This paper examines effective behavior management strategies for K–12 teachers, organized around four core components of a successful discipline program: establishing control, creating effective discipline policies, building rapport, and determining the needs of problem students. Drawing on frameworks such as the Responsive Classroom approach and the U.S. Department of Education's School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), the paper argues that proactive, preventative strategies implemented at the start of the school year are essential to creating a classroom environment conducive to learning. The paper also addresses the role of teacher-student rapport and the importance of enlisting support staff when student misbehavior stems from circumstances outside the classroom.
Successful behavior management can be one of the greatest challenges for teachers in today's classrooms. Guardino and Fullerton (2010) cited a study in which seventy-five percent of teachers surveyed believed they could cover more content and teach more effectively if they had less disruptive behavior in their classrooms. The challenge is to implement strategies that are proactive, preventative, and relatively easy to integrate into the classroom routine.
Guerico (2011) identified four key components to an effective discipline program: establish control, create effective discipline policies, build rapport, and determine the needs of problem students. Implementation and details will vary according to grade level (e.g., primary grades versus high school) and type of classroom (e.g., regular or special education), but Guerico's components serve as a useful framework for any teacher.
A teacher establishes control in the first few weeks of the school year by clearly communicating expectations and consistently enforcing the rules. New teachers sometimes make the mistake of thinking that students need time to settle in to school and that discipline can wait. Unfortunately, bad habits, once established, can be very difficult to correct.
The Northeast Foundation for Children has built a comprehensive program, Responsive Classroom, to help elementary school teachers establish a classroom environment conducive to learning. One of the program's most popular titles is The First Six Weeks of School, which provides day-by-day, research-based activities for building the classroom community, establishing structure, and making expectations clear. Authors Denton and Kriete (2000) argue that students must function independently in the classroom "without constant adult control or direct supervision" (p. 3). To be able to do this, students must have clear guidelines that must be established before any academic work can be accomplished.
Teachers should not assume students know how to function in a classroom. The time spent establishing structure and teaching the rules at the beginning of the year is time well spent, with dividends paid throughout the rest of the school year. Guerico (2011) reminds teachers to model appropriate behavior, such as being calm, organized, and polite. Appropriate behavior establishes the correct classroom tone and helps the teacher establish control.
As with establishing control, effective discipline policies begin on the first day of the school year or semester. School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), developed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Education, is a "decision-making framework that guides selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavior outcomes for all students" (PBIS.org). There are different frameworks for students in primary grades, upper elementary, middle school, and high school; a detailed discussion of each framework is beyond the scope of this paper.
However, the overarching idea — no matter what grade level students are in — is to reinforce positive behavior rather than focus on punishment for bad behavior. The three-tiered program provides a framework for all students, called primary prevention, as well as secondary prevention for specialized groups and students with at-risk behavior, and tertiary prevention that is specialized, individualized, and designed for high-risk students. Whereas Guerico (2011) identifies specific behaviors that will not be tolerated, PBIS frames behavioral expectations in a positive way. For example, a teacher would tell a class of first graders to "Please keep your hands and feet to yourself" instead of "Don't hit or kick." It is a distinction that seems simple but has been proven effective.
While it is essential to establish clear teacher-student boundaries, it is important for teachers to build rapport with their students. Guerico (2011) writes that teachers can be friendly without being a friend. Students do not automatically obey an authority figure, but will do so if they respect their teacher. Again, a calm demeanor and clear expectations are important to establishing a climate of respect. Guerico further suggests that teachers let students see them as human beings by placing a few personal items in the classroom — such as pictures of family or pets, or banners of favorite sports teams. Likewise, teachers should find out about students' interests and, when possible, attend school events such as plays or games.
Frisby and Martin (2010) found that teacher-student rapport was a predictor of classroom performance, even more so than peer-to-peer rapport: "Only instructor rapport consistently predicted participation, affective learning, and cognitive learning." As with establishing structure and behavior expectations, it is clear that time is well spent developing rapport with students at the outset of the school year or term.
"Addressing outside stressors behind misbehavior"
Clement (2010) points out that teachers have not always had effective training in classroom management techniques. In her teacher training program, she was told, "If you write a good enough lesson plan, you won't have discipline problems." Experienced teachers know it is not that simple. An effective classroom management plan must be thoughtfully designed before any lesson plans are written. Teachers must establish structure, expectations, and rapport with students before learning can take place.
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