Discipline

Click on the appropriate grade level to find classroom management strategies for children across the grade levels. 

Please keep in mind that you might consider interventions at lower grade levels for lower functioning individuals.

Click on the "Submit Your Ideas" icon to share your own successful strategies.

Submitted by: Leah 
Category: Discipline 
Age or Grade: Preschool 

Title of Intervention: Discouraging Biting Behavior 

Materials: none 

Intervention: If a child bites another child: 1. Remove the child from the area, especially if the child is out of control. 2. Looking directly into the child's eyes, say firmly and briefly, "No biting. It hurts when you bite." 3. Console the child who is bitten but do not make a big deal of the injury.  If the bite has broken the skin, administer a topical medication and consult a doctor for further instructions.  You may want to have the child who did the biting help wash, bandage, and comfort the other child. 4. Bring the child back to the group. 5. Encourage the child to apologize. 6. Watch for further incidents. 

Reference: A time for good behavior: Suggestions for Managing your child's behavior.  Area Education Agency 4. Sioux Center, IA 

Submitted by: Karla 
Category: Discipline 
Age or Grade: Kindergarten-Grade 2 

Title of Intervention: Motivators for young children 

Interventions: The following is a list of motivators to reinforce appropriate behavior. 

Intervention  1.  Colorful Kite - Draw a kite. Students earn tails for their kite.  Attach the tails to the string of the paper kite. 
Intervention  2.  Fill the Flower Box  - Have a flower pot with the words " Beautiful behavior in Bloom".  Students earn  paper flowers to put in the classroom garden. 
Intervention  3.  Happygrams - Hand these out to students who follow the class rules. 
Intervention  4.  Secret Three - Tell students what you will select three people from the class to watch for " good" behavior.  At the end of the week reward one of the Secret Three for the best behavior. 
Intervention   5.  Marbles in a Jar - Tell the class that each time they follow the rules, you will drop a marble in the jar.  Have the class decide on a reward before the jar is full. 

Reference: Canter, Positive Reinforcement Activities, Lee Canter & Associates, Inc.

Submitted by: Leah
Category: Discipline
Age or Grade: Kindergarten-Grade 2

Title of Intervention: Yakker/Gabber

Materials: none

Intervention: 1. Give the yakkers verbal jobs in the classroom.  Let them know you see that they have a gift and you have faith that they will use it constructively.  It could be their job to introduce new students, make announcements, and to draw out students who don't talk very often.
2. Set up a signal with the student.  You might agree to pull on your ear or put your hand on your heart when they are talking so much that it is interfering with the needs of the situation.  This is effective only if the student agrees in advance that a signal will be helpful to them.
3. If you notice the student talking at an inappropriate time, wait and watch before jumping in.  Students will often stop yakking when they notice you waiting patiently.  It is even more effective if you explain to the class in advance that you intend to stop lessons until all students' attention is focused.
4. In a class meeting, set up a roleplay to show what happens when someone is talking continually during classtime.  This could be followed by brainstorming for suggestions to solve the problem.

Link Address: www.positivediscipline.com/questions/quest068.html

Link Description: Disciplining 1st and 2nd graders in School

Submitted by: Troy 

Title of Intervention: Decreasing undesirable behaviors with time-out 

Intervention: A variety of forms of time-out are used when students engage in inappropriate behaviors. The premise is that most students are reinforced for engaging in these behaviors.  Is is assumed that if the reinforcement is removed, the behavior will decrease. The following time-out strategies range from least to most aversive: 

#1 Time-out at a desk: the students remains at the desk and is not involved in class activities during the time-out period. Effectiveness here is dependent upon the other students' withholding reinforcement. This intervention should be used only if the target behavior is maintained by student attention. 

#2 In-class time-out area: this involves placing the student in a separate area within the classroom in which the student may or may not be allowed to observe the learning activities of the other students in the classroom 

#3 Out-of-class time-out: here the student is physically removed from the classroom and taken to another room. This form of time out is to be used when the teacher cannot control the reinforcement that the stduent is receiving in the original setting. 

#4 Time-out room: the student is removed  from the classroom to a room in the building designated as the time out room. This is the most aversive form of time out and guidelines should be recommended to address the amount of time children and youth can be in this time out room. 

#5 Time out procedures have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing undesirable behaviors. Guidelines have be set forth to monitor the use of time-out in school settings: 
     -Time out should begin with least aversive or milder levels. 
     -Time out procedures should be clearly documented in terms of their      effectiveness. 
     -A list of behaviors must be developed that can or would result in time out. 
     -Written procedures msut be developed clearly outlining the manner in which stduents will be placed in time out. 

