Positive Behavior Supports:
Toolbox for Teachers
Disruptive Behaviors in the Classroom
Assume all students want to succeed. Keep the hope alive and don’t give up on kids. We have a common goal for all of them to succeed at West.
Develop and nurture relationships. There is no substitute for personal relationships with students. Once a relationship is established, many behaviors become manageable and most trouble is averted.
Suggestions from your West High colleagues
· 1-minute conference. Whenever possible (the vast majority of the time), have a private conversation with the student about their behavior. This avoids humiliating the student in front of peers and giving them an audience for further misbehavior. It also helps the student understand how to fix their problem and restore your relationship with them.
· Everyday is a new day. Fix it the day it happens and move on, no grudges! Teachers expect the same and model how to fix it when a relationship is harmed.
· Visit other classrooms. This committee learned the most from our fellow teachers who were willing to share what works for them. West is full of experts.
Ideas that work
Prevent the problem by pre-teaching students the desired behavior. / Interrupt
the misbehavior right away. Build trust by being consistent. / Guide
toward the desired replacement behavior. Do this mostly during a private conversation, not in front of the class. / Provide resources
so the student can restore their relationships and be successful.
Lateness / Be serious about this early and often.
Discuss why lateness is disrespectful to self, teacher, and class.
Wrap into a participation grade.
Try an activity (ie. question of the day) during the first few minutes of class while you take attendance. Late students are ineligible to earn those points.
Welcome students when they arrive. (Only if you can be genuine)
Provide a class reward for a good on-time record. / Your reaction to their lateness shouldn’t further disrupt the class.
When they walk in late, tell them to see you after class so other students don’t think there are no consequences.
Use tardy detentions after 3rd tardy (have them ready ahead of time for frequently late students)
Call home.
Refer to Dean of Students. / During a private conversation, remind the student of the connection between success and promptness.
In private, ask why they were late and help problem-solve for the future. / Give a pass if late because of your conversation.
Help students find a shorter or less crowded route.
Help student organize materials to avoid locker trips.
Contact parents and school supports to provide more help.
Food/drink / Make sure students know your classroom policy.
Discuss why this is the policy and what is positive about it. / Ask if they have enough for everyone.
Ask them to put it away.
Remove food/drink. / Private conversation about your classroom policy and your reasons. / Ask why they have it (ill, hungry, etc.) and help problem-solve for future success.
Teach / Interrupt / Guide / Provide resources
Putting head down / Tell students to let you know right away if they’re having a bad day or not feeling well.
Explain the need for eye contact in communication. / “I’ll begin when I see your eyes.”
“Sarah, please look up.”
“Your attention, please.”
“Are you with me?”
“Ready?”
“Heads up.”
Wait for students to look up before starting. (Use sparingly or kids will learn to take forever)
Use teacher proximity.
Ask quietly what the problem is.
Touch them between the shoulders. (Only once you have rapport) / Frequently remind the whole class of desired posture. (Before a video, guest speaker, lecture, or student presentations) / During a private conversation, ask if there is a reason and send to appropriate support staff if needed (ill, personal issue, academic issue)
Give a responsibility to re-engage them. (“Emily, please collect today’s papers.”)
For chronic problem call home.
Set appointment with student/parents for follow-up.
Put-downs and toxic language / Discuss the first day what language is expected and why .
Discuss the difference between toxic and nurturing language.
Hdave students react to quotes about hurtful words.
Encourage students to report hurtful comments quietly and individually. / Address immediately and quietly.
“James, that’s a put-down.” (please see me after class.)
Use “teacher stare”. / Suggest how to express ideas without putting down. / In private conversation, ask student to list several things they can say instead and create a plan to repair damage to other students.
Involve parents if continues.
Involve support staff if chronic.
Teach / Interrupt / Guide / Provide resources
Cross-Talk / Explain the social contract of school.
Discuss the time and place for talking.
1. Seating chart.
On first day, tell them they may choose to sit in a place they can learn best – give them overnight to think about it.
Make it clear that you will move them if they aren’t learning best in that location.
Then, have a seating chart by the second day of school.
(9th grade, maybe no choice until 2nd quarter when they’re more comfortable.)
2. Build in some time /space to let students talk. (last minute of class, etc.) / Teacher pauses until it’s quiet. “I’m waiting until you can hear me.”
Address student who is talking by name.
Eye contact & head shake with talker.
Teacher moves to stand next to talkers. (Let them know you may need to split them up.) / Change seating chart. (Move seats often and carefully to split up cross-talkers.)
In a private conversation remind talker about their focus in class.
Ask what will help them concentrate.
Let them know it makes it difficult for you to do your job when there is talking going on. / Move student to the front of the room to help concentration.
Give student some skills to use when they don’t want to cross-talk with those who are tempting them. (don’t give eye contact, look forward, ignore, etc.)
Call parents.
