Behavior Management |
Page 14 |
One of the most important aspects of classroom management is behavior management. Ideally, a classroom management plan has a built-in behavior management tool of some kind. If there is no behavior management tool in place, undesired behavior may continue or become more frequent.
An effective behavior management plan has the following elements:
Consistency:
Teachers must be consistent in their efforts. Setting expectations and consequences are useless if you do not follow through.
Teachers must be consistent in their efforts. Setting expectations and consequences are useless if you do not follow through.
Fairness:
Fair isn’t always equal. What is fair and appropriate for one student may not be for another. Keep this in mind when developing goals and expectations for behavior.
Fair isn’t always equal. What is fair and appropriate for one student may not be for another. Keep this in mind when developing goals and expectations for behavior.
A sense of community:
Create a sense of community by involving students in their behavior management and classroom management roles. This gives them a sense of ownership, and personal and group responsibility.
Create a sense of community by involving students in their behavior management and classroom management roles. This gives them a sense of ownership, and personal and group responsibility.
Use of subtle cues to redirect:
Things such as the “teacher look,” standing near the misbehaving student, a gentle tap on the shoulder, and call and response type signals.
Things such as the “teacher look,” standing near the misbehaving student, a gentle tap on the shoulder, and call and response type signals.
Knowledge of students:
Know your students and their temperaments as well as their developmental level.
Know your students and their temperaments as well as their developmental level.
Multiple levels of consequences:
Implement multiple levels of consequences with the least responsive action to the most responsive action.
Implement multiple levels of consequences with the least responsive action to the most responsive action.
Use these elements with consideration when working with infants and toddlers. Some negative behavior can be attributed to normal parts of development such as biting and throwing. It is more important to guide and redirect these behaviors with infants and toddlers.