Classroom Management Strategies
Get instant ideas from other teachers on how to manage your toughest behavior challenges. Just click on a behavior issue below.
ANNOYING CLASSROOM DISTRACTIONS
How can a teacher prevent irritating classroom behaviors?
1. The students and teacher should first discuss and
then write a "group" contract adopting acceptable
classroom rules and procedures by the end of the
first week of school.
2. Periodically review the rules and procedures of the
classroom until the students can successfully adhere to
them.
3. Use simple verbal reprimands when the misbehavior
occurs. Make sure that they are to the point, moderate
in tone, and private (e.g., "Stop talking and work on
your math problems, please").
4. Give praise to the entire class as frequently as
possible (e.g., "Thank you for working so quietly,"
or "I'm delighted to see you all working so well
today").
5. A student who continually exhibits an unacceptable
behavior (e.g., out of his/her seat) might profit from an
"individualized" contract pinpointing the "desired"
behavior (e.g., remaining in his/her seat) and
delineating the consequences (e.g., if goal is reached,
then student will receive designated reward or
recognition).
6. Intervene as soon as possible in order to prevent
the misbehavior from occurring (e.g., say "Harry, may
I help you with your assignment?" when the student
begins to show signs of frustration).
7. Use facial expressions to convey to the student that
the misbehavior was not totally overlooked.
Circulate around the room frequently, to avert
potential behavior problems.
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ANTAGONISM WITH AUTHORITY
What can be done to help students improve their
interaction with authority figures?
1. Provide opportunities for students to change their
hostile and aggressive energy into socially
acceptable channels such as sports, clubs,
crafts, hobbies, etc.
2. Give students reading and/or writing assignments
that deal with antagonistic behaviors, and ask them
to comment on different socially acceptable ways of
handling conflict situations.
3. Praise the students whenever they are cooperating
with other adults (e.g., "That was very kind of you
to help her find her keys").
4. Talk to the student in private to ascertain the
reason for his/her misbehavior.
5. Provide the students with models of appropriate
communicative behavior through role-playing
activities.
6. Encourage students to strive for greater self-control
in as many situations as possible.
7. Emphasize to students the difference that exists
between acceptable communication in school and
that which is used at home and/or in the community.
8. Contact parents and/or administrators when there
is no other way of resolving the conflict situation.
9. Refer the student to appropriate staff members (e.g., the Child Study
Team, if the student frequently displays uncontrollable verbal
hostility). Keep anecdotal records to support your concerns.
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ARGUMENTATIVE STUDENT
How can the teacher deal with a child who becomes
argumentative upon confrontation?
1. Do not confront the student in a group situation.
2. Do not use an accusatory tone upon approaching
the student.
3. Evaluate the situation that led to the
confrontation.
4. Do not back the student into a corner. Leave room
for options.
5. Do not make threats that cannot be carried out.
6. Allow your emotions to cool before approaching
the student.
7. Maintain the appearance of control at all times.
Use a clear, firm voice.
8. Give the child an opportunity to speak
his/her piece.
9. Allow for role-playing, doing role reversal.
10. Try to explore and discover what led to the
confrontation. Avoid repeating these circumstances.
11. If you made an error, admit it!
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BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
What steps can be followed to resolve a child's constant
misbehavior?
1. If possible, meet with the child and describe in exact
terms the behavior you find unacceptable in the
classroom.
2. During the discussion, explain the reason(s) why
you find the behavior unacceptable.
3. Be sure the child understands that it is not he/she who is unacceptable, but rather the behavior.
4. Let the student know exactly what will happen if
the problem continues.
5. If the misbehavior occurs again, follow through
with the previously planned disciplinary action.
6. Throughout the process, keep the parents and the
principal informed of the progress or lack of
progress.
7. If the child continues to misbehave and you feel
that you have utilized all of your options and
resources, send the child to the principal's office.
Explain to the child that he/she is welcome to return
when he/she is ready to follow the classroom rules.
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BOASTFUL, ATTENTION-SEEKING STUDENT
What can be done for a student who is constantly
disrupting the class in order to gain the teacher's
attention?
1. Give the student a position of responsibility in the
classroom and encourage him/her to set a good
example for others (e.g., passing out papers).
2. Post a chart in the front of the room delineating the
rules to be followed when responding. For example:
1. Raise
your hand if you wish to talk.
