Classroom management: classroom discipline

By Margot McCamley

How do we get students to behave in class? Usually not by telling them to behave, but using
behaviour patterns that ensure they behave.

Let me explain. I teach 18 students aged from 11-15 in the one class, some at varying levels of
language ability to others. This means there is not only a sociological divide but also a language
level divide. So how do I get my students to behave? I use these strategies and they are ones that
all teachers need to try at least once in their classroom to see which ones work for them.

First ask yourself some questions:

 Have you set a code of behaviour in the classroom?

This should be set with the students, where possible so they know the consequences of their
behaviour should it not be socially acceptable to the rest of the group or to you. I always have
this code of behaviour on the board or on the wall on a big sheet of paper. Five or six key points
are sufficient, e.g. I will work hard to learn the language. I sometimes just have to point to it to
remind students of their decision, and this brings the student back on line... Also the teacher
needs to add his/her code of behaviour too, what the teacher will do for the students, e.g. be
patient, never yell, I will work hard to help you learn the language...etc.

 Are the students really understanding you or are they missing most of what you are
saying?

Very often bad behaviour patterns are because students do not understand what is being taught to
them, and they find no purpose for the noise coming from the teacher. There is one way to
demotivate students and that is for them to not understand what is really going on. Here is a clue
to bad behaviour - 75% of bad behaviour is accredited to academic failure - in other words, they
have missed vital clues in the learning [Link] sure your students are having fun. This does
not mean games where students are over active. Fast moving games are not necessarily the
answer to discipline. In fact they often exacerbate the problem.

 What type of troublemaker are they?

Attention Seekers - do they show off to get the rest of the class laughing?

STRATEGY: Ignore minor behaviours but set a limit on what you call a minor infringement. Be
FIRM and CONSISTENT; when behaviour is good, give attention to that behaviour - e.g. good,
well done.

Power seekers - do they want to put one over you all the time?

STRATEGY: Don't argue or fight with the student; remain fair and firm about the behaviour; as
'the One-Minute Manager' said, catch them out doing something good.
Revenge seekers - act defiant, e.g. a student who won't move to another section of the class
when you think his or her behaviour is not acceptable.

STRATEGY: Most of all, don't act hurt - students see that as a weakness because they have had
a reaction; convince the student that he or she is liked - find the student doing something good
and smile at and commend that good behaviour.

Withdrawn or depressed - gives up easily and then sits in silence.

STRATEGY: Ignore failures, but counsel regularly. When counselling, always, but always give
good news first - e.g. I like what you did here, then counsel with the bad behaviour. Lastly, finish
with some good news - how the behaviour can be addressed and then arrive at a solution.

Most of all be FAIR and CONSISTENT.

Now some tips for the Teacher:

 Change students around

I have my bad behavers sit in the front of the class. This way I can move towards them more
easily, maybe touch them lightly on the shoulder if they are getting out of hand and pause near
them. Make eye contact as you leave.

 Use soft reprimands - Like the One-Minute Manager

Find time to praise the good work the student does. If the bad behaviour is minor - ignore
whereever possible. Don't yell. Remain silent until the group settles down. If you have some
students’ on-side, those who do know what is going on, they will settle the rest of the group
down. Let them be the ones to say 'shush'. Sometimes I simply clap hands a couple of times and
the group comes back on line. Then I speak softly, not with a loud voice. This has a calming
effect on the whole class.

 Encourage even your worst student

When they are behaving well, catch them doing that. 'Well done'. 'Good work'. It is amazing how
soon you get them on-side if they think you are finding them out doing good work. Counsel
when you can and don’t make it always a bad behavioural thing. I often speak to a student after
class and say how well I think they are doing, sometimes in front of their friends, because it
motivates the rest of the group too.

 Never ball out a student out in class

Just at a convenient time, as you are passing the student say you want to see that student after
class - quietly. It is amazing how the behaviour changes from that moment on. At the meeting,
find out the cause of the behaviour. Explain that it is not helping the student to behave in this
way, and explain the consequences of the behaviour - there is a written code which all the
students agreed to at the beginning of the course - it should be ever present. And there should be
a code of behaviour which the school has decided on - that persistent behaviour eventually
means expulsion.
  Don't allow yelling at the teacher in class when the student knows something

Miss, Miss, Miss or Sir, Sir, Sir...and standing up and coming to the teacher all the time is
another disruptive behaviour. It can be VERY noisy if all the students know the answer and they
are yelling at you and you don't want a rush of students coming to you to show you their work.

