The Master Teacher Blog

Occasionally, our students may pay less attention to our direction and respond less to our discipline than we expect. Of course, we are all well aware that student behavior can vary in response to several forces and factors. The time of the year and proximity to calendar breaks can have an impact. Special events and occasions in their personal lives can also be distractions.

However, when we account for these elements, and any others we might factor in, and still find that students are not responding as we expect, we need to consider other potential causes. A good place to start is by examining our behavior and our approach to correction and redirection. Here are six common, but potentially troublesome, discipline approaches that are worthy of review and, if necessary, adjustment.

Culprit #1: Inconsistency. Addressing misbehavior at one time and ignoring it at other times can be a recipe for future misbehavior. Students seek predictability and stability, so when our behavior is inconsistent, they can become confused about our expectations. Also, when our choices to ignore or address behavior appear to favor some students, other students may conclude that our behavior is evidence of favoritism and even bias. The result can be growing resentment and increasing misbehavior.

Fix: Set only the rules and expectations you intend to enforce. Commit to addressing misbehavior regardless of the student, with exceptions occurring only when you have a good reason to do so.

Culprit #2: Failure to follow through. Giving directions and making threats that are not enforced sets the stage for future problems. Empty threats can lead to lack of respect and students ignoring established rules and expectations. Failing to follow through undermines our authority and diminishes student respect. As noted earlier, students seek consistency and predictability.

Fix: Resist making threats or promises in anger or when you are not committed. When you promise an action, be certain to honor it. If circumstances change and you need to adjust your stance or actions, be transparent about the reason.

Culprit #3: Excessive negative reinforcement. While we need to give attention to unacceptable behavior, we must also be quick to notice and reinforce appropriate behavior. The focus of our attention matters. If we spend most of our time correcting and enforcing consequences, students who seek attention are more likely to misbehave. Meanwhile, students who choose to follow directions and respond to our expectations can feel ignored and undervalued.

Fix: Be conscious of how much time you spend correcting and admonishing students. Seek a balance of time and attention in favor of positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior, good choices, and other positive actions.

Culprit #4: Public shaming. Writing names on the board, keeping track of misbehavior with sticks and stickers, and confronting students in front of the classmates leads to embarrassment and students feeling shamed. Shaming can lead to lingering resentment and become the cause of future misbehavior. Some students may feel they need to push back to avoid looking weak in front of their peers. Without intending, we can find ourselves having to deal with even more serious misbehavior in response to our approach.

Fix: Whenever possible, address student misbehavior in private. Distracting and disruptive behavior may require our immediate attention to redirect the offending student, but reserve extended discussion and consequences for a private setting when you can.

Culprit #5: Ignoring the cause. Behavior choices are made with purpose, even if students are not fully conscious of the reason. If we ignore or fail to understand the cause, we may be inadvertently reinforcing or escalating the behavior. Failing to understand and address the cause of misbehavior can make the situation worse.

Fix: Resist assuming the cause of misbehavior whenever possible. Take a minute to reflect before responding. When practical, have a conversation with the student to explore what is behind the behavior and how the root cause might be addressed.

Culprit #6: Overreacting. When in frustration or in response to other emotions we exaggerate or dramatize the significance of misbehavior, we expose the situation to escalation. Our behavior can become the issue. We can create hostility and engender a sense of unfairness. Of course, underreacting can also lead to confusion and assumptions that some unacceptable behavior is acceptable.

Fix: Use the gap between what a student does or says and your response to consider how much response is required. Sometimes “the look” is all that is needed. At other times, a brief comment or redirection is enough. The key is to match our response to the seriousness of the situation, but we need to avoid having our current mood drive what we say or do.

Obviously, most—if not all—of these potential missteps are familiar. However, in the fast-paced and distraction-filled context within which we manage our classrooms, it can be easy to forget, ignore, or let slip what we know to be effective management and discipline strategies. A brief review can head off problems before they grow and place us and our students back on track for behavioral and academic success.

We want our students to behave acceptably and appropriately in our class and school. We also want them to learn and internalize the value and worth of behaving in a manner that is respectful and appropriate to the circumstances in which they find themselves. Obviously, this is mostly a teaching-and-learning process rather than a shaming-and-punishing practice.