2. Wait to be called on.
3. Listen while others talk.
3. Assign the student a special project of interest and
let him/her present the report to the class.
4. Ignore the student's annoying comments, but give praise when the student describes his/her real achievements.
5. Assign the student to a small group in which he/she
must participate primarily as a follower.
6. Provide recognition and positive attention
whenever possible.
7. Model appropriate behavior every day for the
student, so that he/she can see what is expected of
him/her (e.g., role-playing by teacher and/or peers).
8. Arrange parent conferences to discuss any factors
that may be contributing to the student's problem in
school (e.g., sibling rivalry).
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CALLING OUT IN CLASS - RESPONSE #l
What do you do with a student who calls out answers
or comments during class?
1. Discuss your expectations with the class. Make up
rules and consequences at the very beginning of
the school year.
2. Keep a frequency record in your grade book of the
calling out, and increase the severity of the
consequence in direct proportion to the frequency
of the "calling out."
3. With children in the middle grades and older,
divide the class into two groups and make a game
out of questions and answers. Each team scores a
point for each correct answer. If a team member
calls out an answer out of turn, that team loses a
set amount of points.
4. Praise the student who does not call out, but waits
to be called on.
5. Ignore the calling out. Do not acknowledge having
heard it.
6. Use a strict behavior-modification program to
lessen and ultimately extinguish this behavior.
7. Examine the reason for the calling out. Is it for
attention? Do you tend to overlook calling on this student?
Is the calling out a result of an inability to sit still? Does this child
have a learning disability? React to these symptoms appropriately.
8. Contact the parents. Try an at-home reward
system for good days (days in which calling out
did not occur). This will involve sending a note home daily.
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CALLING OUT IN CLASS - RESPONSE # 2
What can you do about children constantly calling out in class, even when they are supposed to
be working quietly at their seats?
1. Be sure that the students know what you
expect of them concerning this problem. Describe what procedure you
want them to use to get your attention, and explain why they should not call
out in class.
2. If students' calling out is a major problem, hold a
class meeting and ask the children to make
recommendations for solving this problem. This
would include the type of discipline to be used for
the children who continue to disturb the class by
calling out.
3. Be consistent and persistent in disciplining the
children who call out.
4. If a child communicates with you by calling out,
make your only reaction one of displeasure and do
not answer the question or fulfill the request.
5. Tell the class that if calling out in class only occurs
a certain number of times during the week, you will
do something special with them on Friday
afternoon. Peer pressure is then utilized to solve
the problem. In the weeks that follow, calling out will lessen,
as students anticipate the special Friday activity.
6. Calling out may be motivated by the student's enthusiasm, or by the
fear that he/she will forget what he/she wanted to say. Have students
keep a pad and pencil on their desk to write down a thought they might
forget. That way they can refer to it when they finally get called
upon. Be sure to give everyone a chance to answer something -- even the
slower thinking students!
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CLASS CLOWN
How can you deal effectively with a "class clown"?
1. Let the student know in private how you feel
about his/her unacceptable behavior, and explain what is
expected of him/her. Try to form a trusting
relationship with this student. Listen to his/her
feelings and expectations. Try to channel his/her
talent for humor into something more productive, such
as creating a class play or dramatic skit.
2. If you think it would be beneficial, try role-playing
with this student. Give him/her the role of the
teacher who is trying to teach a lesson. You take on the
role of the class clown and exhibit the same behaviors that
he/she does in class. This may be a learning experience for
the entire class!
3. Explain to the student that the solution to his/her
problem is his/her responsibility as well as yours.
However, if the "class clown" behavior continues
and it affects the level of learning for the rest of the
class, then the responsibility for the solution will lie
with him/her and
the administration.
4. Try to find the curriculum areas in which the
student is interested. Give him/her some
independent work in these areas and observe any
change in behavior.
5. Let the child gain the attention of the class in such
a way that it has a positive effect on the class. The
student could conduct mini-lessons, lead study groups,
assist students, or make other contributions that will
benefit the entire class.
6. Ask for the assistance of a counselor to investigate
various possible reasons for the child's need to be
the "class clown."
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DEMANDING STUDENTS
How do you cope with a child who demands your
constant attention?
1. Give this child a special job to show that you care about and
have confidence in him/her.