Involve support staff.
No supplies / Have simple supplies available in the room:
1. Pencils, paper
2. Kleenex (ask kids to bring),
3. Lotion & Hand Sanitizer is a nice touch, room smells good! / “Please see that those around you have paper and a pencil.”
“No need for the hall pass, more supplies are here.”
“Ready?” / Private conversation for those chronically without their supplies. / Provide a place for student supplies within the room.
Encourage the use of a planner to stay organized.
Involve support staff, case mgrs, parents.
Teach / Interrupt / Guide / Provide resources
Bathroom Pass / Discuss appropriate time to use the pass and not disrupting the class to do so.
No passes first 10 minutes.
Students can use pass as needed, 5-minute limit, not to disrupt class.
Keep pass in a place that is visible to everyone, but teacher has easy control over it.
Give each student 3 passes every quarter for their own use. Not replaced if lost. Can’t leave room without one. Unused passes are worth 5 pts. extra credit each quarter. / “Now is not a good time.”
“Please wait until after instructions.” / In a private conversation, remind them about your pass policy and the appropriate times to go.
“You have abused the privilege. You may earn it back after 2 weeks of non-use.” / Remove pass privileges for a period of time.
Ask if there is a reason for frequent use. If so, involve the nurse or appropriate support staff.
If privilege is removed, they should be able to earn it back.
Unwanted Touching, bumping, kicking, play fighting / Discuss the need for safety, security, and personal space.
Seating chart is free choice until teacher needs to move students.
Students stay at desks until bell rings. (Or at least stay away from the door.)
Encourage students to report privately if there is an issue with another student. / Put in front – no one to kick.
Move seating chart. (for several/all students, not just offender)
Proximity of teacher- move near the trouble. / Practice staying in seats until the bell.
Give them other things to do instead of gathering by the door before the bell rings. (stay in seats and chat, check out your classroom library, look at your bulletin board up close, etc.) / Private conversation.
Referral to office.
Call home.
Call security for removal from classroom.
Teach / Interrupt / Guide / Provide resources
Cell phones/ texting / Discuss why the rule exists.
“Phones need to be off and away.”
“I love cell phones that are invisible/inaudible to me.”
Use cell phones appropriately. “Please take them out and enter the phone numbers of your group members.” / “I’m asking for your phone now, you may get it from me after school.”
“You choose, would you like to give it to me, or have a referral to the office.”
“Please escort your phone to the office.”
“Move to the texting seat – at the front of the room so I can see that you aren’t.”
“Put phones out on the desk and turned off during tests.” / Ask students to remind the class of your policy. / Private conversation.
Students appreciate it when the issue can stay only between the two of you. This will protect the relationship and trust.
As a last resort, involve others. (home, security, support staff, admin.)
Getting make-up work / Explain the student’s personal responsibility for their learning.
Keep extra handouts in a crate for 2-3 weeks. It’s students’ responsibility to take what they missed.
Put weekly schedule on the board/crate/handout.
Use guided study as a resource for notes they have on file. / Now is not a good time.
I’ll have a few minutes at ____time. See me then. / Use a homework buddy.
Check the crate.
Ask another student to catch you up during lunch. / Keep extra copies for absent students with their names on them, in classroom folders.
Ask students to email you.
Students can meet the teacher during lunch or after school.
Teach / Interrupt / Guide / Provide resources
Being exclusive. / Discuss and provide a rubric/roles for group process.
With the assumption that no one wants to do nothing, brainstorm ideas with class on how to make sure everyone is participating.
Give some individual grades for group work.
Peer grading.
Teacher must walk around and observe groups.
Vary how groups are made (heterogeneous, homogeneous, random, etc.)
Let kids pick groups -everyone must be included or you’ll never do it again.
Change groups often.
Limit length of group projects. (absences are difficult)
Put a score on work station desk indicating good group dynamics. Return to adjust score as class progresses. / Private conversation after class or while others are busy. / In private, explain, “I’ve heard other students complaining.”
“I see you are a leader. This class needs you to lead them in a more positive way.”
“I have trouble sharing air space, too.” (Most teachers do!) / “When I see you being exclusive, I’ll remind you by doing ____.”
Keep tallies so a student only gets 3 comments a day. They can keep their own tallies.
Teach / Interrupt / Guide / Provide resources
Tuesday Reports / Sign them on Tuesdays only. (within reason, in case of absence)
Student info must be filled out in ink before signing.
Keep a supply in the room, delivered by Sr. Citizens before school starts.
Make time in Tuesday’s lesson plans for signing while students are busy.
Indicate “Pass”, “Fail” or a grade. (Be sure it’s a grade if the student is close to an “F”) / “Is today Tuesday?”
“Now is not a good time” / “I sign these on Tuesdays”
“Find me at lunch or after school if it is not Tuesday.” / Extras are in the room.
Contact student, parent, coach