Behavior Management Tips

In Front of the Class

by Linda Starr, Education World®

Round 'Em Up

First you have to get them there. Discourage absenteeism by randomly choosing one student's desk or chair each day and placing a sticker beneath it. The student who arrives to find the sticker under his or her seat gets to choose a small prize. If the student is absent, of course, the prize is forfeited.

I Spy

Create character "tickets" by writing the words I Spy, along with a list of positive character traits, on slips of paper. When you see a student demonstrating one of those traits, circle the trait and write the student's name on the paper. At the end of each month, count the papers and name the student with the most tickets "student of the month." Display his or her picture on a classroom bulletin board, and at the end of the year, reward all students of the month with a pizza party or another special treat.

Encouraging Reflection

Looking for ways to help students reflect on disruptive behavior and learn to correct it? Let them write about their actions on contracts, questionnaires, and in journals, and then review the documents with them. A student who writes up himself or herself can identify the behavior and its cause, explain why the behavior is a problem, and propose a way to correct the situation. It also allows the student to express his or her viewpoint about the incident.

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