75 Discipline Tips For Today's Teachers

1. Structure classroom space so you can move around and

get close to every student. (Some teachers like a U-shape
arrangement.) Be everywhere in the classroom.
2. When a problem occurs, have students call their parents in
your presence to report the trouble, rather than you doing all
the calling.
3. Always have a plan!
4. Provide alternative or limited recesses for students with
chronic behavior problems.
5. Encourage students to ask directly for extra attention when
they need it, rather than seeking attention through
misbehavior.
6. Minimize "downtime" in the classroom. Have something
worthwhile going on all the time.
7. Cultivate (and practice) an appropriate teacher "look" (glare
or stare) to communicate nonverbally with unruly students in
the classroom.
8. Provide acting-up and acting-out students with a "time out"
period in another teacher's classroom (with prior arrangement,
of course).
9. Don't employ consequences that are unduly inconvenient or
punish the teacher as much or more than the student.
10. Meet students at the door every time the group enters the
classroom.
11. Don't overlabel or overpunish kids.
12. Reduce or modify assignments when necessary so that all
kids can succeed.
13. Tape or videotape student misbehavior to share with parents
and/or administrators.
14. Remember that students frequently choose misbehavior to
achieve one or more of four basic goals:
a.) attention-getting;
c.) revenge;
b.) power;
d.) avoidance of failure.
15. Don't nag. After two requests, take action.
16. Recognize/acknowledge your own biases and prejudices. Be
honest with kids.

17. Have a one-on-one meeting with difficult students before the

school year starts.
18. Give students a choice of punishments/consequences.
19. Make the classroom look like a learning place.
20. Don't take obscenities too personally.
21. Set routines. They work wonders.
22. Offer rewards as inducements for good behavior. At South
Mountain Middle School (Allentown, PA), staff members give
students tickets for a monthly "Mountaineer Lottery" prize
drawing as rewards for displaying good citizenship, doing a
good job, and so forth.
23. Try not to "lose it," no matter how annoying a student
becomes. Rage and reason aren't compatible. Whenever
students anger you, they beat you at the discipline game.
24. Make secondary classrooms as large and lively as
elementary rooms. There's no reason for classrooms to get
smaller and more boring as students get older.
25. Use a Behavior Improvement Form to get student's attention
and to record incidents (see example).

5 Tips for Teaching Students to Respect

Authority
1)

Start with requests that the child can definitely do and praise
him/her. Student, I need you to go get yourself an extra
snack. Great! Thanks for following my direction.
2) If Student is a complains or protests requests, then give a
fixed choice, which allows him a small level of control.
Defiance of authority usually has a root in a need for control,
so give him a little. You would be surprised at how often this
works. Say, Student, you have a choice. You can start your
math fact worksheet or read silently for 10 minutes. You pick.
I know, youre thinking he will pick neither but that rarely
happens. If he does say neither, you can say, Would you like
me to make a choice for you? and that usually triggers a
choice.
3) In the fixed choice technique, you can also make one choice
totally undesirable so he picks the math worksheet or
whatever you want them to do. When I pick up kids for testing

and they balk, I say Okay, you can come now, or during
[insert favorite class]." Then if they choose to come with me, I
thank them for taking responsibility. If it is a particularly
oppositional kid who barely ever follows directions, then I
usually call the parent in front of the kid and tell the parent
how cooperative Student was for me after were done to
reinforce him making a good choice.
4)

5)

Make sure the child understands the direction you are giving
him or her. Sometimes, kids with learning or attention
difficulties are not disrespecting your authority, sometimes
they didnt get the direction. You can ask them to repeat the
direction in his/her own words to make sure all pieces of
information got in. I am always so surprised when I test kids
and have them repeat what I think are simple directions
Open your history book and turn to page 127 and they say,
Um, open your book to page 27?
Deeeeeeeep breath. Kids who always say no or defy your
authority can be super exasperating. Try to remain calm and
use a business-like tone, so they do not know you are about to
lose it. Kids respond to modeling. Model calm so things dont
escalate.

Punishment or Positive Reinforcement:

Which One Works?
1) Find out the function behind the behavioris it task
avoidance, attention-seeking, face-saving from difficult work,
lack of sleep or food, difficulties understanding the task, not
understanding English well enough to follow through, or some
other factor? Do some detective work. And try to use What
or How questions instead of Why (Why can sound
blaming). What do you need to get started? How can I help
you get started? You will get a better reaction than if you
asked Why havent you started yet?
2) Put the student in a helping role when they are bugging you.
Every teacher can see when Penny is about to do something
problematic. Intercept it. Penny, I need your help. Can you

put stamps on all the kids papers if they did their

homework? (This is age-specific. Older kids may not be in to
this idea for fear of being teachers pet.)
3) Put an empty jar on his/her desk and drop in a reward when
you see the behavior you like. Label it as you go by. Penny, I
like how you are starting your work. Or for an older kid, have
some sort of nonverbal praise cue, such as tapping their desk
if they are doing what they need to be doing.
4) Be sure to reward when the child redirects his/her behavior. So
if she was talking off topic for a minute and then says
something related to the topic, jump right in and praise her
for her insightful contribution.
5) Reward successive approximations. I know, we want Penny to
do all her homework, but give partial credit or set up an
incentive system for improvement.
This is a tough sell for some teachers, who are worried that
this isnt fair when there are other kids doing their homework
without incentives. I say that giving every kid what they need
is fair. Think of it this way: If you had to increase sales to 100
widgets and that was the standard, it would be far more
motivating when you got praised or paid for every 10 you
sold, rather than punishing you or telling you to shape up until
you got to the 100 widgets. Few people like to be motivated
by fear of failure or punishment.
6) Talk to other teachers. Consult with your school psychologist.
Everyone has had a Penny in their classrooms or office. So
many teachers Ive worked with are so used to being helpers,
they dont ask for help.
7) Call the parent or caregiver when Penny has a good day or
does her homework. Parents need reinforcement too,
especially if most calls about Penny are negative.

8) Ah, but let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will
be always in her heart. ~Nathaniel Hawthorn In todays
English: Long after that kid leaves her desk marked with the
Scarlet P, she will remember how she felt to be a Problem.
Separate the the problem behavior from the problem kid.

9) Take care of your own needs. This is a broad one that

deserves an entire post if not a book. Self-care is essential.
Remember that if you are in a positive space, you will project
that in your classroom. If you are burned out, you may be
more negative than you mean to be. Be the change you want
to see in Penny!