General Principles in Dealing with Misbehaviour
From Teach
- Be definite about what you want, and stick to your demands. (Cowley 2006)
- Remain calm and polite throughout the encounter. (Cowley 2006)
- State your expectations clearly. (Cowley 2006)
- Clarify any possibly misunderstandings. (Cowley 2006)
- State how the pupil's behaviour is not meeting your expectations. (Cowley 2006)
- State what will happen if the student continues to defy you. (Cowley 2006)
- Refuse to be distracted from your original point. (Cowley 2006)
- Make it clear that the student's behaviour is forcing you to give a punishment, rather than it being personal. (Cowley 2006)
- Aim to sound disappointed. (Cowley 2006)
- If necessary, apply the sanction. (Cowley 2006)
- If possible, allow the student to win back from their position by offering a way out. (Cowley 2006)
Some further thoughts
Being a successful manager of behaviour has a lot to do with your attitude. If you know exactly what your expectations are, and what you will do if they are not met, then this attitude will come across to your students in the way that you deal with them. In addition, if you can maintain a calm, structured and positive atmosphere in your classroom, then good behaviour will (hopefully!) be your reward.