Nevertheless, we can find ourselves in situations with students where they are ignoring our direction or failing to engage in acceptable behavior. These are times to ask ourselves how we might teach, nurture, and reinforce the behavior we seek. There may even be occasions when we enlist the student in discussing and deciding the best course of action to take.

Many good options exist from which we can choose when we need to modify a student’s behavior. However, there are some actions that, while they may have been viewed as acceptable by or even popular with some, carry significant risks to our relationships and can have lasting negative consequences for students who experience them. Here are five consequences for misbehavior that carry significant risk and deserve to be reconsidered.

Consequence #1: Ostracizing.

Choosing to “freeze out” a student or have the rest of the class ignore and not respond to a student is a high-risk action. We can permanently damage our and the class’s relationship with the student. Being noticed, belonging, and feeling included are powerful forces. When we deny our attention and reject our connection with students, the impact can be deep and lasting. Similarly, if we direct the rest of the class to ignore and refuse to engage a student, we place their sense of belonging in the class and with friends at risk. This consequence, if enacted in the context of a student who already may be struggling with identity, suffering from trauma, or dealing with other life issues, can have devastating consequences. For students who already struggle to form and maintain relationships, we may drive the student away rather than achieve the behavior change we seek.

Consequence #2: Threatening summer school.

We may say to students that if they fail to focus and do as they are told now, they will end up having to spend their summer vacation in summer school. However, positioning summer school as a negative consequence can make it a dreaded experience rather than an opportunity to strengthen learning skills and catch up on content. Further, depending on the time of the year and the age and maturity of the student, summer may seem like a long time into the future and have little immediate impact on their thinking and behavior.

Consequence #3: Assigning collective consequences.

We might think that by assigning consequences to the entire class, such as holding them after the bell or making them wait and be late to go to lunch, would be an effective way to bring peer pressure and change the actions of students exhibiting unacceptable behavior. However, the impact is likely to be the opposite. Students who do not have strong relationships with classmates, or who seek attention regardless of its form, may find the experience empowering. It is true that marshalling the entire class in pursuit of a shared, positive goal can build connectedness and increase shared commitment, but the opposite is not necessarily true. Consequences shared by students whose behavior does not deserve it can lead to conflict and resentment rather than camaraderie.

Consequence #4: Predicting future failure.

What we say, including our predictions, can have a profound and lasting impact on how our students see themselves and their future. Out of frustration, we might make a negative prediction about the future of a student; even if the goal is to convince the student to work harder now and avoid the future we predict, we risk the student accepting our words at face value. The student may already believe that they are not capable of learning success, and our words represent further proof.

Consequence #5: Denying recess.  

This one is more so for our primary counterparts, as secondary schools typically do not schedule time for recess. Recess and other breaks from active learning can play a variety of roles for students. It may be a time to take the edge off pent-up energy and release accumulated stress from sitting quietly. It can be a time for connecting with friends and learning how to manage and resolve conflicts. It can also serve as a brain break, a time for reflection and making sense of what was just learned. While the consequence may make our point, it can lead to even less focus, more fidgeting, and additional acting out.  

Without question, there are times when students frustrate us. We can feel as though we are out of options for modifying their behavior. These are times to step back, reflect, consult a colleague, or engage another school resource to help us identify promising options and alternatives. We need to avoid having today’s frustration become tomorrow’s relationship barrier.

When a student fails to finish and submit their work, are they demonstrating laziness? When a student bristles in response to a request to engage in a task, are they showing defiance? When a student shows little interest in what we are teaching, are they telling us that they do not want to learn? These may seem like innocuous and obvious questions. However, what we assume about the behavior of students can determine whether what comes next will be productive or a distraction. Will it be meaningful, or will it become a fruitless interchange? 

Assumptions about the sources or causes of student behavior matter. What we assume about students drives how we engage with them. When we respond based on what we assume, we risk misinterpreting the behavior and even escalating the situation.  

Even though we may be busy, stressed, or frustrated, we would do well to inquire and explore the cause before we decide how to respond to what may appear to be unacceptable or resistive behavior. Our words and actions set the tone for how students are likely to respond, too. If we approach students based on negative assumptions, we are likely to see more defensive, combative responses, even if the cause of the behavior was legitimate and understandable.   

The truth is that how we choose to respond, and our corrective actions, are often more instrumental in how the situation will play out than what the student may have originally said or done. Let’s consider some examples of how student behavior may not be what it initially appears.  

