Teachers, what kind of environment do you like to have in your classroom? Teachers, what kind of environment do you like to have in your classroom?

I try to
keep my classroom both businesslike and friendly.  From the very beginning, I establish that we
will do a lot of work and there is no wasted time, but we will also laugh and I will tell corny
jokes.  I tell silly jokes and smile a lot from the beginning to show that I am human and not
scary.  I also have students working, and working together, from the very beginning.  I try to
keep things light but busy.  I think that classroom management breakdowns happen from the very
beginning, and if you establish a pattern from the beginning you will avoid trouble later on. 
How you react to the small tests that students give you in the beginning sets the tone forever
after.