Simplify Your Classroom Management: C.H.A.M.P.S

CHAMPS Classroom management system

If you are looking for simple and effective classroom management ideas, here it is! I have been there, and I am here to help you with the use of some easy to use CHAMPS Classroom management posters.

How I Found the C.H.A.M.PS Classroom Management System

Many years ago, when I took on my first teaching job, I was fresh out of college, and I was working at a Title 1 school in Houston. I spent a lot of nights telling myself I had no idea how to handle kids with behavior problems. I had 28-second graders in my class.

Don't make me use my teacher voice sign

Then one day after many complaints, my principal was able to get approval for a behavioral specialist to help out in my room. WHAT A BLESSING! She was seriously an angel sent from above. This lady had the BEST classroom management skills I have ever seen. She knew how to get kids to behave.

What was her secret, you ask? Use CHAMPS!

What is the CHAMPS Classroom Management System?

CHAMPS poster showing appropriate voice levels.

CHAMPS is an acronym for the pillars of your new winning classroom management. It’s easy to remember and easy to set up. Students will quickly learn what your expectations are and will know how and what they are supposed to be working on. For an in-depth explanation of it, you can read more about it on this website. 

How to Teach it?

CHAMPS is pretty simple to teach! I use a clip down chart with posters as visuals. I walk my class through each one, and we practice. We practice, and practice, and then practice some more!

C is for Conversation

Ask yourself, “how are students supposed to talk during this assignment”? Here I use a simple number system.

CHAMPS Classroom management conversation poster

The numbers are:

  • 0 = Silent
  • 1 = Whisper
  • 2 = A six in. voice where your group can hear you
  • 3 = Normal conversation voice
  • 4 = Presentation, everyone can hear you

H is for Help

Some of my students just want me to explain things over and over again until I am blue in the face. They have a hard time listening to me the first time, and once instructions are over, they forget how to ask for help. Once I started using my CHAMPS chart, they knew what to do if they got stuck. Giving them a visual on how they can get help will save you so much time. I promise!

CHAMPS Classroom management help poster

Depending on the assignment, my students have set options on how to get help. The options are:

  • Come see me
  • Raise your hand
  • Ask 3 before me
  • No help (unless an emergency)

A is for Activity

Next, ask yourself what is your end goal and what should all of your students be doing. “A” stands for activity. My clip down chart only has three options.

CHAMPS Classroom management activity poster
  • Whole group
  • Partners / small group
  • Independent

M is for Movement

One of the biggest problems I was having in my class was students getting up and moving around the room whenever they wanted. I had a few students who loved getting up and moving around the room. Seriously, some would just talk to the wall for an excuse to move.

CHAMPS Classroom management movement poster

Movement is one of the biggest ones we practice over and over again. You will be amazed at how quickly this issue will resolve by implementing CHAMPS.

The students are given three options depending on the activity they are working on.

  • Stay in your seat
  • Move with permission
  • Responsible movement (this was for when they are working on daily 5 or math workshop)

P is for Participation

Here the students ask themselves, how do I show that I am participating. When working in small groups, I want students to be able to reflect on if they are being intentional and getting work done. Bye “fake reading” and bye “relying on one person in the group to do all of the work”!

CHAMPS poster showing students how to appropriately participate in class.

I use my clip down chart and mark one of the bullets depending on if the activity is independent or group work. The options are:

  • Listening with eyes and ears
  • Reading and writing
  • Respectful discussion
  • Listen and take notes

Last but not Least, S

S is simple. If you follow all of the steps, then you will be Successful!

The CHAMPS Classroom Management Chart

CHAMPS Classroom management clip down chart

I like using a clip down chart because it made the most sense in my room. I use ribbon to attach the posters and six clothespins to mark the correct bullet on each sign. You can grab a copy of my CHAMPS classroom management posters in my TPT store.

Every time we start a new activity, I move a clothespin to the right bullet. It is simple and effective. When a student is off task, I point to the sign to get them back on task.

More Classroom Management Ideas

If you have any questions about CHAMPS, leave a comment or send me a message and I would be happy to help you out. Also, If you want more classroom procedure Ideas, check out my post on setting up classroom procedures. It’s perfect for reviewing class expectations, and there is a freebie that makes planning procedures easy!

Grab the pin so you can easily come back to this post when you are ready to implement CHAMPS!

CHAMPS Classroom management pin image

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