SHAPE America Appropriate Practices

  • 1.1.1 The teacher systematically plans for, develops and maintains a positive learning environment that allows students to feel safe (physically and emotionally), supported and unafraid to make mistakes.
  • 1.1.2 The environment is supportive of all students and promotes developing a positive self-concept. Students are allowed to try, to fail, and to try again, free of criticism or harassment from the teacher or other students.
  • 1.1.3 Programs are designed to guide students to take responsibility for their own behavior and learning. Emphasis is on intrinsic, rather than extrinsic, incentives.
  • 1.1.4 Fair and consistent classroom-management practices encourage student responsibility for positive behavior. Students are included in the process of developing class rules/agreements.

Guidelines for Establishing Class Rules

Once your class rules are established its important to model and practice them (scavenger hunts can be great ways for learning them). See this article on Interactive Modeling for more information. 

  • ​Be Positive: State the behaviors you want to see in your students, rather than what you don't want to see. Saying “Don’t do X” does not tell the student what the appropriate behavior is.
  • Clear: Identify behaviors that are representative of each rule. See our example for Sportspersonship in the section  below.
  • Give the "Why": Explain the reasons behind each rule so that students understand why they are important.
  • Limited: Instead of making a long list of rules, make the rules comprehensive. “Be respectful” is a great example. Think of how many rules can be covered in this one statement. Some other examples include: Be helpful to others; Be positive to others; Be responsible; Be honest; Resolve conflicts immediately; and Give 100% effort. Find a list of other important virtues at PassItOn, VirtuesForLife and VirtuesProject.
  • Student Centered: Facilitate the creation of the rules with students in the beginning of the semester. Ask them what they want and consider to be fair. You will generally end up with the same rules that you would make, however this method allows students take ownership of the rules. One creative way is to conduct an "Us/Not Us" list. Have the students come up with characteristics that want in the "Us" column and characteristics they don't want in the "Not Us" column. Full value contracts and Looks Like/Sounds Like are other options.

Example of ​Creating Clear Expectations: Sportspersonship

  • Acknowledge that all players can have positive effects on the team.​
  • Be polite towards everyone before, during, and after games. ​​​​
  • Cheer on your teammates and provide positive statements and feedback.
  • Follow the rules and spirit of the game.
  • Respect the judgment of referees and officials.
  • Settle conflicts through respectful discussion.
  • Share in the responsibilities of the team.
  • Whether you win or lose, congratulate your opponents at the end of the game.
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Osama Abujafar

Proactive Class Management Strategies

  • ​Create tasks that are challenging, but achievable. When students are about 50% - 80% successful with a task they less likely to get bored or frustrated, which can often lead to off-task behavior.
  • Develop rapport and have positive interactions with the students.
  • ​Plan enjoyable and thorough lessons, including how students will transition between tasks.
  • Reward students for good behaviors. ​Types of reinforcers include: Social (verbal praise, a pat on the back, smile, etc.), Material (certificates, ribbons, stickers, etc.), Privileges (line leader, demonstrator, etc.), and Activity (playing an activity that the students enjoy). Survey your students to see their preferences and see these examples of healthy rewards: resource 1, resource 2, resource 3, and resource 4 (ignore the food suggestions for this one).
  • Use daily rubrics or exits slips that focus on the behaviors your students are struggling with.
  • ​Use "entrance slips" to assess students mindsets as they enter class.
  • Use non-verbal techniques such as physical proximity, eye contact, signaling, and wait time. Give the "look" when needed.
  • ​While it is important to hold students accountable, be careful not to hold the whole class accountable for the actions of a few students. Doings so can have a negative effect on the class environment and student relationships.

Considering "The Hidden Student"

There are many outside factors that affect student behavior (including brain development). The word cloud below represents issues that my former 8th grade students were dealing with. After discussing issues in my personal life and my family history, students were given time to write down issues that they or someone they knew were going through. Their responses were then categorized and entered in a Word Cloud. This activity was personal to the class and allowed students to recognize the many issues their peers face. ​

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Guidelines for Disciplinary Action (If Needed)

  • Allow students to take a time out to reflect. They can return when they: are ready, have completed a task, have spoken with the teachers, etc.
  • Be cautious of embarrassing or spotlighting students.
  • Be fair and consistent with all students; although there are times when exceptions should be made.
  • Don't just focus on the negative, reinforce the positive behaviors you see in the student. ​
  • Follow through with what you say.
  • Only discipline students engaged in inappropriate behavior (article on group punishment). Stay calm and address the behavior, not the person.
  • Walk and talks can be more effective than traditional disciplinary actions.