David Moadel’s Top Behaviour Management Tips
Behavior management, as a component of overall classroom management, is a critical part of any teacher’s success. This is especially true for new teachers, but applies to all classroom educators. Without a well-controlled class, there is no real, sustained learning. Furthermore, in a chaotic classroom atmosphere, students often feel afraid -and they have every reason to feel that way when students are out of control. Ultimately, the teacher is responsible for keeping student behavior under control. When I was a new educator, I wish that I could have known what I now know about behavior management. I had to learn some of these concepts the hard way. I hope that they can be of use to others pursuing careers in classroom teaching.
Please note that these ten tips are in no particular order, and are equally important.
* Have daily routines, and start them from the very first day of school. Some things in the classroom should be rock-solid and unchanging.
* Have a few rules for the class, and post them in a place where students can clearly see them.
* Do not embarrass, humiliate, or put down any student, ever. Resentment is a prime source of misbehavior.
* Address misbehavior swiftly. This includes even the smallest of breaches of class rules.
* Practice what you preach. Do not break your own rules or procedures.
* Keep your lessons interesting. Keep the way you address misbehavior uninteresting (i.e., predictable).
* Brag about how well behaved your students are. They will, sooner or later, meet the expectations that you set for them.
* Regularly reward (notice I used the word “reward,” not “bribe”) students when they behave well.
* Stay calm when addressing misbehavior. “Losing your cool” will merely cause tense situations to get worse.
* Like your students. Trust me — they can sense whether you like them or not. They won’t care about you and your classroom if they know you don’t care about them.
I have taught students at numerous age and socio-economic levels, and these concepts have served me well in all situations. I hope that you will also find them useful as you strive to improve your classroom management skills.
David Moadel, educator, 38 years old, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