• We see what we think is the lack of motivation or evidence of laziness. In reality, what we might be seeing is the lack of organization or belief in the value of what we are asking the student to do. Or we may be seeing the results of learned helplessness. Pressing the situation based on an assumption of laziness may result in even more of the behavior and damage our relationship with the student.  
• We see behavior that seems to signal a lack of interest in learning. What lies behind the behavior may be a lack of interest in or appreciation for the value and usefulness what the student is being asked to learn. It could be that the student lacks the skills necessary to learn what is expected and finds it safer to show disinterest than risk being exposed as not currently having the capacity to learn the material. Exploring the larger context for the behavior can lead to new insights and a more effective correction strategy. 
• We encounter a student who exhibits frequent disruptive and unacceptable behavior. We may think that the student is trying to undermine our authority, so we may be tempted to take a punitive approach to correcting the behavior. Yet, what we may be seeing is a defense mechanism to avoid the pain of failure. It might be a response to difficulties forming relationships with adults. Or, we may be seeing a need for attention, but the student does not believe that positive attention is possible. Unless we understand what is driving the behavior, success in correcting it will be difficult to achieve. 

When the cause of a student’s behavior is not clear or obvious, consider a four-step process to guide your response:  

• Resist taking immediate reaction. Even a few seconds can provide crucial time to consider whether you need to explore further or act in response.  
• Review the circumstances under which the behavior seems most often to occur. You may need to collect some data and chart instances and trends.  
• Arrange a private conference with the student to share what you have observed and data you have collected. Not all students are aware of what might be driving their behavior, but the combination of student perspective and data can typically offer some useful hints.  
• Use the observations you have made, data you have collected, and the perspective of the student to formula a plan going forward. Where possible, involve the student in formulating, implementing, and monitoring the effectiveness of the strategy.  

Without question, student behavior can be a mystery. However, the mystery is part of the meaning and magic of working with young people. Our challenge is to search for what may be behind the behavior and be thoughtful and strategic in how we respond. 

Reference: 

DeBruyn, R.L., & Larson, J.L. (2021). You can handle them all (3rd ed.). The Master Teacher. 

One of the most vexing challenges we face emerges when students respond to our requests, directions, or instructions with defiance. However, such resistance is rarely about us. In fact, in most situations, defiance is a response to what students are experiencing, feeling, and needing. Yet, how we choose to respond will likely determine whether we face a momentary distraction—or an escalating crisis. Fortunately, there are several steps and strategies we can employ to make defiance less frequent and disruptive.

Of course, our best course of action is to prevent defiance from occurring rather than responding to it after it does. Instead of waiting for students to resist us or push back, we can create conditions that make defiance less likely to occur. Here are four strategies we can tap.

An obvious first step is to build positive, powerful relationships with students. The stronger our relationships, the less likely it is for most students to push back or refuse our request or direction. Obviously, we want to have positive relationships with all students, but it is worth the investment to give extra attention and effort to building relationships with students who have a history or tendencies toward resistance, noncompliance, or outright defiance. When students know that we care about them, defiance will be a less frequent behavior choice.

Giving students choice is great, but involving students in planning, deciding, and goal setting related to learning is even more powerful. Students are less likely to resist when they play a meaningful role in creating their learning path. Defiance is often about power. When students experience power in deciding what they will do and learn, defiance becomes less useful or necessary.

We can pay attention to student needs and moods. When students are tired, stressed, hungry, depressed, or experiencing other challenges, defiance can be a “knee-jerk” reaction. Checking in with students as they enter the classroom, remaining aware of student attitudes and behaviors as the class unfolds, and observing how students are responding to requests and direction can often give us clues and help us to anticipate and avoid pushback and outbursts.

We might also make it a priority to notice and reinforce positive behavior, including small improvements and noticeable progress, especially from students who may struggle with their behavior. The focus of our attention matters. If a student can gain attention for positive behavior, unacceptable behavior becomes less necessary. If attention is what is driving the student’s defiant behavior, our attentiveness to acceptable behavior can satisfy that need.

The combined impact of these four strategies can dramatically reduce instances of defiant behavior. However, we will still occasionally encounter circumstances where defiant behavior will surface. When we find ourselves challenged with defiant behavior, there are steps we can take—and steps we can avoid.

