How do teachers manage student behaviour?
Written in conjunction with several experienced educators from across special and mainstream education. The list of behaviour management strategies is not exhaustive. They should give you a good foundation for managing day-to-day behavioural issues in your classroom. By habits, we mean the day-to-day routines you develop in your classroom. Behaviour management in education is a key stress point and often a source of frustration for teachers.
Advice relating to behaviour management ranges from “Teach fun lessons” to “Zero tolerance for any infringement.”. The most effective teachers use a range of strategies and behaviour management techniques. The three key strategies relate to building relationships with the children, setting clear expectations and routines and maintaining a consistent approach.
Whatever you do teaching is a profession with the child at the centre of all we do. Your approach should reflect your values and ethos.
Essential Behaviour Management Habits for Teachers
- Show the child they have value in your class.
- Develop a meaningful relationship and connection with the students.
- Build opportunities to learn and practice social interaction skills.
- Teach a way to ask for space appropriately.
- Inform children of the structure.
- Develop routines and typicality so children know what to expect.
- Lead the class, you determine the direction of a task or lesson, if you want to go off plan do it.
- A Seating plan is only effective if you review it over the term.
- Clear expectations are reinforced consistently.
- Ensure you have designed tasks to be accessible to each child.
- Overt differentiation can destroy self-esteem
- Keep your voice calm and controlled.
- Do not underestimate how powerful silence can be in learning.
- Stop talking if you are spoken over, then address. Do not compete to be heard.
- If you say you are going to do it then do it!
- Praise is your gift to give. Use it wisely but generously.
- Maintain your composure and body language.
- Shame is not a behaviour management technique, it is abuse.
- Positivity should be unconditional.
- If behaviour hasn’t met expectations that session make sure you address it before the children leave.
- If you need compliance don’t frame the request as a question.
- Be where you should be on time
- Be prepared to start planned learning activities promptly.
- Pace and timing are subjective but used well can help with learning behaviours.
- Don’t have favourites, find a positive in each child.
- If you messed up admit it, apologise and move on.
- Novelty can lead to overexcitement, use it wisely and build up to it.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
- Restart and reset if needed, whether that is the lesson or interaction with the child.
- Non-verbal signals and gestures can help reduce noise levels. Use your voice as a tool.
- Provide an exit if poor behaviour has been shown.
- Only ever reprimand in private as much as possible, some children want that audience.
- Meet negativity with positivity
- You can change the situation to meet a need.
- Make time to find out what drives behaviour.
- Say “Thank you” before they do what you ask
- Address the child by their preferred name all the time.
I hope these are useful. Please feel free to add your behaviour management habits in the comments.
Other Student Behaviour articles.
Essential behaviour de-escalation techniques.
5 reasons your challenging behaviour strategies aren’t working.
How to prevent behaviour escalation.