Zirpoli, T. J. & Melloy, K. J. (1997). Behavior Management: Applications for Teachers and Parents. New Jersey: Prentice Hall 

Submitted by: Jayne 
Category: Classroom Management 
Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: Students talks back to the teacher 

Materials: none 

Intervention: Causes: Children sometimes fall into a pattern of arguing with the teacher. It can simply be a habit that has developed in the past. The behavior often gets started when the child finds he can get his own way by arguing. 
Some children have found they don't get as much adult attention as they would like. However, they may have learned that a good argument can result in interactions that last for a long period of time. 
1. Identify what consitutes arguing. Consider what constitutes an argumenative response so you can communicate the informaiton to your student. 
You should also identify various situations and responses that would be acceptable. 
In delineating appropriate and inappropriate responses, you may be able to use many of your studen's own responses to demonstrate argumentative statements. You may have to provide your own more acceptable responses. 
2. Decide on a consequence for arguing. 
3. Decide on how to give the student positive feedback when the student responds in an acceptable way. 
4. Explain the plan to the student. Talk to the student within a neutral environment-not a t a time when you are upset with the student. Explain to the student Exactly what you mean by arguing. Go over the types of comments and questions that you do not consider arguing. Give the student sesveral different situations and help him or her determine which are the appropriate responses. Make your talk very positive. Don't dwell on the problem. Your major focus should be on how dertain you are that the student will be able ot improve his or her behavior. 

Reference: Sprick,Randall. The Solution Book. Science Research Associates, Inc. 1981.

Submitted by: Leah
Category: Discipline
Age or Grade: Grade 4

Title of Intervention: Discipline cards

Materials: red, yellow, and green cards (one of each color per student), chart on wall with list of class names

Intervention: If a student becomes disruptive they are asked to pull their green card off the chart, leaving the yellow card exposed.  If the yellow card must be pulled, leaving the red card exposed, the student gets a five minute time out.  If the red card must be pulled, the students gets a ten minute time out.  If the behavior continues, the student is sent to the school reflection room to talk to an education assistant and complete reflection sheet before returning to class.

Link Address: www.nea.org/helpfrom/growing/works4me/manage/behavior.html

Link Description: Works4me Tips Library

Submitted by: Eva 
Category: Discipline 
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: Accentuate the positive 

Intervention: Schools have been criticized for being too "unpleasant" and teachers for being far too negative toward students.  To change this image, the teacher must praise students, even if it is for the most inconsequential matter.  Admittedly, it may be very difficult to be supportive of a student who continually disrupts the classroom, but it has abeen frequently demonstrated that simply admonishing a student will not reduce the inappropriate behavior.  Praising some positive aspect of the student's behavior is more likely to bring about change.  How does the teacher use different forms of praise or social reinforcement?  There are verbal, nonverbal, and tactile reinforcers. For example, there are positive verbal praise terms such as:  fantastic, great, keep it up, nice work, super, wow, etc.  Nonverbal praise can be provided by the following actions:  looking with interest, nodding approval, smiling, winking, thumbs-up signal, etc. 

Reference: Orlich, D. et al.  (1994).  Teaching Strategies:  a Guide to Better Instruction.  D.C.Heath & Co. 

Submitted by: Eva 
Category: Discipline 
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: Identify productive behavior 

Intervention: Praise is a reinforcement for the student to whom it is directed.  You are providing them an explicit model of what is expected.  To be sure, public praise can be embarrassing as well as reinforcing; therefore, you must learn what technique works best for each student. 

Reference: Orlich, D.  (1994).  Teaching Strategies:  a Guide to Better Instruction.  D.C.Heath & Co. 

Submitted by: Eva 
Category: Discipline 
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: Be consistent 

Intervention: As you begin to use some form of behavior modification on an individual basis in the classroom or at home, modify your behaviors so as to keep them consistent and predictable.  If you remain consistent in your responses to student stimuli, then you can better predict the reactions of the student. 

Reference: Orlich, D.  (1994).  Teaching Strategies:  a Guide to Better Instruction.  D.C.Heath & Co.. 

Submitted by: Eva 
Category: Discipline 
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: Start Small 

Intervention: In most cases, students view major changes in behavior as being unachievable.  If a student hands in about 25% of the required homework, there is little chance that reinforcement will result  in 100% production of the work right away.  Given this situation, establish a definite contingency schedule and make a behavior contract with the student.  The student may complete two of five assignments in the first week.  If so, move up the requirement to three of five assignments for the next week.  In terms of successive approximations to the desired behavior, it is important to remember that the student probably did not reach the present level of academic deficiency in just one giant step.  Therefore, do not expect to remedy the problem in one great leap.  Follow small initial steps by increasing the quantity or the quality until the student reaches the criterion measure agreed on.  This requires you to be patient and to give constant positive feedback to the student. 

Reference: Orlich, D.  (1994).  Teaching Strategies: a Guide to Better Instruction.  D.C. Heath & Co. 

Title of Intervention: Time-out Rooms 

Materials: None 

Intervention: The use of a room or area in the classroom where a disruptive student can be sent has proved to be an essential management technique. The real value of a time-out area for the student is that it allows them to calm down, focus, and to clarify the issues that caused removal from the class. 

1. Describe to the class early in the year the location and purpose of the time-out area, and those disruptive behaviors that will result in a student being asked to go to the area. 
2. Emphasize repetedly during the school year that being sent to the time-out area is not punishment, but an opportunity for a student to be by him/herself and to calm down.. 
3. Only send students to the time-out area for short periods of time. 