Do:

• Stay calm.
• Listen without judgment, validate the student’s feelings, and empathize.
• Use “I” statements and avoid observations or commands that begin with “you.”
• Consider what may be the root cause of the behavior and respond accordingly.
• Meet with the student privately to avoid having them grandstand or attempt to engage the rest of the class.
• Present the student with acceptable options that sidestep the defiance.
• Give the student an opportunity to cool down by engaging in another activity, such as getting a drink of water.

Don’t:

• Take it personally or allow your ego to become involved.
• Become angry, raise your voice, or engage in threatening nonverbal behaviors.
• Enter the student’s personal space.
• Make threats that may escalate the situation, especially if you cannot follow through with what you say.
• Respond with judgments, generalizations, or accusations based on past behavior.
• Bring the rest of the class into the conflict.
• Put your relationship with the student at risk.
• Hold a grudge against, ignore, or disengage from the student following the incident.

Defiance can feel challenging and unsettling. However, we can tap strategies to prevent most defiant behavior from occurring. We also have access to responses that can lower the “emotional temperature” and help everyone to move forward.

Note: Some students who are intensively and frequently defiant may be exhibiting what is known as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Certainly, these students will also benefit from the steps and strategies discussed in this blog, but they may also require more structured and intensive assistance. Our support might require a referral to and consultation with mental health professionals to ensure that these students receive the appropriate help.

Times when we must discipline students can be among the most challenging and stressful situations we encounter. We want to avoid extended interruptions to learning, and some of us want to avoid confrontation. At the same time, though, we want other students to remain safe. And, of course, we want to avoid having emotions and behavior escalate to a level where the situation may spin out of control.  

Certainly, the emotional and psychological state of the student will play a role in how the situation will play out. However, there is much we can do to prevent escalation and respond if tensions threaten to rise. Here are six tips we can use to maintain our focus, inform our responses, and thoughtfully manage the situation. 

Start by listening. When we understand the student’s perspective, we are better able to respond effectively. At some level, the behavior makes sense to the student. Until we know why the student made the choice or choices they did, deciding how to proceed will be risky. Often, by talking through what happened, the intensity of the student’s emotions begins to dissipate, and reason begins to emerge. Once the student has explained their motivation and actions, we are in a better position to understand and ask questions that can clarify the situation and formulate our next steps.  

Avoid embarrassing or shaming the student, especially in front of others. We might be tempted to call out the behavior and student in a public way. However, this choice is filled with risk. Some students will feel humiliated and deeply resent the way they were treated; they will remember and harbor these feelings long after the incident has passed. Others will feel the need to “save face” and may push back even more vigorously, even as we attempt to deescalate and calm the situation. 

Keep your ego and emotions out of it. Many students are highly skilled at “pressing the buttons” of adults. Yet, when our ego becomes involved, we are vulnerable to losing perspective, and when we lose control of our emotions, we lose control of the situation. We are more likely to say things we will regret and open the door to accusations that we have become part of the problem we are trying to solve.  

Think teaching rather than punishing. In the heat of emotions and behaviors, we may immediately focus on the punishment that would be appropriate in response to the unacceptable behavior in which a student has engaged. However, this path risks missing an important opportunity to teach and change behavior in the future. Punishing a student may generate some feelings of satisfaction and closure, but it can sow the seeds of future misbehavior. Punishment often teaches little beyond the experience of embarrassment and temporary discomfort. Students may learn little, if anything, about how to control their emotions and manage their behavior. Our goal in response to unacceptable behavior is to teach students alternatives and strategies for remaining in control despite what happens around or to them. Of course, once emotions have calmed and the lesson has been taught, we still can assign reasonable and logical consequences. In fact, the best consequences are part of the learning we want students to gain.  

Don’t threaten consequences you cannot (or do not intend to) deliver or do not control. Many students come to us having extensive experience with empty threats. Consequently, they will have little impact on behavior, other than challenging us to see if we will follow through. Promising consequences on behalf of someone else is equally problematic. Others may see the situation differently or have ideas that may not be consistent with our preferences. As a result, a colleague or administrator may be placed in the position of having to choose between supporting our threat and using what they see as their best judgment. Meanwhile, the student is likely to miss any lesson to be learned, while also receiving confusing messages about their behavior and the situation in general.  

