Teachers deal with all types of students in their classrooms, and they have to be ready to handle behavior problems, bullying and different personalities. Children who struggle with behavioral problems need clear guidelines and consequences, but they also need positive reinforcement when they're following instructions and behaving properly. Sometimes, children who act out in the classroom aren't engaged in the learning process, and they might respond better to different styles of learning.
Step 1
Set behavioral guidelines for all students in your classroom. UCLA recommends that you set the classroom up to prevent behavioral problems, and one way you can do this is by making sure that each student understands the rules. If the students begin acting out, review the rules with the entire class.
Step 2
Consistently respond to each student. If your students know what to expect, they'll feel more comfortable and safer in your classroom, reports Education.com. When teachers don't respond consistently, students never know what to expect. This leads to misbehavior.
Step 3
Follow through with specific consequences after you've given the child a warning. When a child misbehaves, give him a warning that includes what he's done wrong, how he can fix it and what the consequence will be if he doesn't change the behavior. For example, "Johnny, this is your warning for talking while Emma is giving her presentation. Please remain quiet during her presentation or you'll have to sit in the hall until she's done." If he continues to misbehave, give him the consequence.
Step 4
Contact the child's parents, and make sure the parents understand the behavioral problems the child is struggling with in the classroom. Bring the child's parents on board to work with the child at home regarding her behavior problems. Also, ask the parents how they handle the specific issues that the child has, because her parents might share ways to cope with the situation that you haven't considered.
Step 5
Ask the guidance counselor or school social worker to meet with the child if the behavioral problems don't get better after setting guidelines and following through on consequences. The child might be misbehaving due to problems at home, or mental health issues such as ADHD, depression or anxiety. If the child gets help with those issues, it could reduce the classroom behavioral problems.
Tips and Warnings
- Engage your students with different styles of teaching. You can prevent behavioral problems with your students by engaging them in the learning process. For example, if you spend 20 minutes giving a lecture, let the students work in groups for the next 20 minutes. When you vary the learning experience, each student will have a chance to excel.
