Correcting Behavioral Problems and Providing Feedback

The most important method of avoiding behavioral problems in the classroom is simple; prevention. However, all teachers are eventually going to have a behavior problem at some point in their classroom. By applying behavior management strategies before the behavior gets out of control, the teacher can continue with the lesson and keep the attention of the class.

If a student is being disruptive or causing a problem during class, the first thing a teacher can do is to use non-verbal cues. An example of a non-verbal cue is making eye contact with the student and then giving them a head shake or a hand signal in order to cease the behavior. This method often works on the first try and does not interrupt the progression of the lesson (Evertson, Emmer, & Worsham, 2003, p. 177).

Unfortunately, non-verbal cues may not be enough to quell the problem behavior. In this case the teacher can use proximity to encourage the student to get on task and stop negative behavior. Proximity simply means that the teacher should move towards the student. This lets the student know that you are aware of their continuing misbehavior and will not tolerate its continuation. If the behavior continues, it may be useful to call on the student for the next answer. This will almost certainly gain their attention and force them to remain on task. The student will want to remain on their toes in case the teacher calls on them again and so they will change their behavior to reflect that (Borich, 2000, p. 384).

Some other methods of behavior management include redirection, brief desists, and positive reinforcement. Redirection consists of reminding students of the behavior that is expected of them at that time. For example, if a few students are not on task, the teacher could simple say "You should be writing in your journals at this time". This will be ignored by the students who are already on task and will redirect the students who are not on task toward their journal.