2. Make this child the captain or leader whenever possible.
3. Play games that nourish self-confidence. For example, try the Circle
Game: Have children sit in a circle and take turns naming someone in
the circle who has done something to help or to make him/her
feel good.
4. Use personal evaluation sheets. These can be as
simple or as complex as you desire. In this way,
you can help children express feelings and recognize their own
strengths/weaknesses in a non-threatening atmosphere.
5. Provide a wide variety of classroom experiences.
Familiarity breeds self-confidence!
6. Implement a buddy system for this child.
7. Check into the home environment. See what is
motivating this dependency.
8. Frequently assign this child simple, easy tasks that allow for
success.
9. Provide self-correcting tasks so that the child may
see his/her own errors firsthand.
10. Videotape your class in action and let the student
(as well as the other students) actually see how he/she
interacts in class.
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FAILURE TO ASK FOR HELP
What can you do about a student who fails to ask for
help with matters he/she does not fully understand in
the curriculum or in the classroom in general?
1. For various reasons, the student may not feel
comfortable or confident about asking questions in
certain classroom settings. Have an individual
conference with the student to discuss the problem.
Work together to develop possible solutions.
2. If the student does not feel comfortable asking
questions in the classroom setting, have him/her
write the questions on a piece of paper or a 3x5
card. Then, when time permits,
meet with the child individually to review the
questions, or provide general answers to the class
if you think others may have the same questions.
3. Designate other students in the classroom as resource
persons, who can meet with the student and offer assistance.
The student may be more apt to ask for help from a
peer than from the teacher.
4. Consider having the child evaluated
by the Child Study Team for a possible learning
disability or a health problem (poor hearing, poor
vision, etc.).
5. Check to see whether the student exhibits this behavior in
other classrooms. If he/she does not, you may want
to focus on the way you relate to this student.
6. If available and practical, utilize the services of a
counselor to assist the child in overcoming his/her
reluctance to express him/herself in class.
7. Create a chart listing all students, and give
recognition to those who ask questions in class.
Emphasize that asking a question indicates
intelligence, not stupidity.
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HYPERACTIVITY - SHIFT IN ATTENTION
What can be done for students who frequently shift
their attention and/or interests in class?
1. Assign the student some type of classroom
responsibility that he/she looks forward to doing
(e.g., collecting completed work, delivering
messages, etc.).
2. Carefully arrange the student's work area to
minimize classroom distractions (e.g., study carrels,
room partitions, etc.).
3. Plan individual and/or group lessons that foster
the development of analytical abilities in your students
(e.g., a step-by-step approach to solving everyday
problems).
4. Refer the student to a specialist and/or school
nurse to check on visual and auditory deficits.
5. Provide your students with firm but fair classroom
rules. Make sure you consistently adhere to the
consequences of breaking rules.
6. Use social reinforcers frequently and as soon as
possible (e.g., physical nearness or contact, a smile
or frown, etc.).
7. Prepare a variety of short lessons to maximize
student attention and participation (e.g., manipulation
exercises of 15 to 20 minutes in duration).
8. Make suggestions to parents about the possible use of
various nutritional diets (e.g., the Feingold diet).
9. Regularly incorporate "relaxation" techniques into
the daily classroom routine. Use them whenever the student is
in need of them.
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HYPERACTIVITY AND DISTRACTABILITY
How do you manage the "hyper" student and the
student whose ability to screen out
irrelevant stimuli is limited?
1. Employ hands-on activities.
2. Eliminate as many environmental distractions as
possible.
3. Establish a well-defined work area for the child.
This will help to limit outside activities that would
detract from his/her concentration.
4. Use classroom aids such as headphones,
tachistoscope, videos, etc. Provide for controlled
exposures.
5. Pace activities realistically.
6. Incorporate gross motor skills into activities
whenever possible.
7. Use bilateral activities, using hands and eyes in the
lesson.
8. Make an obstacle course and have the students
move through it at varying paces.
9. Use a timer. When the timer stops, students may
have a short break. Never use a timer to speed up
work, for it will cause tension and frustration
rather than increase skill.
10. Use a "time-out" period to reward a
hyperactive child who has spent time doing correct
activities.
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LACK OF MOTIVATION - RESPONSE 1
What do you do with students who lack motivation,
have a very negative attitude toward school, and come
to class unprepared?
