Educators don’t need another report telling them that classroom behavior is worsening. They’ve told us themselves again, and again, and again.
Last winter, the EdWeek Research Center conducted a nationally representative survey of 990 district leaders, school leaders, and teachers, and a strong majority—72%—agreed that misbehavior was worse than pre-pandemic levels. The center posed the same question in other post-pandemic years. Each time, an increasing percentage of educators reported worsening student behavior, from 66% in 2021, to 70% in 2023, to 72% in 2024.
There are some early indicators that behavior reports might improve slightly this academic year, as many schools and districts have implemented bans on cellphones—frequently blamed for classroom disruptions and disciplinary actions. But the absence of cellphones from classrooms won’t solve all of teachers’ classroom management challenges.
What, then, can teachers do to improve student behavior?
This month, Education Week conducted an (unscientific) social media poll to find out. We asked educators: What are your best strategies for effective classroom management?
The poll garnered 752 votes. The answer “building strong relationships” seemed to win by a landslide, with 59% of the vote. “Maintaining consistent rules” earned 28% of the votes. “Offering positive reinforcement” received just 10%.
But survey respondents’ comments painted a more nuanced picture. Many leaned into the need for both classroom rules and routines and relationship-building with students. Some respondents also offered more specific tactics for keeping students on task.
Here’s a sampling of comments, lightly edited for clarity and length.
Set expectations and routines early. Practice them repeatedly until those routines become habits. Be firm, fair, consistent.
Get to know your students and truly see them.
For that one group that won’t get it together, start writing everything in a notebook. I find a clipboard to be even more effective actually. The kids have no idea what I’m writing, but the idea of documentation makes them shape up.
Proximity. I stand beside the hot spot until they stop distracting. It’s effective.
Students agree with research that supports relationship-building
A growing body of research supports the idea that teachers should get to know their students and build strong relationships with them.
Michael C. Reichert, a child psychologist and advocate for student-teacher relationships as a hallmark of learning, led a 2013 study in which researchers interviewed an estimated 1,000 male middle and high school students from six countries, including the United States, and various backgrounds (from well-resourced to impoverished) on the role of relationships in learning. Most students interviewed acknowledged the strong impact a positive relationship with their teacher has had on their learning.
Similarly, last fall, Education Week interviewed more than a dozen school-age boys (primarily high school students) to ask about the impact of their feelings toward a teacher on their performance in class. Each student interviewed acknowledged a direct and positive correlation between the two.
“When there’s a teacher that I have a relationship with, I 100% try harder in class. Even if I got no sleep the night before, I’ll stay up for first period because I like the teacher,” Warren Coates, a senior at Smyrna High School in central Delaware during the 2025-26 school year, told Education Week.
Recognizing the value in rules, routines, and relationships
Students may recognize the value of strong student-teacher relationships over classroom rules and routines. But plenty of teachers see the value in both.
Routine, structure, positive reinforcement, relationships…they [students] will run through a brick wall for you if they know you care! That doesn’t mean every day will be perfect, but it will be better!
There needs to be clear, simple, and concise rules and routine. There must also be effective rewards and consequences. That does not mean a punishment. These must be well-displayed and carried out consistently. Finally, you do need to get to know your students and your students need to get to know you. That helps you to understand what approaches are needed, to understand problems, and to help each other out.
Building positive relationships goes without saying. However, love without accountability isn’t love. It’s enabling.