They soon learn the discipline of putting their hand up when a response is needed or that you will
look at their work at an appropriate time. This makes for a more productive classroom, and
students feel great when they are chosen to answer and you feel better because you don't have a
headache from the noise.

 Move around in the proximity of the student when the behaviour is persistent

Not in a disciplinary way, rather in the guise of helping them with the problem they have. Maybe
they don't understand. Move towards them, see if you can help them, then when you have calmed
the student, walk away with a smile and a well done.

A final message:

 Be INSISTENT
 Be CONSISTENT
 Be PERSISTENT
 But most of all be FAIR

Keeping Discipline in the Classroom

Magdalena Sulich (Poland)

In the past, keeping discipline in the classroom was as important as teaching. Teachers were
allowed to use corporal punishment, and some used it often. Of course, students didn’t like it
very much! British and American research done before 1960 shows that children don’t like
teachers who (among other things) are sarcastic and dominating, show favouritism, and punish
students to keep discipline (Janowski 1995). However, that same research shows that teachers
should not only be nice, patient, honest, and friendly but should also be able to keep order in
class.

One of the main problems for every teacher, especially those just starting their careers, is being
able to keep peace and order in class. We all have heard of well-meaning new teachers who
wanted to be very friendly with their students but encountered chaos when students paid no
attention to them. When this problem occurs, the teacher ends up wasting class time silencing
students and calling for order, and sometimes doesn’t realize what went wrong. Only afterward
will that teacher realise he or she should have started by being strict with clearly defined rules
and then later could have given students more independence.

For me and my colleagues, discipline in the classroom is very important. We all know that there
is no single ideal way to address the issue, so I decided to collect and summarise information on
the subject. In this article, I will try to define discipline, then give some reasons why it is often
difficult to keep discipline, and finally discuss some ideas for improving a bad situation in class.
Defining discipline
The word discipline is understood today to mean conforming to rules, to supervisors’ orders, and
to demands of the community or an institution. Even its derivation is inseparably connected with
education; it comes from the Latin word discipulus, which means student. Latin disciplina refers
to the way of treating students.

For the needs of pedagogy, Oko (1975, 296–97) speaks of “conscious discipline,” that is,
obedience to rules and values that are un-questionably recognised by an individual or by society:
“At school, conscious discipline occurs where there aren’t any big discrepancies between the
systems of values represented by teachers and students.” He goes on to say that the basis for
introducing conscious discipline at school in the educational process is in treating children and
youth as partners who are shown respect by others but also are given appropriate responsibilities.

Many of the assumptions accepted by teachers, including those about discipline, have not been
confirmed in the actual classroom. We can still hear from some teachers that students learn only
when they are quiet, silence being regarded as a sign of intensive learning. This is connected to
another belief that the only one who can and should teach is the teacher. Problems with
discipline in the classroom usually start from this type of belief by the teacher. Teachers usually
begin to have problems with discipline when they can’t motivate students or keep their
concentration and attention, or when they don’t understand students’ reasons for misbehaving.

For me, discipline in the classroom is based on mutual respect of rights and duties of the teacher
and students so that the aims of the lesson can be attained. Discipline includes creating and
keeping rules based on reciprocal understanding and tolerance and requires establishing limits
that must not be transgressed. Where is the line between good and bad behaviour? Probably there
is no definition satisfactory to all.

According to McManus (1995), sometimes we hope that when we give a thing a name, we will
get some power over it. It is impossible to create a definition of discipline that would be both
useful and acceptable to all teachers, not to mention useful and acceptable to parents and others
outside the classroom. McManus goes on to say that school behaviour is too complicated to put it
into a single definition.

Most contemporary educators and methodologists avoid definitions of the word discipline
because of its pejorative tone and frequent associations with corporal punishment. In spite of the
difficulty of finding a suitable definition, I hope that I have outlined enough of the topic to allow
us to take a closer look at students’ expectations about keeping order in the classroom.

Students’ expectations about discipline

Even young children going to school for the first time have their own expectations of the
institution of school and of the people working there. These expectations reflect the specific
culture of the country. Also, teachers, even those with little classroom experience, have
expectations of students and of themselves. Expectations and perceptions influence classroom
interaction from the beginning.

