Research identifies ten key elements of effective classroom management that support positive behaviour. These elements are interrelated and overlapping, and may have differing degrees of importance, depending on the needs, strengths and priorities of a particular classroom.

1 Positive relationships between teachers and individual students, among all students in the classroom, and between teachers and parents
2 Classroom organization, including the physical environment and structures and routines that foster learning and encourage positive behaviour throughout the school day
3 Differentiated instruction that considers the individual learning needs of students and creates learning situations that match students’ current abilities, learning preferences and specific needs, but also stretches their abilities and encourages them to try new ways of learning
4 Classroom behavioural expectations that are clearly articulated, aligned with school-wide expectations and consistent throughout the school day
5 Social skills instruction that demonstrates and directly teaches specific classroom behavioural expectations
6 Positive reinforcement for individual students and groups of students who demonstrate positive behaviours
7 Fair and predictable consequences for individual students who demonstrate negative behaviours that adversely affect them, others and/or the classroom environment
8 Administrative and collegial support that creates a team approach to positive behaviour supports throughout the school and in each classroom
9 Gathering data to understand student behaviour, and using observation and analysis to identify students’ strengths and needs, identify the areas for improved classroom management and measure progress over time
10 Targeted supports for students at-risk, for the small percentage of students who are at risk of developing increasingly challenging behaviours