Classroom Behavior Management.
Make it Work For You!!

Classroom behavior management requires teachers to develop good classroom management techniques!

It begins with documenting all serious classroom discipline issues with problem children, using a variety of different forms that may be available in your school or that you can easily create putting your own criteria on them.

You will need to write about the incident - what happened, the date, the action taken and why.

Always make sure that your administration is aware of the situation and keep them updated. Parents can be informed if need be.

I have found certain types of classroom forms to be successful over the years. These can be used to provide further documentation for classroom behavior management.

They include:

1. Code of Behavior (get students to sign and commit to)
2. Parent Contact Log
3. Home Contact Sheet (unprepared for class)
4. Behavior Log
5. Daily Observation Sheet
6. Monthly Progress Report (signed by teacher and parents)

There may be classroom behavior problems and you need to know how to deal with them. Here are several classroom behavior management issues that may arise. What would you do? .... Here's how I handled them:

1. Classroom behavior problems may erupt if you battle verbally with the student(s) during a lesson. Who is controlling whom?. Don't let it become a power struggle with the rest of the class looking at it like a ping pong match.

Stop it from escalating and becoming the focus of your lesson! "Nip it in the bud." Speak to the student after the lesson, in private, out in the hall, but leave your door open.

2. When you see a student talking to another, or is in "la-la land" (daydreaming, or having a vacant look on their face), or is playing with an object, draw them back in, for example "Neil, what's your opinion on that?" or "Sydney, please answer the question".

You may think that, that's cruel but it's short, to the point and a positive statement - instead of saying something negative, such as "Neil, you're not listening". Remember - assertive discipline.

3. Now, if the student doesn't answer or can't respond correctly to the question, ask if he/she wants the question or comment repeated. If he/she still can't answer, say "I'll come back to you, who can help Neil/Sydney out?"

Make sure you go back to that student on the next question - i.e., make the student accountable, don't let him/her off the hook. (You need to know that all your students understood what you have taught or discussed.)

Now are you starting to get the idea of what classroom behavior management is all about? Read on for more examples.

4. Give your students choices, e.g. "You need to stop playing with your ruler and listen or leave it on my desk and I will return it to you when you really need it."

If they choose to ignore your request, give them another choice; "Either do as I ask or I will call the office and you can see the principal or V.P., or go out in the hall and I will discuss this with you when I am done" (send them to the office when a more defiant situation occurs).

5. When a situation arises, such as a defiant student causing trouble, explain how you feel using your "teacher voice" and an "I message", e.g. "I feel sooo disappointed that you did ..." (Show you are disappointed in the action, rather than in the student - believe me, you get much better results that way!).

Explain the consequences and then say in your teacher voice "Have I made myself perfectly clear?".Make sure that they verbally respond and have them repeat the consequence if you deem it necessary or beneficial.

6. Always choose students who are doing what you want all students to do. "I like the way Robert is sitting, ready to start the lesson." or "I like how Samantha is working quietly." or "Alicia is working well with her partner, Danny".

Speak in a calm and positive tone. Your intention is to have everyone follow suit immediately afterwards.

7. Always thank students after asking them to stop doing something wrong, e.g. "Richard, you need to stop talking and get your work done." Pause and then say "thank you" with a little smile. (It may sound weird, but it is most effective).

Classroom behavior management using a positive discipline approach really does work. Try it, both you and your students will like it!