Classroom Behavior Management

Relationships

Frequently, the difference between our favorite and least favorite teacher is not the content they taught, but rather their ability to establish a positive relationship with each of their students. In 2008, researchers found that teachers who made a conscious effort to develop a relationship with "discipline referred" students reported less defiant student behavior.¹ This effect was particularly strong for African-American students.² Frequently, teachers agree with this statement but lament the fact that they have 24 to 30 students in their class. They don’t have time to really get to know each student. This is particularly evident if they teach in middle or high school where they have multiple classes each day. However, there are ways to help build relationships that take little or no time. For example, you can place a picture of your family on your desk. If you don’t have a family or you are in a situation where you do not believe it is safe to have pictures of your family, post pictures of yourself engaged in an activity or hobby. I once rented condos at a ski resort and had each owner post pictures of their family in their unit to give the feel of a second home. By doing so, I had very little damage to the units. It’s the same idea. Build relationship even when you aren’t there. Will it solve all your classroom discipline problems? Not by itself. But it will place one stone in the foundation of building positive relationships, which will reduce disruptive behavior. Best of all, it takes virtually no time!

Sleep

Another neglected area related to disruptive behavior is sleep. Symptoms such as distractibility, poor attention span, poor organizational skills, poor motivation, lethargy, irritable temperament, frustration, depression, anxiety, oppositional defiant behaviors, low work completion, poor motor coordination, poor motor planning, and poor listening are all affected by insufficient sleep. We know that 20-25% of children have some type of sleep disorder sometime in their childhood or adolescence³ but only, 1-2% are being diagnosed with a sleep disorder. Thus, the majority of sleep disorders are not diagnosed.

So how much sleep do we need? The typical preschooler needs at least 11-12 hours of sleep. Elementary students need at least 10 hours, while teens need at least 8 hours each night. Sleep. How many students do you know who get that much? How do we tell if a child needs more sleep beyond observing if they fall asleep in class? Here are some clues.

1. How much sleep do they get each night?
2. Does child/teen have difficulty falling asleep at night?
3. Does s/he wake up often throughout night?
4. Is s/he difficult to awaken in the morning?
5. Does s/he snore at night?
6. Does s/he choke, gasp, or snort in his/her sleep?
7. Does s/he fall asleep more often in daytime than peers?
8. Does s/he kick or roll around often in sleep?

Research⁴ has shown significant Improvements when high school starting time is delayed 60-75 minutes. This resulted in high school students an additional hour of sleep which improved

1. Attendance
2. Enrollment
3. Tardiness
4. Attention span, concentration, & motivation (student reported)
5. Grades
6. Graduation rate

With all these benefits, why don’t high schools start later? The most common reasons cited are scheduling conflicts with bussing and sports. Parents sometimes are also concerned that later classes reduce the amount of time students are available to work or babysit after school.

Other.

Classroom behavior management includes much more than establishing relationships and getting enough sleep. I focused on these two since they are less frequently covered on other websites on the topic. However, basic behavioral management principles are crucial, along with preventive techniques, and methods of creating motivated students. We could greet students at the door as they enter your class with observations saying “I noticed”. Be aware that I did NOT say “I like”. That is judgmental. Rather, saying “I noticed that you seem down today,” or “I saw you at the game last night” is a nonjudgmental observation. If you don’t have time to do this for every student, choose those who need it most, and randomly select others for additional attention as time allows.

My seminars are loaded with other ideas which might work for you. I tailor each presentation to the needs of the sponsoring organization.

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