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I found this article online and thought it had some good advice. I’ve highlighted some of the things that stuck out to me.
Students who are defiant or non-compliant can be among the most challenging to teach. They can frequently interrupt instruction, often do poorly academically, and may show little motivation to learn. There are no magic strategies for managing the behaviors of defiant students. However, research shows that certain techniques tend to work best with these children and youth:
(1) Give the student positive teacher recognition. Even actions as simple as greeting the student daily at the classroom door or stopping by the student’s desk to ask ‘How are you doing?’ can over time turn strained relationships into positive ones.
(2) Monitor the classroom frequently and intervene proactively to redirect off-task students before their mild misbehaviors escalate into more serious problems.
(3) Avoid saying or doing things that are likely to anger or set off a student. Speak calmly and respectfully, for example, rather than raising your voice or using sarcasm.
(4) When you must intervene with a misbehaving student, convey the message to the student that you will not tolerate the problem behavior—but that you continue to value and accept the student.
(5) Remember that the ultimate goal of any disciplinary measure is to teach the student more positive ways of behaving. Punishment generally does not improve student behaviors over the long term and can have significant and lasting negative effects on school performance and motivation.
(6) Develop a classroom ‘crisis response plan’ to be implemented in the event that one or more students display aggressive behaviors that threaten their own safety or the safety of others. Be sure that your administrator approves this classroom crisis plan and that everyone who has a part in the plan knows his or her role.
One final thought: While you can never predict what behaviors your students might bring into your classroom, you will usually achieve the best outcomes by remaining calm, following pre-planned intervention strategies for misbehavior, and acting with consistency and fairness when intervening with or disciplining students. More ideas can be found HERE.
Teachers love books! Every classroom I have been in has a classroom library. Teachers spend lots of money and collect books through the years. There needs to be a system in place to keep track of them. Start a spreadsheet that lists the title and author of the books you have. You could even add a column for AR book level and AR points. This gives you an inventory of your books. Develop a checkout system. One teacher I know has a file box and creates an index card for each book he has. He files them in alphabetical order. When a student checks out a book, they put their name and date on that book's card. When they check in the book, he crosses their name off. He puts the check out cards in a separate section at the front of the file box. He can tell at a glance how many books are out. Periodically, he checks these cards to see if anyone has kept a book for more than a month. Another teacher I know also has an index card for each book, but she keeps the card in the book. If a student checks it out, they put their name and date on the card and give it to her. She files it in a small card file. When they return the book, she crosses off their name and puts the card back in the book.
Enlist students to help with routine tasks. Delegate, delegate, delegate! This frees up time, and gives students a sense of responsibility. -Rachel Bunderson
Earlier this fall, it was extremely hot for the students. After recess, the children are all lined up @ the water fountain waiting to get a drink of water. This process was taking @ least 10 minutes every time they would come in from recess. This time is wasted and these minutes add up. So, I gave an idea to my cooperating teacher. The idea is that every child has a water bottle @ the sink with their names on it. The children are allowed to refresh their water bottles @ the beginning of recess or beginning of school. It's exciting to announce that this strategy has worked. Everyday, this class has saved several minutes a day. Within a few minutes, all of the children are quenching their thirst. When they come in from recess, they can quickly grab their water bottle and they all drink water all @ the same time. I love little successes!
In the time I have been in the first grade classroom, the desks have already been moved. When I first came to the classroom my cooperating teacher had the desks grouped into two groups of five and two groups of six, and now she has three long rows facing the SmartBoard. I believe the group arrangement was a more effective use of space because the students were able to work in groups more easily and weren't as likely to talk to their neighbors because she assigned seats. In the row arrangement she has let the students pick their desk buddies and it has given them plenty of opportunity to talk to their neighbors when they should be listening. I hope to have small groups of desks in my own classroom rather than rows.
Kaylynn Bailey
We all know that so much time can be wasted if not managed. Waiting for students to put away materials from one lesson and get out something else for the next lesson, waiting for students to clean up the floor, waiting for students to pass papers, and waiting for students to get back to their seats from an activity are some examples of how time can be wasted. Our sweet students tend to want to socialize or will just lazily get to where you've asked them to be.
One way to manage this wasted time is to give a time limit. I learned this from a cooperating teacher last semester and I've used it during student teaching and it's GREAT!
First state what you want the students to do. For example, "I want you to put away your practice books and get out your writing notebooks." or "I want you to pick up as many things off the floor, throw them away, and go back to your desk." Then give them a time limit. For example, "You need to do this by the time I count to 10." Then tell them to "GO!" It always amazes me to see how quickly they complete the task.
Now different tasks take seconds rather than minutes and you can make the most of your instructional time.
Last semester I was in a classroom where the students sat at tables of 5 instead of indiviual desks. Each student had a basket that had a few supplies in them. Books were all stacked on shelves and the students had to go get their books for each subject. This made for less clutter around their seats.
I have seen 2 different styles of managing materials this semester. I like having supplies available to students to use at their own discretion whether they are 2nd grade or 5th. The 2nd grade teacher had 7 baskets along the counter and in each basket were the following; colored pencils, crayons, pencils, sissors, glue sticks, erasers, and markers. When the students needed a pencil sharpened they would exchange it for a sharp one in the basket. This was a great way to keep the students on task quickly and not always at the pencil sharpners.
In the 5th grade classroom I am in there is a designated materials manager that is called to gather supplies whenever they are needed. The teacher has rulers in one bucket, colored pencils, glue sticks, protractors and compass each in their individual pencil boxes. When instructed the materials manager will get these supplies for the students at his/her table.
I haven't observed this in my current room, but down in the 1st grade room my cooperating teacher has a special place reserved for reading. She has several beanbags and comfy seats so students can get comfortable, and a small bookshelf for for 1st grade-appropriate books. In my classroom I plan on having a sizable space for students to relax and unwind while reading a good book. My mini library will have many age-appropriate books for students to enjoy.
Kaylynn Bailey
This one was so simple that I couldn't believe that it worked! I actually hadn't intended on it being used as a management tool for disruptive behavior but to my surprise...it worked like a charm!! So I had this student constantly standing up in class and after repeated warnings still engaged in the behavior. This past week we had seating changes and I put him in the middle table group with surrounding tables (before he was at an outer table where he had a lot more room). Now, he NEVER stands up because if he does then a lot people won't be able to see and he'll be crowding the person behind him. Problem solved. He is also more focused and is more on task. So if a situation allows and behavior will be changed...MOVE EM!!
(3) Avoid saying or doing things that are likely to anger or set off a student. Speak calmly and respectfully, for example, rather than raising your voice or using sarcasm. 
(4) When you must intervene with a misbehaving student, convey the message to the student that you will not tolerate the problem behavior—but that you continue to value and accept the student. 
(5) Remember that the ultimate goal of any disciplinary measure is to teach the student more positive ways of behaving. Punishment generally does not improve student behaviors over the long term and can have significant and lasting negative effects on school performance and motivation.
(6) Develop a classroom ‘crisis response plan’ to be implemented in the event that one or more students display aggressive behaviors that threaten their own safety or the safety of others. Be sure that your administrator approves this classroom crisis plan and that everyone who has a part in the plan knows his or her role. 