Research done by Nash amongst 12-yearold children led to the conclusion that they see the
teacher in six dimensions, based on their expectations and perceptions at school (cited in
Janowski 1995). The dimensions are:
 1. Keeps order vs. Can’t keep order Children think that keeping discipline is a teacher’s
basic duty, even more important than teaching. A teacher who is too soft arouses dislike,
contempt, and disdain.
2. Teaches vs. Doesn’t teach To teach is to educate and give assignments, not to amuse
with stories and jokes. According to young students, teaching consists of giving facts and
other concrete data, not simply expressing opinions.
3. Explains difficult concepts vs. Doesn’t explain well For most students, it is the teacher
who should make new and difficult material easier to understand. Incentives to do
independent work can be perceived as not fulfilling a teacher’s duty.
4. Interesting lessons vs. Boring lessons This is a very important dimension for children,
although they can’t always articulate what interesting teaching is. Generally speaking, an
interesting and engaging lesson provides learners with new knowledge and has a
consistent plan without any unnecessary interruptions.
5. Fair vs. UnfairFor some students, a fair teacher is one who isn’t too strict. For others,
however, fairness is more complex. For example, punishment may be considered fair
only under certain conditions, such as after the teacher’s warnings and threats have been
disregarded. Blaming students who are not responsible for the problem is clearly unfair.
Teachers can and should be strict and determined in punishing, but the punishment has to
be viable; for example, the teacher can’t demand complete silence during an entire
lesson.
6. Friendly vs. Unfriendly Inexperienced teachers may consider this dimension more
important than students actually do. For some students, friendliness of the teacher is
optional, and other dimensions, such as fairness, are more important.

Whether it is due to students’ expectations or a generation gap between students and teachers,
students usually give themselves a rather passive role. They leave all the work of maintaining
discipline to their teacher. For this reason, in the beginning, it is important for the teacher to be
able to control the situation in class. Children expect the teacher to define the limits of behaviour
and then consistently enforce the rules, while allowing the students to make their own decisions.
This can make it difficult to introduce a democratic teaching style.

From my observations, it seems that often students themselves try to prevent a teacher from
keeping order. Sometimes, in more or less conscious ways, students try to take over the lesson. It
depends on the character, knowledge, and experience of the teacher whether the teacher will
control the class or the class will control the teacher.

Students’ games and strategies

Students may try to control the teacher and the lesson for different reasons, some of which they
themselves might not understand. They use a variety of games and strategies, which they might
not be able to explain. The aim of many students is not really learning but getting the best
possible marks at the least cost, or simply surviving, or staying unnoticed for as long as possible.
These games and strategies, therefore, are not connected to learning.

Early games

Students misbehave for different purposes, one of which is to find out how much a teacher will
allow or to test the teacher’s limits. This tends to happen during the first few classes and can be
the beginning of a bigger discipline problem later. These games often consist of showing off in
front of other students and include joking, making comments against the teacher or to contradict
the teacher’s orders, asking unnecessarily for the teacher’s help, and forming alliances with
likeminded classmates. Other examples are asking silly questions, misleading the teacher, asking
for information that requires complicated explanations, pretending that the teacher isn’t present,
talking back, displaying insolence openly, laughing or making loud noises, and making rude or
mocking gestures. Most experienced teachers realize that this type of disruptive behaviour is
usually temporary.

Long-term strategies

Other kinds of misbehaviour are not temporary, and these I call strategies. For the purpose of this
article, I will consider these strategies as methods to achieve some reaction in the teacher and/or
classmates, especially over a long period of time. A particular strategy may not be chosen
intentionally or consciously for a specific aim. Also, these strategies for controlling behaviour or
disrupting order may not be used consistently.

Komorowska (2002) presents a combination of strategies with possible causes and responses,
three of which are summarized in the chart on the next page. The first one, achieving learning
goals, is not usually a discipline problem unless the teacher’s response is mistaken.

The strategy that is most important for us is the strategy of rebellion because this one causes the
biggest problems. It is used by students who want to disturb the teacher in an ostentatious way.
The only solution for rebellion is to first find the cause, which can be a difficult living situation
at home, emotional problems, or the desire to be the center of attention. It is usually easier to
draw someone’s attention (classmates or the teacher) by behaving badly than by behaving
properly, which can take more time and effort.

Rebellious students are often confused with good students who show their academic talents over
their weaker classmates in an equally ostentatious way. Rebellious children can easily be
confused with overactive children with a disposition for kinesthetic learning. So, the first step is
to find out which students have real discipline problems. To avoid conflicts with rebellious
students, teachers should avoid open tests of strength and alliances, praise them often for even
small successes, emphasize their best qualities, and use their abilities for the good of the class
(Komorowska 2002). This could mean asking for their help in a way that will give them
authority and meaning in the eyes of their classmates, but not in competition with the teacher.

