I value a classroom where:
... students are learning something new every day
... students are developing, improving, and maintaining skills
... students have a desire to learn
... students are respectful, responsible, patient, and considerate
... students are willing to help one another
... students are engaged in learning
... students are happy.
With active learning strategies, class buddies, classroom sharing, and small groups, students have an opportunity to actively participate in class.
With supplementary materials such as posters and raffle tickets, students are reminded and encouraged to do the right thing.
It does take time to set the scene, so be patient. Trust needs to be developed, and walls need to be broken down. Some say it takes six weeks to "train" a class. The most effective way to do this is to focus on the training, and take things one step at a time.
For example, you will need to initially ractice practice practice how to form small groups, why you have small groups, and the responsibilities for each group member until it becomes a reflex for the class.
Teach one concept at a time, and be patient! Remember that there may be more than 20 learners in the room. If it takes three exposures for a concept to be learned, that means you could hear the same question 60 times!