1. Do everything possible to make sure the physical
needs of the student have been met. Has he/she eaten
breakfast? Had enough rest? Can he/she see the board clearly, hear
clearly, etc.?
2. Make your classroom interesting and stimulating
to the students. Make your lessons inviting and
challenging, so students are interested in finding out what
comes next!
3. Show your students that you take an interest in
them. Show that you like them and that they belong in
your classroom.
4. Make your lesson an experience that will allow the
student to gain self-esteem because he/she is
successful.
5. Make goals that are challenging, but attainable.
6. Take advantage of the student's interests and
formulate some lessons around them.
7. When developing practice worksheets, use the
students' names and some things you know about
them to teach a concept (e.g., "Susan expressed her
enjoyment regarding her trip to Disney World"
when identifying parts of speech).
8. Send home weekly reports to parents. Encourage
parents to reward their children for high motivation.
9. Use the concept of students' working together to encourage
one another (e.g., cooperative learning groups).
10. Have students chart their own behavior for a week.
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LACK OF MOTIVATION - RESPONSE 2
What methods can be used to motivate students and increase their
interest in learning?
1. Use incentives in the classroom to reinforce motivation toward
accomplishment (e.g., prizes, stars, or other rewards for completing
assignments on time).
2. Get to know each child as an individual, to gain
insight into his/her strengths and interests.
3. Hold monthly conferences with students to discuss their
work habits, motivation, behavior, etc.
4. Have a real purpose in the school work you assign
to your students. Make sure that it relates to their needs.
5. Assist the student in setting realistic goals.
6. Don't always point out errors in a student's work,
but show how the finished product can be improved.
7. Provide editing time when you work one-on-one
with students to perfect their creative work.
8. Show enthusiasm when you teach. The teacher is the key to
motivation in the classroom.
9. Develop special projects for the child whose
interests have not yet been tapped by the school
routine.
10. Give special recognition through "Student of
the Month" or "Star for the Day" designations.
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LACK OF RESPECT
What do you do with students who show a lack of
respect for adults, peers, their belongings, and
the property of others?
1. The teacher should practice the 3 R's: Respect,
Responsibility, and Reciprocity.
2. Role-play situations where there is lack of respect.
For example: Someone fails a test and others make fun of
that person. Follow with group analysis and
discussion of the situation and alternative actions.
3. Clearly state the reasons for respecting other
people's property. Publicly acknowledge those who
demonstrate respect for others' property, so their
peers can model their behavior.
4. Show videos dealing with respect and then discuss
them. See Guidance Associates materials. Obtain
materials from your county audio library.
5. Don't make unrealistic requests, dictate rules
without explanations, or give an ultimatum that
presents students with a boundary they might be tempted
to cross because they feel it is unreasonable.
6. Listen to each student. Never assume that
you know what the student is going to say to explain
his/her actions.
7. Show that even though, as the teacher, you are in
charge of the class, you respect the student and
expect respect in return.
8. Never make idle, sarcastic threats (e.g., "How many
times have I told you to sit down? I am going to
have to take away your recess time for the semester
unless you behave.")
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NEGATIVE RESPONSE TO REQUESTS AND
RULES
What can you do when you are confronted with students who are negative
about rational requests and/or rules?
1. Try to use these guidelines when establishing
classroom rules:
a) Involve your class in making up the rules.
b) State the rules positively.
c) Keep rules brief and to the point.
d) Review rules periodically with the class.
2. Arrange private conferences with students to
discuss the problem in depth.
3. Ask the student(s) to write down the disturbing
behavior in a class logbook. Have them write
some appropriate alternative ways of responding to
negativity, for future reference.
4. Give students choices, in order to minimize
negative reactions (e.g., "Would you rather stay
an extra ten minutes and finish the exercise
before lunch, or go to lunch now and finish it when
you come back?").
5. Try to have frequent, positive interaction in the
class (e.g., praise, group projects, discussions, etc.).
6. Make sure students clearly understand what is
expected from them. (In some cases, it's the
student's confusion that causes oppositional
behavior.)
7. Handle difficult students individually outside the
classroom, so that there is less chance that others
will get involved.
8. Contact the parents, the principal, and/or the counselor
to discuss the student's inappropriate behavior.
