Organization

When we talk about productive classrooms, the first key ingredient is having a well organized classroom. These are environments where all students can see and engage in the instruction without effort. Attempts should be made to limit visual and auditory distractions. Seating charts should consider who students are seated near and take into consideration the flow in, out and around the room. Studies have found benefits over seating rows with paired desks rather than tables for instruction when possible to reduce disruptive behavior and increase academic productivity. 

Pre-Correction

Pre-Correction is the next procedural strategy. Most of us have heard of the “Growth Mindset”. This is an evidence-based practice that focuses on the concept of “not yet” and gives students the internal monologue that they can keep working and trying. One way to help students succeed is to use interspersed practice where students are given problems with different degrees of difficulty distributed throughout the assessment. Procedural prompts can also be helpful; they have even more success when combined with visuals when possible. It is important for educators to review procedures on a regular basis for tasks and to remind students how they should signal for help.

Teach, Model, Cue and Reinforce

When considering classroom rules and behavior expectations, it is important to limit yourself to no more than 5. The rules should focus on being safe, respectful, and responsible in the classroom and school building. These three areas must be well defined and teachable. Rules should always be positively stated - telling students what they should do rather than should not do - and are more successful when they are memorable.

Once the rules and expectations have been determined, it is important to teach and model these expectations on an ongoing basis. Students should be cued when necessary to demonstrate appropriate behavior that relates to these expectations and should be positively reinforced when they meet the behavioral expectations.

Transitions

Throughout the school day, students come to expect numerous transitions. When these are well managed, it can lead to improved positive behavior. Like expectations, transitions must be taught and modeled for students. Students should also be given signals to prepare for transitions, proceed with the transition, and when the transition has completed. Periodic reinforcement and challenges for improvement can help to manage transitions. 

Independent Seatwork

Even in the most active classrooms, independent seatwork is still necessary at times. During these times, clear expectations should be communicated to students. Teachers should have backup or extension activities for students who finish early, which may include peer-assisted corrections. 

Teacher Proximity and Mobility

One of the most underutilized procedural strategies is proximity and mobility. Teachers who move about the classroom while providing instruction or when students are working independently see an increase in academic engagement and prevent up to 50% of negative behaviors. One of my favorite pieces of advice when I was new to teaching was to “teach like the floor is on fire” to improve behaviors in my classroom. I was surprised at how effective this simple strategy was.

Classwide Motivation System

Implementing a classwide motivation system helps to build community by allowing all students to work together to obtain a reinforcing experience. Working together helps students learn to work in groups and helps to improve social skills. There is also added motivation when students feel they are part of a team.

In the past, when we talked about reinforcement, it was common for educators to implement clip charts, sticker boards, or pocket charts that were displayed in a central location of the classroom. All students were listed on the chart, and behaviors were publicly tracked. New research has found these systems are ineffective in changing negative behaviors. By focusing on public corrections, these types of systems contribute to labeling and stigmatization. This intensifies anxious behaviors and decreases engagement. It also provides class-wide attention to the unwanted behavior, which leads to shame and embarrassment. 

Please visit our Rewards section for more effective ideas.

Effective Goal Setting

Educators who facilitate goal-setting with their students help them to overcome barriers and create a productive way to deliver feedback. When helping students set goals, be sure to establish goals that are ambitious but achievable. Be sure to deliver periodic feedback based on progress and reward students when goals are achieved.

Visual Schedule

Regardless of the grade level, visual schedules are an evidence based intervention that leads to great behavior management success. When posted daily, visual schedules help students know what to expect, when to expect it and how much time will be devoted to each activity. This helps students learn to self-manage their time and behavior. 

Cueing System/Attention Signals

Just like using effective transition procedures, cueing systems and attention signals are effective in helping students demonstrate positive behaviors. Educators should develop cueing systems to release and regain attention. The most effective of these systems avoid shouting or using flickering lights.

Opportunities to Respond

It is important for teachers to provide students with the opportunity to respond and interact with the learning content. Classrooms in which teachers provide students opportunities to respond are associated with higher student engagement. A good tip is to consider what is known as the dead man’s test - if a dead person could be just as successful as a live person in the class, then there aren’t enough opportunities for students to respond and interact.

Some easy ways to provide students the opportunity to respond include Choral Responding where students respond in unison to a teacher-posed question, a random solicitation of responses (rather than waiting for students to raise their hands), cooperative learning or peer mediated discussions, and think-turn-talk opportunities. It is important to set expectations for these response opportunities and teach students on an ongoing basis how to participate in them appropriately.