Managing Behavior Problems in the Classroom

Back when I was teaching in the tertiary level, I encountered two major types of behavior problems: inappropriate classroom behavior and poor study skills. I think that all students go through behavioral problems. It's a part of one's growth.

I do think that some kids have more serious behavioral problems than others. That's what makes kids with special needs different from the typical ones.

Through the years, I have learned to use varied strategies in managing behavior problems in the classroom. Let me share the following:

1. Establish behavioral expectations and communicate them to students.

- establish classroom rules and procedures at the start of the year

- introduce rules and procedures on the first day of the class

- explain rules and procedures clearly and teach them deliberately to students as part of a system for classroom operation

- make rules and procedures concrete, functional, and explicit so that they contribute to the accomplishment of work and the order of the classroom

- associate rules and procedures with clear signals that indicate when students are to carry out or stop specific behaviors or activities

- demonstrate or model rules and procedures and then allow students to rehearse them

- design rules and procedures to anticipate possible classroom interruptions or problems and to manage these situations

- monitor closely how well students follow rules and procedures

2. Prevent inappropriate conduct by monitoring behavior and providing feedback.

- identify potentially disruptive behaviors at an early stage

- develop a repertoire of quick, low-intensity gestures and verbalizations that signify that a student is not following the accepted guidelines

- establish physical proximity to the disruptive student and orient yourself toward the student

- promptly respond to inappropriate student behavior

- with negative attention, use a facial expression and tone of voice that is consistent with disapproval

- after negative attention, provide immediate reinforcement and attention when the student displays the appropriate behavior

- if necessary, use prompting to elicit the desired behavior, and then reinforce the student immediately

3. Reinforce appropriate behavior.

When appropriate behaviors occur, they should be rewarded.

4. Provide reinforcers that are valued by students.

- social reinforcers

- activity reinforcers

- tangible reinforcers

- edible reinforcers

- negative reinforcers

5. Use token economies to deliver reinforcers

In a token economy, students are presented with tokens rather than reinforcers after the occurrence of a desired behavior. Students collect the tokens and later trade them for backup reinforcers.

6. With older students, use contingency contracts.

Contingency contracts are written agreements between the student and teacher that indicate what the student must do to earn a specific reward.

7. Teach behaviors by shaping.

Shaping involves the reinforcements of successive approximations or small, progressive steps toward the desired behavior. It is used to teach new behaviors or increase the occurrence of behaviors exhibited infrequently.

8. Use modeling to improve student behavior.

Modeling involves the reinforcement of another individual, the model, for exhibiting the desired behavior in the presence of the target student.

9. Consider involving peers in behavioral programs.

Group contingencies involve establishing a criterion level for the entire group, and the distribution of reinforcement to individual class members is based on the performance of the entire group.

Team-based contingencies involve grouping students into teams that compete against each other.

10. Involve students in managing their own behavior.

- participating in setting goals

- self-monitoring

- assisting in the intervention itself by evaluating their own performance and rewarding themselves for appropriate behavior

11. Involve parents in behavior management programs.

Indeed, a teacher must be able to provide students needed attention and touched on the students' interests. If students feel they are well taken care of, and, busy with their interests, kids will be able to behave properly.