Classroom Management Skills
Positive Behavior Interventions and Support Example
Responding to Disengaged and Disruptive Behavior
Behavior Management
Overview
This module is about how to redirect and manage classroom behaviors. Creating a positive environment for students stimulates positive behaviors.
Introduction
Behavior management is when teachers establish clear expectations, routines, and encourage productive behavior. In return this will create a positive learning environment that helps build healthy student-teacher relationships. It is crucial for teachers to implement behavior management because it allows for productive instruction time, uninterrupted activities, and smooth transitions. Behavior management can be done in several ways, such as preventing behaviors before they happen, redirecting behaviors as they happen, or by reaffirming positive behaviors.
Behavior Management Main Points
Preventing Disruptive and Disengaged Behaviors
Routines/schedules:
Establish routines and schedules so students know what to expect throughout the day. This should be done starting on the very first day of school and continue until the last day of school.
Rules/expectations:
Involve students in creating the rules and expectations for the classroom. This will result in students keeping each other accountable throughout the school year. Reminders should be consistent to what is already established and happen frequently.
Creating healthy/friendly student-teacher relationships:
By creating a healthy bond with your students they will feel safe and welcomed to express how they are feeling and more open about their opinions and emotions. Strong positive relationships will pave the way for respect between both the students and the teacher.
Modeling/encouraging appropriate behavior:
Modeling appropriate behavior can be done when setting rules and expectations, the purpose is to explicitly show students what kind of behavior is tolerated and appropriate in certain settings. Encouraging appropriate behavior can include verbal redirections and encouraging students to behave appropriately. For example, if Jackie and Ana are disrupting the class by playing around and being too loud. I will talk to them and explain that right now is not the appropriate time to be playing around but you can do that during recess at the playground.
Responding to Disruptive and Disengaged Behavior
Giving students a choice
Providing the students with a choice gives them the opportunity to correct their behavior themselves, receive support, and/or a consequence. However, teachers shouldn’t give the students a choice as a threat. Unreasonable consequences can lead to negative behaviors.
Implementing the consequence
When implementing a consequence, it should be respectful, private, and consistent. The point of a consequence is not to embarrass the student but to maintain accountability and safety. Teachers should simply state that inappropriate behavior and give the consequence. An example would be saying, “I see that you are running to be first in line, you know that we are supposed to walk in the classroom, please go back to your desk and try again.”
Using verbal/nonverbal corrections
Both nonverbal and verbal corrections aim to stop a students behavior before it can escalate and help students re-engage with the lesson. Nonverbal corrections are less likely to interrupt a lesson or activity while still redirecting behavior. Verbal corrections should not single out specific students unless it is done privately, such as crouching down next to a student or otherwise. Verbal corrections aim to remind students of expectations and redirect students back to the task at hand.
Responding to Positive Behavior
Positively acknowledge and reaffirm positive behavior
Teachers should give students more attention for positive behaviors than negative behaviors, students are more likely to behave appropriately if they know that they will be commended and it will hopefully lead to intrinsically motivated positive behaviors. Teachers could even set up reward systems, such as classroom money, treasure boxes, whole class rewards, etc… but teachers should not solely rely on these rewards to motivate students.
References:
"Classroom Management Practice Guide-Responding to Disengaged and Disruptive Behaviors" by Australian Education Research Organisation is licensed under CC BY 4.0
"Classroom Management Resources-User Guide" by Australian Education Research Organisation is licensed under CC BY 4.0
"Classroom Management Skill-Circulation" by Australian Education Research Organisation is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Final Conclusion
In conclusion, classroom behaviors should be reinforced and managed with positive rather than negative attitudes. Students will always have their reasons as to why they act out or disconnect from the class. It is our job, as educators, to find their ‘why’ and support the students. Providing the students with options, acknowledging the good, rewarding them, and creating routines, are all ways teachers can show their support. This benefits the student's learning ability and outcomes and sets the foundation for a strong and healthy student-teacher relationship. However, it is necessary and important that we keep the students in check by staying consistent with our routines and expectations.