Methods of keeping discipline

I have successfully used three methods to maintain discipline: keeping students’ attention,
establishing clear rules, and, when necessary, explicitly addressing discipline problems.

Keeping students’ attention

Keeping students engaged in the lesson is the basis for keeping order in the class. Here are
several ways to do it:

1. Provide a clear structure for the lesson. After greeting the students, begin by briefly
stating an outline of the lesson. Separate parts of the lesson with expressions such as We
have finished our work on…. and Now we can go on to…. Make clear conclusions. All
of these steps can help focus learners’ attention on the lesson.
 2. Do many short activities instead of a few long ones. Short exercises that change the
task and work required of the students can help their concentration.
3. Use an unpredictable order when calling on students. When learners know they are
not going to have to answer, their minds wander. An element of uncertainty is necessary,
so say the student’s name after asking the question, not before. Avoid exercises with
“chain” answering.

Establishing clear rules

Students must feel their autonomy and take part in creating rules so that they feel responsible for
obeying them. To avoid future conflicts, it is necessary to create strict rules together at the
beginning of the course, even in the first lesson. These rules should contain basic responsibilities
such as:

1. Grading scales and criteria.

2. Consequences of absences, tardiness, and missed assignments.
3. Rewards for extra work.
4. Consequences for disruptive behavior.

Teachers must apply the rules to everyone without showing favouritism. Rules should be concise
and clear, and everyone should receive a copy (or the teacher can hang them in the classroom in
a visible place).

Addressing discipline problems

Keeping order during the lesson usually requires avoiding unnecessary interruptions and changes
in the lesson plan. Arguing with students, commenting on their behaviour, and any shouting
means the troublemaking students have succeeded and the goals of the lesson have been lost. If
the situation gets worse, students’ aggression is likely to increase, and they receive the attention
they desire.

Three effective ways of addressing discipline problems, in the order in which they should be
used, are:

1. Nonverbal approach
When a student does something to disturb the class, the teacher should continue with the
lesson while reacting calmly and nonverbally. This can be making eye contact with the
disruptive student, standing near the student, making calming gestures, or all of these
things simultaneously.
2. Verbal approach
Without interrupting the lesson, the teacher can try another set of techniques to stop or
minimize disruptive behaviour. These include lowering his or her voice, inserting the
student’s name in a statement, and calling on the student to answer a question or to repeat
the answer of another student. The teacher might also change the task and quickly
organize a common activity. It is very important to remember that the teacher should not
attempt to prove that the offending student doesn’t know something but should terminate
the disruption without giving a public scolding. When these first two approaches fail, it is
time to react verbally to the offensive behaviour. Unfortunately, too many teachers use
this approach first.
 3. Reacting to the disruptive behaviour
The teacher can make a short statement identifying the incorrect behaviour, a short
expression of the wish for good behavior, or an announcement of a reward for good
behaviour. It is worth remembering that a teacher who can’t calm students in a skillful
way can make the situation worse. Any comments the teacher makes should be short
because they will also be considered interruptions by the students who are not
misbehaving. Finally, in using these techniques, we must remember two things: we can
criticise a student’s behaviour, but we should not criticise the student; and our criticism
should be constructive and polite.

Conclusion
On some occasions, all teachers have problems with keeping discipline. Some teachers have a
natural gift for arousing respect from their students, while others must work very hard to get it.
With or without this natural talent, a teacher has to learn a lot about sociology, psychology, and
pedagogy and also learn a lot from his or her experience with students.

The problem of keeping discipline in the classroom is too widespread and complex to provide an
ideal solution for all circumstances in an article of this length. In my opinion, too little is said and
written about this critical aspect of teaching. I hope that these ideas and suggestions will help
teachers find practical solutions to discipline problems they encounter in their classrooms.

References

Janowski, A. [Link] w teatrzezyciaszkolnego [A student in the theatre of school life].

Warsaw: WSiP.

Komorowska, H. 2002. Metodykanauczaniajezykówobcych [Methods of foreign language

teaching]. Warsaw: FraszkaEdukacyjna.

McManus, M. 1995. Troublesome behaviour in the classroom: Meeting individual needs.

London: Routledge.

Okon, W. [Link][Dictionary of pedagogy]. Warsaw:

PanstwoweWydawnictwoNaukowe.

Magdalena Sulichteaches English at a middle school in Jasienica and at a primary school and
middle school in Stryjki.