How to Discipline a Student

If you're part of the educational system then you've had to discipline a student. This process is difficult and tenuous, and requires a great deal of care to properly maintain order without trampling your students' feelings or running a totalitarian regime in your classroom.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience

1. Finding the right time to discipline someone is difficult, most teachers can't afford to take 5-10 minutes to do this without bedlam erupting in the unsupervised classroom. Tell the student you will need to speak to him or her, and then have another teacher watch your class or wait until other students are working to attend to the problem.

2. Directness is vital in this situation, but perhaps more important is empathy. You need to show your student that you are not a harsh task-master, but you also cannot allow them to walk all over you. Listen to the student's side of the issue without interrupting or dismissing them.

3. Even if this student is a repeat-offender (you know who you are!) a calm and measured approach will command more authority and respect without the shame and tuning out that students tend to engage in when they're being yelled at. The student was trying to elicit a response with the offending action if the goal was to act-up, and showing anger or frustration allows them to think acting in this way will be a good way to punish you when they feel the urge.

4. If this act of misbehavior is new territory for a student, approach with concern rather than disappointment. Remind them how they are important to the class and bring positive aspects that are all good, and how they could re-direct arguing and complaining into debating, talking and socializing into an extracurricular activity, etc.

5. Remind the student why this class is important to them in their lives and futures, and why it deserves their attention. Tell them now that you've clearly explained the rules and your expectations, from this point on the student is expected to follow them or make an obvious effort to do so. If this trouble persists, you might need to keep the referral slips handy in case a student needs to be disciplined more thoroughly.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't let your students see you upset, and do not discuss the situation with other students, who of course will want to know everything.
• Never physically touch a student in a violent, threatening or abusive manner.
• Do not attempt to mediate problems between students yourself unless you're the only line of defence, and in that case wait until after class.
• Do not play favorites, it makes you look unfair and the rules seem uneven in their application.