When you look around your classroom, do you see a lot of environmental print? Do you also see anchor charts that you’ve hung for your students? Why do teachers do that?
It’s because we know that visuals are essential, and these visual reminders help us to remember important information!
We tend to hang an abundance of visuals for our little ones. We know that seeing words or images will help them remember something they are learning. We know they can use those resources as they work to gain mastery of new skills.
💡Pro-tip: we should be doing the same thing for ourselves!
Read on to learn the six words that will improve your classroom management strategies for good, (and how I remind myself to use them!) ⤵️
Classroom Management Posters for Teachers
I’ve been using the following strategy for a long time! And listen, please don’t judge my humble beginnings below. It was long before I had a computer at school or knew that Teachers Pay Teachers would be a dream!
Back in 2007, when I first started teaching, I used three little shapes to create visual reminders for myself. On those little reminders, these words:
Show Me.
Tell Me.
Remind Me.
I hung them in a place where I could see while teaching my whole group as a cue for my classroom management strategy. Here’s how it worked. ⤵️
Show Me. Tell Me. Remind Me.
For years, these six words have been classroom management gold for me. Instead of focusing on the students’ negative behaviors, which can feel icky for everyone, I do my best to call attention to the positive, desired behaviors.
💡 Pro-tip: you can use a regular tone or even a whisper so that you don’t have to raise your voice (or blood pressure!)
Show Me.
The words “show me” are important because they call attention to the behaviors that you want to see. You can allow students to model the appropriate behaviors for the rest of the class. For example, do you have that one kid who always slides to his spot on the carpet? Let THAT student be the one to show everyone how to sit on the floor safely! Using this method also allows you to give immediate and specific feedback.
It might sound like this:
- “Show me how a first grader walks to the carpet.”
- “Who can show me a safe way to line up?”
- “Tyra is showing me a quiet way to carry her pencil box without shaking it!”
Tell Me.
The words “tell me” are important because we work all year long to reinforce routines for our classroom. We also work hard to set expectations at the beginning of each activity. Asking the students to tell you what their behavior should look like in a given situation helps them to verbalize and hear those expectations one more time.
It might sound like this:
- “Tell me what I should see when I look at your center.”
- “Who can tell me what kindergarteners do when they hear my recess whistle?”
- “Tell me two things you need to bring to the carpet.”
Remind Me.
I love using the words “remind me” because it’s a phrase that can be used all year to review expectations. Not only does it eliminate nagging, but kids LOVE to help adults remember things!
It might sound like this:
- “Remind me what you should do if you have a question.”
- “Who can remind me how to clean up a morning tub?”
- “Chris is reminding me of how to carry an iPad safely.”
Once you start to incorporate these six words into your classroom vocabulary, you will see a shift in the way that students respond to your direction. It’s my hope that you’ll also see a difference in how you feel at the end of each day!
Are you ready to get started with the “Show Me, Tell Me, Remind Me” strategy in your own classroom? Let me take out the guesswork for you! Hang the signs in your classroom or attach the mini posters to a clipboard for a portable reminder. Grab them here for ✨FREE!✨
Classroom Management Resources
Hear me when I say this: you’re incredible for managing dozens of children daily! There’s no denying how challenging it is to meet everyone’s needs, manage behaviors, and TEACH. I hope the resources I’ve created lessen your load by teaching routines and keeping students engaged. You can join the thousands of K-2 teachers who use and love having these classroom management resources in their classrooms!
As teachers, we all know that our students have to learn to walk before they can fly! Clear classroom expectations and management are the top ways to set your students up for success and your classroom up for learning.
When you focus on the positives using the “Show Me, Remind Me, Tell Me” strategy, you put students in the driver’s seat to share what they already know about your classroom expectations. And just like we support our students with visuals, you can also help yourself with them!
You’re doing an incredible job!
shop these favorites now...
5 Responses
These are great tips!
Thanks for sharing, Emily 🙂
Anisa @ Creative Undertakings
I like it! Thanks for this blog post.
Hi Emily
My name is Sandy, and im an Early Childcare Educator in Columbus Ohio.
I’ve been in Childcare for 15 years but im about to have my own pre k class for the first time in four years.ive always been with the Infant class.
Anyway,I’m very interested in reading your information.
I am currently at one daycare working with another Teacher,who has established her class,so when I take over at around 3pm,the children don’t really listen to me, I’m trying to become a lead teacher so I can have my own class in our second building,that will be opening soon.
The age group varies right now from 3- 4 1/2.
This class is difficult with the different ages and I do get frustrated when some of the kids start to not listen. I’m not sure what to do!!!
My e mail
[email protected]
Thanks for the helpful and positive advice. I’m also from the pre-Pinterest and Teachers-pay-Teachers!
LOVE your Positive approaches!!! I also LOVe your artistic talent! Thank You for sharing…from another First Grade teacher who loves new insights and polka dots!!
kg in co