Responding to Violations of Rules and Procedures ACED 4800 Student Teaching Seminar

What do you think? Some educators feel that discipline means the power of the teacher to control the behavior of their students. Others believe discipline can offer an opportunity to teach students a set of values about how people can live together in a democratic society. Do your students perceive discipline as the process of helping them develop values and self-control over their drives and feelings?

Table of Contents Introduction. Punishment or Logical, Instructional Consequences? Tips for Handling Minor Disruptions. Responding to Disruptive Behavior. Methods Solving Major & Continuing Student Behavior Problems. Conclusion

Introduction Regardless of how effectively we implement management techniques, we can be sure that there will be instances of rule/procedure violations in our classrooms. Teachers need skills in redirecting & de- escalating students who are behaving inappropriately.

Introduction (Continued) Given the generally negative impact of punishment, the use of educational & dignifying responses to student behavior problems are usually associated with much more positive student behavior and safer school environments. Teachers who develop these skills find they can work successfully and safely with a wide range of students.

Punishment or Logical, Instructional Consequences? Punishment Punishment does not teach the student alternative methods of behavior. Frequent punishment inhibits learning. In classrooms where punishment is used frequently, misbehavior increases. Using activities such as writing sentences as punishment may create a negative attitude regarding these activities. Instructional Consequences Treating behavior problems similar to academic problems, allows teachers to use their expertise in assisting students to develop alternative strategies. When considering how to respond, teachers need to consider the relationship between their classroom management methods and their instructional goals.

Tips for Handling Minor Disruptions. Arrange seating so that you can see and move to be near all students. Scan the class frequently in order to notice and respond to potential problems. Don’t create more disruption with attempts to discipline than the students are causing. When misbehavior occurs, the first step is to make contact quietly with the student.

Tips (continued) When one or two students are being extremely disruptive, it is best to focus the other students’ attention on their task and then talk privately with the disruptive students. Ask if the student needs some assistance, acknowledge this, and provide the assistance. Ignore the behavior/don’t make a major out of a minor. Call on the student or involve him by using his name. Increase interest by using humor.

Responding to Disruptive Behavior. Develop professional, effective responses to unproductive student behavior. Use step one, if misbehavior continues, proceed to step 2, etc. 1. Nonverbal cue: Shake your head; put your index finger on your lips 2. Verbal cue: Go to student and tell him/her that he/she is making a choice to …….., which will result in …….. 3. Move the student away from learning area to finish assignment. 4. Use some means to remove student from learning environment, i.e. the principal’s office, hallway.

Methods Solving Major or Continuing Student Behavior Problems. If a student continues to experience academic failure or disrupt the classroom despite the use of professionally responsible responses, the teacher should: Examine the classroom to determine if there may be factors causing the misbehavior. Contact parents and inform them of the problem and of the attempts being made to improve the student’s behavior. Implement some form of behavioral intervention to help the student improve. Refer the student to the office for consequences associated with the school-wide student management program.

Conclusion Effective teachers develop and teach clear methods for responding to unproductive student behavior. Effective teachers emphasize to students that they are responsible for their own behavior and for learning alternative ways for handling their frustration. As we are asked to work with greater numbers of students who come to school with negative emotional states and poor problem-solving skills, we will need to become more skilled at implementing behavior- modification plans.