Teachers' Best Discipline Tips

By Toni Schutta, Parent Coach and President of Families First Coaching

How is it that teachers manage the behavior of 25-30 kids every day while we struggle with just two or three kids at home? This month, I've sought the counsel of teachers on the front line and asked them to share their favorite behavior management tips.  Perhap some of the methods they use in their classroom can be adapted by us moms at home?

I Dare You!

"I work with teenagers and they need to know what the limit is and what the consequence will be if they overstep the boundary. I have a phone in my classroom and if a kid is being jerky, I'll look him in the eye and in a firm voice I'll say "I dare you to do this again and you can call your parents and tell them what you've just done..." I've taught school for many years and I've only had to call a parent once.  I've raised three teenagers (Editor's note: VERY successfully!) and I used the "I dare you" phrase at home with a lot of success, too."

Discipline in Private

"I have a practice of praising kids in front of others, but if I have some criticism to make, I'll do that privately with the student outside the classroom.  When I talk with them I'll ask them "What seems to be the problem and how can we help each other? We have to work this out together. I talk with them about the potential that I see in them, what I see them doing well and end with something positive that I like about them."

Nancy Veenis, Centennial High School

Catch Them Being Good!

"I look for someone in the classroom who's doing what I want them to be doing, like getting their math out.  Then I'll say "A super big thanks to Mykala for getting her math book out." 

Use Rewards

I also reward the first table of students who accomplishes what I've asked. If they are the first table done, I'll put a bead in a bowl.  The table that accumulates the most beads at the end of the week, gets to pick a prize."

Sue Navratil, Rice Lake Elementary School

Develop Rules Together

"In the fall to get kids hooked in, I have a talk with them about what I expect behavior-wise. I have them be a part of the discussion so they take more ownership and feel empowered setting the rules. We construct a short list of just 4-5 rules that they'll remember.  For instance, one of the rules is to keep their hands and feet to themself. I then direct the kids to consequences that I can support if they break the rules.  We post the rules and I have the kids dip their hands in paint and sign the sheet stating that they'll abide by the rules of our classroom."

Be Proactive

"I believe that you have to have proactive and reactive support set up.  What I mean by "proactive" is that a child needs to know who to behave when I'm not around.  For instance, I teach them how to settle a disagreement that may erupt on the playground so they'll have the confidence to know how to handle it on their own. Other times, I do need to intervene but I try to anticipate problems and respond with reactive support."

Allison Callahan, Rice Lake Elementary School

Use Anticipation

"I try to think through all of the possibilities of how the children will respond when I give an assignment. I anticipate questions that they'll have and what they'll need so that I give them clear instructions up front. Anticipation is a big thing that teachers do to try to ward off problems and be proactive rather than reactive."

Margot Brooks, Turtle Lake Elementary School

Pick Your Battles!

"Every child is different and a battle that I might choose to fight with one child is not necessarily one that I'll fight with another."

Patty Nelson, Rice Lake Elementary School