Works4Me Tips - Ideas That Work

Discipline and Classroom Management

Here are six Works4me tips on discipline and classroom management -- a sampling of the kinds of useful suggestions you'll find in the Works4me Tips Library.

Works4Me is a vehicle for educators to share ideas with other educators. Sign up for the free weekly e-newsletter by sending an e-mail to join-works4me@list.nea.org (no subject or message needed).

The following tips were selected from educators' ideas on noise control, staying on task, transforming behavior, tracking behavior, discipline referrals, and safety issues:

• Appropriate Talking Times
  
• Safekeeping Box
  
• Reading to Students
  
• Behavioral Seating Chart
  
• Non-Embarrassing Discipline
  
• ID Badges

Appropriate Talking Times
From Wendy Duvall, an eighth grade American History teacher at Coopertown Elementary School in Springfield, Tennessee:

"Students love to have time to talk and to share gossip. In order to keep them from doing it during instruction, I apply 'My Time.' During 'My Time,' they must pay attention. They can not talk nor disturb others who are trying to learn and to pay attention. At the end of class, 'Their Time' is the last five minutes. The students want to have a few minutes to talk and to share amongst themselves."

Safekeeping Box
From Heather Greenwood, a Youth Behavior Specialist for grades K-5 at Sugar Grove Elementary School in Houston, Texas:

"Sometimes children bring things from home to play with, which makes it harder for them to pay attention. I decided to resolve this problem by creating a Safekeeping Box. I found a medium-sized box with a lid, decorated it, and put a label on the box that said 'Items in Safekeeping, To Be Returned Later.' When I see children playing with something that is distracting them, I ask them to put it in the Safekeeping Box and let them know that they can retrieve their item at the end of the day. This validates their important personal treasures and assures them they will be returned. Additionally, it cuts down on the distractions in the classroom, as the students learn quickly to avoid having things put into the box."

Reading to Students
From Debbie Blanchard, a middle school social studies teacher at New Horizons Learning Center (a public school serving severely emotionally disturbed kids) in Panama City, Florida:

"Any down-time in my classroom generally turns into chaos. I have solved this problem by reading to the kids each day when the lesson is completed. This also gives me the option of always having something in the bag when unexpected down-time occurs. The kids absolutely love to be read to! These big old 8th grade boys will gather around and sit at my feet while I read. While I am reading, the kids can draw, sit on the floor, put their head down, etc. This is the calmest time each period in my class. Besides the obvious of sneaking in concepts and historical information, the kids are exposed to literature they would never read themselves. It opens up topics for discussion, promotes listening comprehension, and is a way of modeling a love of reading."

Behavioral Seating Chart
From Melanie McCarty, a sixth grade science teacher at Elwood Community Middle School in Elwood, Indiana:

"I have trouble remembering the behavioral history of kids in my class. I recognize the escalation or improvement of problems but it s hard for me to remember specific dates and incidents. I make my seating chart so that the box with the student's name in it is large. When a student has a problem, I write the date, code number for the rule, and if necessary, a note about what happened. I use a new copy of my seating chart each week. It looks very professional to be able to recite exact dates of incidents when parents ask."

Non-Embarrassing Discipline
From Billy Harris, a middle school teacher:

"I have discovered ways of enforcing discipline without disrupting the class or embarrassing the student. First I give a look, move towards, or deliver a note the student. If that does not work, I fill out a referral and leave the name blank. I tape it to the wall and tell the class if there's anyone who just cannot help but talk, that person should come forward, put their name on the referral and talk with the assistant principal. This usually does the trick."

ID Badges
From Julia Todd, a teacher at Raymore-Peculiar High School in Peculiar, Missouri:

"In our school we have started with ID badges. We purchased a computer program, camera and special printer with grant money. We started with teachers and administrators wearing badges. In a high school of 1100, sometimes students don't know who the teachers are. Since we've been wearing our badges, parents feel more comfortable coming up to a teacher and asking questions because they know we belong in the building. We have also made badges for students who are teacher aides, cadet teachers and tutors. These students go into the elementary buildings and are easily recognized by their badge. All students will have badges in a couple of months, but it takes time to photograph and print all students. There is an advantage to having the student ID, also. Local movie theaters give a 50 percent discount with the ID. This has motivated students to ask for their ID. The IDs were designed by students and the student body voted on their favorite design. This gave the students some ownership of the ID badges."

Visit the Tips Library to view more than 400 archived tips.