About 22.7% of children tend to demonstrate cognitive, emotional, or behavioral problems. By focusing on behavior management early on, you can establish the guidelines students need to behave properly.
Otherwise, you could end up with an unruly class. One student who regularly misbehaves can inspire an entire classroom to get out of hand. As a result, productivity will plummet, making it more difficult for you to teach your students.
With a behavior management plan, however, you can set your students off with a stronger start.
Here are some behavior management strategies you need to succeed. With these tips, you can maintain order in your classroom with ease.
Create a Class Identity
There are over 56.6 million students who are enrolled in school nationwide. About 35.5 million will attend prekindergarten to 8th grade.
In order to develop positive behaviors in older students, it’s essential to start while they’re young. That way, they carry on those positive habits as they progress through their academic career.
Start the school year off by deciding on a class name. If your school is using a theme for the year, such as “The High Seas” or “Superheroes,” use it for inspiration. For example, you can name your class The Avengers for the year.
Have your students offer suggestions together. Then, put the final name to a vote. Focus on having fun and using this as a moment to bond with the students.
Once you’ve selected a class name as a team, create a chant of affirmation. Talk to your students about the qualities that make the class special. By creating an identity for the class, you’re also building a community for your students at the year’s start.
Develop Genuine Relationships
In order to develop a behavior management plan for your classroom, you’ll first need to learn about your students. Start by building genuine relationships with each child. Let them know that you care about them as individuals rather than part of a whole
You can use get-to-know-you activities at the beginning of the year. As the school year progresses, take the time to speak with students one-on-one. You can also use community circles to create a space for open dialogue.
Other ways to build relationships with your students include:
When your students recognize you’re invested in them as individuals, you’ll gain their respect. That can make a big difference when holding your students accountable for their behaviors.
Create Rules as a Class
Instead of creating a strict list of rules, consider collaborating on the rules as a class. This step in behavior management will help you cultivate your classroom environment.
Develop a list of rules that include how you expect students to interact with:
Give your students the chance to contribute their own rules. These rules will help them develop a sense of ownership and responsibility.
Get into a Routine
In order to enforce behavior management in the classroom, your students need to know what to expect. Setting clear routines will help them understand and adhere to your expectations.
Make sure to provide ongoing support as your students learn these routines. Then, reinforce expected behaviors. Let them know the consequences if those expectations aren’t met.
A few routines to consider include:
When students meet these expectations, let them know. That way, you’re reinforcing positive behavior and encouraging them to repeat those behaviors.
Reward Good Behavior
You can reward your students as individuals, a group, or as a class. Let your students contribute to the reward system the same way they contributed to the class rules.
Establishing this system will motivate your students to work toward obtaining these rewards.
Make sure the reward system is easily managed. For example, you don’t want to choose a reward you can’t act on. Make sure it’s not a burdensome financial investment for you, either.
Quietly Correct
As you start utilizing these behavior management strategies, you’re bound to see a few students off-task. Don’t call a student out in front of the others. Instead, use a silent signal to address the behavior.
If that doesn’t work, quietly remind the student of the proper behavior they should follow. You can also remind them of the consequences for not meeting your expectations.
Utilizing these quiet corrections will allow you to maintain control of your classroom. At the same time, you can avoid using shame and intimidation on your students.
Use Public Praise
You should correct bad behaviors quietly. Good behaviors, on the other hand, deserve praise. Try using weekly shout-outs to call attention to positive behavior intervention.
Shout-outs will allow you to highlight the positive behaviors you notice from your students. Other students will soon follow suit in hopes of earning praise themselves.
If you’re looking for more tips, there are many tools available that can help. For example, you can access research-based strategies for k12 behavior management. These strategies will help you develop a strong behavior management plan for the school year.
Remain Calm and Consistent
As you correct bad behaviors within the classroom, make sure to remain calm and firm. Don’t make it an emotional experience by using threats. Instead, deliver consequences as you outlined to your students at the beginning of the year.
Make sure to remain consistent with these consequences. Otherwise, students might think you’re giving special treatment to some of their peers.
Set High Expectations
Set high expectations for your students based both on their behaviors and academics. Let your students know what you’re looking for and encourage them to meet those expectations. Setting high expectations will improve behavior in the classroom as well as performance.
Set the Example
Once you establish the rules for your classroom, make sure to model those behaviors yourself. If you do something wrong, remain humble. Apologize if you assume a student has done something wrong.
Remember, respect is a two-way street. You can’t expect students to respect you if you don’t respect them in turn.
Empower Your Class: Proper Behavior Management in the Classroom
Don’t wait to empower your class as a team. Instead, use these tips for proper behavior management in the classroom. With these strategies, you can unite your students for a positive, productive year ahead.
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