·       Public discussion of student behavior should remain positive, showing that you assume your students have tried to do as you’ve asked.

·       Assume students are distracted, need more practice, or genuinely misunderstanding, rather than intentionally misbehaving.

·       Assume the best, even while delivering a consequence.

-      Ex:         “Just a minute, class.  Some people seem to have forgotten to push in their chairs.”  (Not;         “Just a minute, class.  Some people don’t seem to think they have to push in their chairs when we line up.”)

·       No longer a judgment, more a tool for improvement.

·       Assuming worst makes teacher appear weak.  If you assume your students are always trying to comply, you are demonstrating the assumption that you are in charge.

-      Ex:         “Show me your best SLANT, Charles.” (Not;  “If you can’t sit up, Charles, I’ll have to keep you in from recess.”)

·       An effective way to assume the best is to thank students as you give them a command.

·       Talk about who your students are becoming and where you’re going.

·       Use praise that sets a goal larger than your own opinion.

·       Seek opportunities that reaffirm expectations around smaller details.

·       Examples:

-      “In this class, we always track.”

-      “If you finish early, check your work. Make sure you get 100 percent today.”

-      “You look like college students, today.”

-      “I feel as if I’m sitting in a room with future presidents, doctors, and artists.”

·       Don’t ask questions you don’t want an answer to.   Non-Ex:  “Would you like to join us, David?”  Instead just say, “Thank you for joining us on the rug, David.”

                                                            Contingencies.

·       Don’t say, “I’ll wait,” unless you will. 

·       Be more productive, positive, and strong by saying, “We need you with us.”

b.       Explain to students why you are doing what you are.

c.       Distinguish between behavior and people.  Say, “You’re behavior is inconsiderate,” rather than “You are inconsiderate.”

d.       Demonstrate that consequences are temporary.  After students have dealt with the consequence, smile and greet him naturally to show that he is starting over with a clean slate.  Get over it quickly.

e.       Use warm, nonverbal behavior.  Put your arm on a student’s shoulder and kindly tell him you’re sorry but he’ll have to redo the homework.  You just know he’s capable of better.

f.        Being warm is being positive, enthusiastic, caring, and thoughtful.

g.       Being strict is being clear, consistent, firm, and unrelenting.

·       Positive Group Correction: Quick verbal reminder to the group about what students should be doing and not what they shouldn’t be doing

o   “You should be tracking the speaker.”

·       Anonymous Individual Correction: Quick verbal reminder to the group that not everyone is where they need to be.

o   “I still need three people. You know who you are. I need two people.”

·       Private Individual Correction: When and if you have to use names, seek to correct behavior privately and quietly. Walk by the off-task student’s desk, lean down to get close to the student, and use a voice that preserves as much privacy as possible; tell the student what to do quickly and calmly.  

o   First Warning: “Quentin, I’ve asked everyone to track me, and I need to see you doing it too.”

o   Second Warning with a Consequence: Again you want to do this privately. “Quentin, I need you to track me so you can learn. I’m going to have to move your card to yellow. Now please show me your best.”

·       Lightning-Quick Public Correction: At times you will be forced to make corrections of individual students during public moments. Your goal is to limit the amount of time a student is “onstage” for something negative and focus on telling the student what to do right. Merely stating a student’s name does not provide the student with guidance about how to meet your expectations.  

o   “Quentin, I need your eyes.”

o   “Quentin, I need your eyes. Looking sharp, back row! Thank you Quentin.” 

·       Consequences: In the long run it makes the teacher stronger when he or she only occasionally uses external consequences. If a situation cannot be addressed quickly and successfully without a consequence, the consequence must be given so instruction is not interrupted. Deliver the consequence quickly and in the least invasive, least emotional manner. Ideally a teacher should have a scaled series of consequences. 

 

A common misconception is that ignoring misbehavior is the least invasive form of intervention. But ignoring misbehavior is the most invasive form of intervention because it becomes more likely that the behavior will persist and expand. The goal is to address behavior quickly-the first time it appears.