperation
- Increased success of class rules
- Increased efficiency of class procedures
- Increased time spent in academics
- Increased control of the classroom
- Increased feelings of personal satisfaction in teaching
- Decreased students off task
- Decreased student office referrals
The graph below demonstrates that desirable effects increase and undesirable ones decrease. (Do you wonder why screencast teachers score slightly higher than workshop teachers? Perhaps the screencast freedom to customize the time spent in each activity makes for increased effectiveness.)
New Teachers
New teachers benefit from higher student engagement, fewer discipline problems and more instruction time.
“Getting off to a Good Start was the single most useful tool I received before I started teaching. It answered many of the start-up questions new teachers ask, but few programs actually address.”
— Katie C., Middle School English Language Arts
“As a first-year teacher, GOTAGS allowed me to think critically about the classroom management and organizational plans that I wanted to have in my classroom. Without this invaluable resource, my year would not have begun (or continued to run) as smoothly as it did. I truly have GOTAGS to thank for a successful start to my year.”
— Melissa P., High School Mathematics
“Last year my principal kept asking if I were sure that this was my first year to teach, and I kept assuring him it was. He said he’d never seen a first-year teacher teach like she had been teaching for several years. GOTAGS prepared me to teach beginning day one.”
— Jessica C., Elementary Music
“Of all the resources I had at my disposal, this no-nonsense guide to the nitty-gritty elements of the classroom was most influential in allowing me as a new teacher to anticipate and address many classroom management and logistical challenges BEFORE they became an issue.”
— Alec W., Secondary English
Seasoned Teachers
Seasoned teachers gain a fresh approach, new solutions or tactics to help them thrive in an ever-evolving environment, as well as experience affirmation for effective things they do.
“I wish I had experienced the GOTAGS program before my first year in the classroom! It helped me organize my thoughts before the start of school and the checklists helped me thoroughly prepare for the first few days of school and beyond! It also helped cultivate some fresh ideas for my classroom and allowed me to reflect and brainstorm on areas of improvement from the previous year.”
— Megan D., Kindergarten
“GOTAGS helped systematically to completely prepare me for the new year. Although I have taught 30 years, there are things that I only covered hit or miss at the beginning of each year. My students and I are more successful together due to GOTAGS!”
— William R., Elementary Music
“GOTAGS should be mandatory for new teachers! I wish I had gone through the program my first year of teaching. As a veteran teacher it is a reminder of common pitfalls and serves as a roadmap for planning a successful year for students and teachers alike.”
— Tina W., Elementary Technology
“Although I have been teaching for a long time, I found many things from my journey through Ready To Teach that I could use in my classroom. While some of them were gentle reminders, others were new ideas that I have implemented. Applying fresh ideas sparks a new fire of enthusiasm in me and my students.”
— Deborah M., Middle School Mathematics
“A wonderful program to experience as a veteran teacher. I was encouraged to try new strategies and reminded of strategies that I use. The layout of the program made it easy to use, and easy to apply my individual classroom needs. GOTAGS is a must for first year teachers, but it is also a great resource for veteran teachers.”
— Heather C., Middle School Science
“GOTAGS gave me (a veteran teacher) information I’d never considered before. It showed me how important it is to establish procedures and rules so that the students know what is expected of them, and what they can expect from me. I wish I had had this training when I started teaching! Every new teacher should be required to experience GOTAGS.”
— Jamie F., Senior AP English
“I am not a traditional classroom teacher. I work as a university strength and conditioning coach, so I teach collegiate student-athletes every day. The principles I learned from GOTAGS have helped me tremendously in my profession. Regardless of the educational setting, every teacher and every student needs to get off to a good start to set the stage for success throughout the course!”
— Adam S., Strength & Conditioning Coach
Schools / Administrators
Students benefit from understanding expectations, perceive classroom as positive place, engage more and achieve greater academic success. Thus, the school in turn benefits from the positive chain reaction: fewer behavior issues leads to more instruction time, which leads to increased student academic achievement, and delivers a positive impact of performance metrics for the school and the district.
I find myself educating the teachers I hire with this material because applicable strategies for classroom management is the one consistent hole I find in their education.
— Lindsay M., Director of Early Learning, Renaissance Kids Early Learning Centre
“When all teachers within a school are committed to carrying out GOTAGS plans, a positive classroom and school community is created and sustained and effective classroom management becomes a defining characteristic of the daily experience within the school.”
— Dr. Larry M., St. James Head of School
“Ready To Teach is a unique solution and resource written and developed by educators for educators. The screencast and GOTAGS book combination proved to be a convenient and welcomed approach to summer Professional Development. The exercises facilitated in-depth engagement in the content motivating our faculty to enter the fall semester eager and ready to implement new strategies!”
— Bryan B., Ed.D., Head of School, Hill Learning Center