A Guide to Good Classroom Discipline

1. Good classroom discipline starts with being fair.they may not respect you as readily. Be sure to take
Make sure that all students get the same punishmenta student aside before confronting him or her.
for doing something wrong - even if it is your best7. Classroom discipline does not need to interfere
student. Conversely, make sure that all of yourwith your classroom teaching. You want to deal with
students get equally rewarded for good work. Doclassroom disruptions as quickly and smoothly as you
not favor a student - other students will see this andcan - you do not want to lose your class momentum.
resent you for it and be even less likely to followDeal with disruptions immediately.
your rules.8. Start your plan of classroom discipline out hard. As
2. Make your rules easy to understand. If you wantthe school year goes on, you can loosen the reins a
excellent classroom discipline, make sure that yourbit. Just remember that it is much harder to start out
students understand exactly what is being asked ofas a softy and then try to tighten the reins -
them. Do not make a list of 200 rules - no student isstudents will still act out.
going to remember all of those rules. Instead, think9. Do not assume that your class will need to be
of the rules that are most important to you anddisciplined. Why not assume the best of your class?
enforce those rules. And make sure that you makeDo not assume that you will constantly need to
those rules very clear.enforce some form of classroom discipline or another.
3. Make your consequences easy to understand.Have high expectations. Assume that your class will
Make sure that your students know in advance whatbehave. Then teach your students as though you
the consequence will be if they break one of yourknow they will behave - if your students believe that
rules. Make sure that the consequences are just asyou think they are good students, maybe they will
clear as the rules.act like good students. Self-fulfilling prophecy.
4. Be Consistent with your classroom discipline. You10. Make sure that you have enough activities and
need to make sure that you consistently enforcelessons to fill a day. Classroom discipline can start to
your rules. Your students are not Pavlov's dogs - theget a little rocky if you have too much free time
best way to enforce a rule is to consistently have athat must be filled. Avoid having free time - this is a
punishment for breaking it, not just at random.time that a class can get disruptive.
5. Use a little humor to enforce good classroom11. Treat your students as individuals. Know that
discipline. If things are getting a little out of hand, itwhat works for one student may not work for
may be a good idea to throw in a little joke - there isanother. Just because 9 students understand your
not need to throw in the towel. Sometimes all yourrules, it does not mean that the tenth student will.
students need is a little humor, a little fun, to getStudents learn in different ways. All students are
them back onto track.different. Individuals have different needs.
6. Try to avoid confronting a student in front of his12. Use positive rules of classroom discipline. For
or her peers. You do not want your student to lookinstance, instead of having all of your rules say what
bad in front of his or her peers and friends - you willyour students should not do, have rules that state
be resented for it. Also, every confrontation has awhat they should. Instead of, "Do not speak unless
winner and a loser, and if your students think thatcalled on," say, "raise your hand if you have a
you do not look like the winner in a confrontation,question.