Reject the behavior, but value the student. Despite the unacceptability of any behavior, we need to be careful to separate the behavior from the student. Making an unwise choice or behaving in a manner to which we object does not make the student a bad person. There may be lessons they need to learn and adjustments in behavior they must make to be successful, but we need to be careful not to treat the student as being inherently bad or unworthy. We can protect our relationship with the student while disapproving of their behavior. In fact, our actions to separate the student from their behavior can be a message of hope for students who struggle to control their behavior and have few role models to emulate. Our reinforcement of their inherent value makes their struggle to learn and grow worth the effort.   

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to managing behavior. If serious disruptions continue to occur, additional steps may be necessary, such as individual counseling with the student or reaching out to your colleagues with whom the student does experience success. We know that managing disciplinary situations is an important and integral part of our professional role. These steps can help us to create a context in which the student is respected, learning occurs, appropriate consequences are dispensed, and relationships remain intact.  

The first day of a new school year offers a special opportunity to set the stage for the year, create first impressions, and begin building relationships. Careful planning and preparation can make your initial meeting with students a time of excitement, reassurance, and anticipation. As you get ready to start the new year, here are six “don’ts" and “do’s” to make the first day comfortable, engaging, and productive for all. 

Don’t: 

Assume students should know who you are and make them guess what the year will be like. 

Do: 

Allocate time to introduce yourself, and preview what their learning journey with you will be like. Consider sharing who you are, some basics about your family, when and why you decided to become a teacher, what you like about your work, and what you plan to do to make the year ahead rich and successful for your students. What you share can lessen the anxiety of students who may be fearful or uncertain. For all students, having a sense of who their teacher is and how committed that teacher is to their success can leave them eager for what lies ahead.  

Don’t:  

Delay relationship building with students. 

Do: 

Focus on getting to know your students. Listen carefully to their names, especially how they pronounce them. Learning students’ names quickly is a sign that you respect and value them. Pay particular attention to names from other cultures with which you may be unfamiliar. You might also invite students to share a nickname they prefer that you use, but be careful about assigning nicknames or using nicknames you have already heard; students may not want to be called by a nickname they have been assigned by friends or others. An initial seating chart can be helpful, even if students will be able to choose their seats once they settle in. If you assign seats alphabetically, consider doing so in reverse order, or using another strategy that avoids having students with names at the beginning of the alphabet seated closest to you and those with names at the end of the alphabet farthest away.  

Don’t: 

Assume students inherently know the value and utility of what they will be learning. 

Do: 

Find something interesting, unique, and surprising—and ideally, useful—about what you will be teaching to engage students. A list of fascinating facts, an unusual application, or an often-overlooked element within your content might be a good place to start. For example, you could share how the mathematics that students will be learning can be used to solve real-world problems, recount little-known stories about famous people who are or were voracious readers or writers, or describe how science promises to solve some of the world’s most vexing challenges. The goal is to give students a picture of how interesting and useful what they are going to learn in your class can be in their lives.   

Don’t: 

Read a list of classroom rules and expectations you have set. 

Do: 

Share with students that, throughout the first week, you and they will discuss classroom routines, norms, expectations, and rules together. Invite them to think about ideas and experiences they might share to support their learning and help them to be comfortable while in the class. Typically, the first day is better spent developing relationships and generating interest and anticipation. Also, signaling to students that they will have opportunities to provide input and participate in shaping how the class will operate demonstrates that you value them and their perspective and that you want them to feel safe and comfortable while learning.  

Don’t: 

Spend time handing out textbooks and other materials. 

Do: 

Pre-position textbooks and other standard materials on students’ desks, or have materials placed in a convenient place for students to pick them up as they enter the room. The time with students on the first day is precious. Spending time distributing textbooks and other materials that could have been organized in advance risks missing opportunities to engage students and begin building those crucial relationships.  

Don’t: 

Read aloud the class syllabus and list the exams students will take, the projects for which they will be responsible, and other requirements of the class. 

Do:  

Prioritize your time with students to maximize interest, build anticipation, and instill confidence that students will find success and usefulness in the time you will spend together. While you might provide students with a copy of the syllabus and any other information regarding how the year might unfold, save your discussion of this information for later. 

In many ways, the first day sets the tone and forms the path for the year ahead. The time spent planning, structuring, and preparing to make the first day interesting and motivating for our students is well worth the effort and can pay rewards that last well into the year.