Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of teaching is preventing students from behaving in ways that disrupt the flow of a lesson. One student acting out can have a domino effect, with other students either copying the negative behavior, or losing focus and shifting their attention away from the task at hand. Below I will discuss some strategies for dealing with these types of disciplinary dilemmas.
- Be sure that all students are actively engaged at all times: This sounds more difficult than it actually is. Put simply, this just means that all students within the class should have something to be doing/working on at all times throughout the day. The majority of discipline problems occur when students are unoccupied, so logically it would follow that keeping students busy would result in less instances of behavior problems. During a lesson, students should be engaged. It is often during times of independent work or tests that problems can arise. If a student finds a task too difficult to do on their own they may decide to act out in frustration or boredom. In this instance, you may want to have that student work with another who finds the task easier. Another option is to quietly tell the child to only focus on the first few problems. This will prevent them from becoming overwhelmed by amount of work to complete. Students finishing an assignment early can also lead to disruption. After making sure the student has checked over his or her work, you should make sure they have something to do. Below is a link to my page about activities for early finishers.
- Move around the room and make eye contact with students: If students know you are checking on their work and actively monitoring their behavior, they are less likely to engage in behaviors that are undesirable. Students are more likely to pass notes, whisper to their neighbor, play with something in their desk etc. when they suspect their teacher is not paying attention. Touching a students desk as you pass will let them know of your presence, and eye contact will let them know you are paying attention to what they are doing. By moving around the room you can prevent many discipline problems before they begin.
- Be Prepared: Any teacher can tell you about what can go wrong if you are unprepared for a lesson or activity. In order for students to be on task, you as the teacher must provide them with the materials and instructions to do so. If you do not have the materials ready, or if the directives are anything but clear, students will become restless or confused and will be more likely to act out. Of course, there are always instances where even the most carefully planned lesson can go wrong, but as long as you do your best to be prepared for the day you will keep these instances to a bare minimum.
- Be in control of your behavior: Always remember that as a teacher you are a role model for your students. By exhibiting control over how you react to instances of negative behavior, you are providing your students with a framework of how to deal with similar situations they may encounter in their own life. Besides this, it is important to remember that you are in charge of you class, and when you over-react or lose your composure, you have allowed the students to take control.
- Be Proactive: You can prevent behavioral issues before the day/period even begins. For example, play soothing music as the students enter your classroom. This will help establish a relaxed atmosphere from the start. You can also begin the class by playing the silence game. Standing out in the hall and greeting your students as they enter will immediately make a difference as they will know you are paying attention and ready to get the day started.
- Make a connection with each student: Being a teacher is about more than teaching lessons. It is about getting to know your students and establishing positive relationships with them. Get to know your students through discussions during downtimes, or by giving students a personal interest worksheet to fill out on the first day of school. Being aware that John is a Red Sox fan and Samantha loves Harry Potter books can go a long way when it comes to student behavior. If a student believes you care about them, they will be less likely to want to cause you any problems or disrupt your class.
By incorporating these strategies into your daily routine, you will likely see the instances of negative behavior in your classroom reduce drastically.
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