5 Classroom Behavior Strategies for Teachers

No matter what kind of classroom you have, there will always be certain undesired behaviors that manifest in it. That's a very passive way of saying that there are a few students who need to learn how to behave in your classroom. I've been a substitute teacher on and off since 2001, I have spent the past 8 + years in an after school program, and I run art camps during school breaks. I have some tried-and-true ideas to share with y'all. These can be applied for the class as a whole, or for individuals.

1. Positively Reinforce Desired Behaviors: Draw the outlines of 5 stars on a Post-it or on the board. Tell them what their reward will be if all 5 stars are filled in by a set amount of time (end of day, by lunch time, in 15 minutes, etc.). Each time you notice desired behavior, color in one of them, specifically telling them out loud what they did to earn it. Tell them that you want them to get all 5 stars colored in, and if they continue with desired behavior (be specific), they will earn another star. Once all 5 stars are colored in, follow through with their reward. This gives them a visual reminder of what they ought to be doing and how close they are to getting their goal, and it shows them that you want them to succeed. I personally like positive reinforcement rather than negative consequences.

   In my kindergarten class, we also use this color chart. When they make a good choice, we tell that student to "color up," or to "color down" if they show undesired behavior. We remind them that they can color up again if they do color down so they can try again.

2. Walking in a Straight Line: I currently work with kindergarteners, and we all know that they are still learning how to be in school in general. I say these words when we are attempting to get in line, and I think it will also work for big kids: "You know you're in line when you see the back of someone's head right in front of you." This describes what THEY should see, not what YOU should see. I hear teachers say, "I don't see a straight line." You can't expect children to take on your point of view and move accordingly. So, explain it to them from THEIR point of view. Seeing the back of someone's head means they're right behind someone.

   Another strategy is to find a crack or line painted on the ground and without saying a word, pretend it's a tight-rope. As you lead the line, lose your balance, walk slowly and carefully with your arms extended. Kids naturally will copy you. I hear some teachers say, "Walk directly under the lights," but at my school, the lights are directly in the middle of the hallway and we need to be off to one side to allow traffic in the opposite direction.

3. Get them Quiet: OK, this is very tricky, no matter what age your students are. But if you play this trick right, you'll find success. It's you vs. them. Literally write your name on the board vs. the class at the top of a capital T to keep score. Your name is on the left and students on the right. Give yourself points in your column one by one until they notice. When it's quiet, give them a point. You can do this quietly (those who are not talking will see, and shush the others). Or, you could announce, "I'm giving myself points until it's quiet," or, "I get a point in 3-2-1." Let them feel the sting of you getting a point. Or, just keep giving yourself more and more points, writing tally marks in your column, going on and on, and be smug about it. You could offer a prize or not; kids see the value in a point system and winning against a teacher feels fun to them.

4. Addressing the Few Who Need Redirection: These students are not focused, so they need something to focus on. Give them a job. The job could be testing markers and tossing dried ones into a box, cleaning up toys, wiping the board, taking notes to the office, lesson prep, or sorting "paper salad." Paper salad is a box full of paper scraps that are different colors and asking them to sort them into piles of like papers. All the blue paper goes in this pile, the green paper goes in that pile... you know that there's no particular reason, but they don't have to know that. Say it's for a project for later or for another teacher. Remember that these kids may not show this behavior on purpose. They simply can't sit still and forcing them to only makes it worse. Manage your expectations. Allow them to sit in a chair when the others are on the carpet, or allow them to have a fidget when you're reading to the class. It's ok.

5. Easing into Transitions: I've had success with creating a to-do list for these students. I give them a small clipboard, a very special pen, and create a half-sheet list with boxes to check. Items on the list are very simple, easy things like, check in with teacher, put backpack down, have a good recess, etc. At the bottom, I put a thumbs up, in the middle, and thumbs down so they can circle which one represents their day. There's a bonus check box if the student was a helper that day. The sheets go home with them so parents can reinforce their school behavior at home.

If you'd like a checklist for students who struggle with transitions, click here for the editable version (Canva Pro required).

BONUS: We've been hearing "6-7" a little too much. My favorite reply so far (which doesn't always work, but nothing will) is, "I like 7-11 better because they have Slurpees." I remind myself that if I react in a big way, they will react in a big way in return. If I shrug it off, they still laugh, but if they don't get a rise out of me, it's not as satisfying to them. They don't even know what it really means; they only say it to get a reaction out of grown ups.