Reference: Maurer, R. E. (1985). Elementary discipline handbook: Solutions for the K-8 teacher. New York:The Center for Applied Research in Education, Inc. 

Submitted by: Stephanie 
Category: Discipline 
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: How to handle a classroom group confrontation 

Materials: none 

Intervention: 1. Ask the two students to sit back-to-back in the middle of the room. As a teacher, your task is to act as a facilitator. You announce that there are three rules: (1) one person talks at a time, (2) no fighting, and (3) a compromise must be reached. 
2. Ask one of the students to describe what happened. No one else can talk. Then ask the other studetn to describe what occurred. Usually a debate ensues as to who was at fault. 
3. Allow the debate to proceed for a period of time and then ask if the students could reach some sort of compromise to solve the problem. 
4. If the students cannot negotiate, then ask the other students in the class who have been watching to provide some ideas for settlement. 
5. Usually the pressure to get out of the middle of the circle and the pressure from fellow classmates to settle the disagreement will result in a compromise before too long. 

Reference: Maurer, R. E. (1985). Elementary discipline handbook: Solutions for the K-8 teacher. New York:The Center for Applied Research in Education, Inc. 

Submitted by: Stephanie 
Category: Other 
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: How to handle pupils who refuse to do any work 

Materials: none 

Intervention: 1. Focus on the situations where the pupil shows an interest. Praise him/her for the work he/she does in a favorite subject. 
2. Ignore in a very matter-of-fact way any confrontations with the pupil. The negativistic child has discovered that negativism very often is a sure way to gain attention. 
3. Reduce your criteria for the correctness of task while you're working with his/her refusal to do work. Settle for small gains. 
4. Such pupils are supersensitive to any percieved unfairness by the teacher. Class discussions of fairness cna help reduce angry, hostile feelings. 
5. Give your pupils a feeling of success through assignments of reasonable tasks and your personal encouragement. Show that you appreciate their efforts and abilities. 

Reference: Chernow, F. B. & Chernow, C. (1981). Classroom Discipline and control: 101 practical techniques. New York: Parker Publishing Company, Inc. 

Submitted by: Stephanie 
Category: Discipline 
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: Five Stages to Complete a Successful Contract 

Materials: none 

Intervention: 1. Select an observable behavior that can be changed. Label this behavior in concrete terms. 
2. Observe the behavior to establish a baseline or a recording of how often it happens. 
3. Negotiate with the student about the observed behavior, the reason for change, and the rewards to be obtained. 
4. Establish a contract, either written or verbal, that both can agree on. It is best to be as specific as possible in the language of the contract. 
5. Always determine a date to rewrite or renegotiate the contract. You may need to tighten it up or even relx it, depending on the student's progress. The date also tells the student that there is an end to this process and therefore makes the change less insurmountable. 

Reference: Maurer, R. E. (1985). Elementary discipline handbook: Solutions for the K-8 teacher. New York:The Center for Applied Research in Education, Inc. 

Submitted by: Stephanie 
Category: Discipline 
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: Peer Mediation 

Materials: none 

Intervention: Peer mediation starts with the recruitment of students who are willing to be trained as peer mediatiors. The following steps can be followed during the dispute resolution: 
1. All parties are asked by the peer mediator to make a pledge that they will listen to the other person's point of view and honestly try to solve their dispute without name calling or other put-downs. 
2. The peer mediator helps the conflicting parties define the problem, what happened, and how they felt. 
3. The mediator repeats what was said in order to ensure that everyone understands what was said and how everyone feels. 
4. The mediator asks both parties to brainstorm solutions to their conflict that would be fair to both sides. 
5. The agreement to the conflict is developed into a written contract and signed by all parties to the conflict. 
 

Reference: Zirpoli, T. J. & Melloy, K. J. (1997). Behavior Management: Applications for Teachers and Parents. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Submitted by: Jayne 
Category: Discipline 
Age or Grade: Grade 9-Grade 12 

Title of Intervention: Apply Consequences with Adolescents 

Interventions: 

Intervention 1. 
Effective techniques with secondary students include token economies, contingency contracting, verbal feedback, mutual goal setting, and self-control training. It is also important to involve adolescents in curriculum and management decisions. 
Intervention 2. 
Stress the neatural consequences of behavior. For example the natural consequence for stealing is arrest, for being tardy is detention, and so on. Thus, if a rule is broken, the stated consequence is applied. This helps reduce power struggles between the student and teacher because the student is likely to view the teacher as a person who follows rules rather than as an authority figure who maliciously applies punishment. 
Intervention 3. 
Use conditioned reinforcers (such as points) with adolescents. They are administered easily or withheld with a minimun of teacher verbalization. 
Intervention 4. 
 Consider using peer interaactions as reinvorcers for adolescents. 
Intervention 5. 
Develop a continuum of consequences for managing inappropriate behaviors. Public reprimands should be avoided because they increase the probability of further conflict. Use little verbal interaction and eye contact when administering a negative consequence. Response cost is a good beginning step in dealing with inappropriaate behavior. Time out is another effective consequence with adolescents. 

Reference: Mercer, Mercer. Teaching Students with Learning Problems, 5th edition. Prentice Hall, Inc. 1998.