Expert Eye
Create classroom guidelines with students: Guidelines are awesome on creating a minimum way to behaviour. It is just paper and rules of course, but these rules need to be agreed upon. Involve all your students, ask their opinion. If students have no idea on how to contribute, let them gauge your ideas. See if they agree or not and then write it down. Make sure this is available all the time. Print it in a booklet form, as a poster or even an electronic document that parents, students and staff can check at any time.
Never punish the entire class: Often used by teachers who want to keep the authority up. It backfires most of the time. Also creates a negative environment for students, where they create a negative environment for themselves. Best approach here is to tackle each situation individually, not taking any assumptions on what individual or group of students did something bad. Investigate on your own time if possible or let it slide. Just do not let these bad behaviors becoming a pattern.
Give students choices: On how an exam will be or how to do an assignment. You can present different choices and let them pick or even allow them to present their choices. Just involve them on the process of teaching or even assessing their competencies.
Establish routines: Routines are pretty good so students will understand and can foresee what will happen on their routine. Also creates good expectations on adapting to a given teacher style and how to properly behave. The routine is completely up to you, but make sure to communicate it to your students so they can understand “why” you are doing that.
Break the routine: As a treat, so students can appreciate something different as well as the value of something that can be expected. This can be in the form of videos, different exercises, educational walk in the park, games, etc. Be creative and engaging.
Encourage good behaviour: This practice focuses on being overtly positive and encouraging positive behaviours with your class. Constantly compliment. Use “good job, great work, nicely done” to your students on every accomplishment they have. Make them feel special for doing what they are doing.
Give your word, honour your word: It’s very simple, if you promised something, honour it. Students react well when you keep your promises, and you can expect the same of them if you mention it. Put everyone, students and teachers, on the same level of keeping promises. Great way to create a baseline and even establish a respectful relationship. But be clear all the time on the promises and communicate in case an emergency happens.
Be honest with feelings in a professional way: Teachers are also human beings and are entitled on having bad days. Communicate your daily mood to your students. Ask for their cooperation if you are feeling down or hype them up if you are feeling great. But communicate regardless. This way they will understand the implications of misbehaving when you are in a good or bad mood.
Classroom parties / rewards: Any type of reward to the whole class. A day with food, games, music, anything! This has nothing to do with education, but it can be linked to if wanted. The main reason is to reward good behaviour, but to the whole group of students instead of just a few. Ask what students want to do. Tell them how and when they will be rewarded. And make them hyped for it.
Address bad behaviour right away with positivity: Saw a bad behaviour? It is a good idea to tackle it right away! Be professional and firm in front of the whole class. Tell a student that the behaviour is not accepted in your classroom and justify it. Preferably, talk to the student afterwards, in private, to investigate the root cause of the behaviour.
Engage students on one-on-one: Best way ever, students can be approached in a safe environment under the oath of secrecy. They can open up knowing they have no risks to speak. Use it all the time! For good and bad behaviours alike. Good behaviours are encouraged and complimented on one-on-one. Bad behaviours can be investigated and solved. Follow up on both cases and enhance your bonding with students.
See a bad behaviour: Ask why? There is always a root cause to bad behaviour that goes beyond the school. Mostly… familial issues. Help to investigate the root cause and even assisting the student on dealing with it. We think we are always on top of our problems. And we are so wrong! The same goes to students. They might be going through something bad that they consider normal, but it is affecting their behaviour. And we, as teachers, can help!
Befriend some students: Best way to uphold your values through the help of others. If students like you, they will defend you, assist you and even tell about what is going on the classroom with other students. Great source of knowledge, awesome way to bond, perfect method to create long term relationships.
Give breaks on long/boring classes: Some classes tend to be too boring or too long. Students deserve a break when it happens. This break, 5, 10 or 15 minutes, helps everyone to refocus, relax for a bit, and then start fairly fresh. Plan ahead and make an agreement with students on long and boring classes. You all will be thanking me afterwards.
Start classes with a summary: Tell students what your plans for the day are. How the plan will unfold, how they can participate and what will happen if you end up earlier. This is a great way for students to know what is ahead of them and how they can behave.
Make students part of what is being taught/learned: Going to teach about a topic that has infinite resources online? Why not ask your students on how they wanted to do it? Or even use a video and ask how students felt about learning through the video. Instead of doing the whole teaching thing, do a fun learning activity that everybody can benefit from. Great way to break the routine.
Create a list of consequences – and involve students to enforce it! Ask them what they think should happen if someone breaks one of the guidelines or agreed rules. Let them pick the consequence. Make it fair and clear for everybody. And don’t forget to enforce it! Creating rules just to break them sets a bad standard.
Make your expectations clear – What are your goals for today? Do you expect students to participate? How this participation should happen? This list of daily instructions is like game rules – everyone needs to know them before the game starts. Some classes are important, so students should pay attention. Some classes are less important, so teacher can let students know and freestyle a bit more on time, breaks, etc. Be fair and open to students.
Ask for help! If you cannot handle a given issue in the classroom, ask for someone else perspective, a colleague, a principal, a student or even a partner. People outside your work environment might have very impressive perspectives if you ask them. Students will present you the issue on their perspective, things that you might have not thought about it! So, engage and ask for assistance when needed.
Involve third parties if needed: We will never solve all the problems in the classroom by ourselves. I strongly encourage you to try so you can grow your own toolset on dealing with issues. But we also have limitations and, when faced with them, third parties such as principals, parents or even health professionals should be involved. They will have knowledge that we do not and/or can collaborate for a better approach on hard to solve cases. Know your limits and do not be afraid to seek third parties. If possible and already engaged with students, let them know your idea of involving a third party and encourage the student on taking this next step.
Dr. Farooq Ahmad Wasil, a published author, and an educationist, Founding Director TSPL (Thinksite Services Private Limited). He has over 4 decades of experience in the field of education management – setting up, operating and managing schools.
