How to Solve Discipline & Classroom Management Problems

Maintain an orderly environment in the classroom.

No teacher wants to fail, especially not as a result of discipline and class management issues. New teachers often dread this aspect of the job, but even the more experienced can find particular individuals or groups of students difficult to deal with. However, the approach of the teacher is all-important, and this as true for the old hand who may be a little jaded as it is for the nervous novice. According to Education World, it is advisable to start hard with students and get easier as you go along. This does not mean that a teacher should exaggerate a stern approach, but it is a good idea to set some ground rules from the start.

Things You'll Need

• Class discipline plan
• Rules poster

Instructions

1. Develop a simple class discipline plan and give a copy to the head teacher or principal, each student, and the students' parents or caregivers. Explain in the plan the procedure for dealing with disruptive behavior. This may follow, for example, a policy in which the first infraction is dealt with by a verbal warning; the second by a written warning and a meeting with the parents. Post the classroom rules on the wall, and reiterate them verbally each day. Have no more than five rules.

2. Start each class on a positive note. Present your lesson with an expectation of good behavior. Treat each child with dignity and praise improvements or examples of positive, considerate behavior. Prepare well before lessons, planning particularly the transition between one part of the lesson and the next. Aim to transition smoothing and quickly between sections, minimizing downtime and the chance for the children to become bored. Vary your teaching methods and know your pupils well, aiming to provide stimulus for individual learning styles.

3. Remove any child who is being particularly disruptive. Speak to her privately; never engage in an argument in front of other pupils. Only resort to sending a child to the principal's office if the behavior is extremely challenging. Try to keep a sense of perspective and if you can, a sense of humor. Do not deal with your feelings of frustration by using sarcasm. That never pays off in the long run.

Tips & Warnings

• Look after yourself and try to leave the job behind when you leave the school each day.

References

• Education World: Creating a Climate For Learning
• Art Teacher Toolbox: Classroom Discipline