Classroom management is the technique used by a teacher to control the activities inside and out of the classroom in order to maintain the tranquility and orderliness in here. But there are times that even though the teacher has applied all the necessary precautions in order to achieve the proper way of managing the classroom, there are some disruptive behaviors such as 1.)Verbal Interruptions liketalking, humming, laughing, calling out and whispering; 2.)OFF-TASK BEHAVIORS like daydreaming, sleeping, combing hair, playing with something, doodling, physical sitting on the desk or on two legs of chairs and throwing papers and; 3.)DISRESPECT TOWARDS TEACHERS AND STUDENTS like arguing, teasing, vulgarity, talking back which really affect the success or failure of the teaching- learning process. Because of this dilemma that most teachers are encountering almost every day,here are some suggested interventions that could help to minimize the behavioral problems of the students without violating the Child Protection Policy.
A. The Non Verbal Intervention
1. PLANNED IGNORING— is based on reinforcement theory that if you ignore a behavior, it lessens and eventually disappears
2. SIGNAL INTERFERENCE— is any type of non-verbal behaviour that communicates to the student without disturbing others, that his behavior is not appropriate. Signal behaviors must be clearly directed at the off-task student. There should be no doubt in the student mind that the teacher is aware of what is going and that the student is responsible for the behaviour.
3. PROXIMITY CONTROL— is any movement towards or taking up a position in the vicinity of thedisruptive student. Proximity control combined with signal interference results in a very effective non verbal control technique
4. TOUCH CONTROL— is a light non aggressive physical contact with the student that the teacher disapproves of the disruptive behaviour.
B. The Verbal Intervention
1.ADJACENT REINFORCEMENT—it is placed first in the hierarchy because it gives the student chance to control his own behaviour without any intervention on the part of the teacher that call attention to the student on his behaviour.
2.CALL ON THE STUDENT NAME-DROP—when a student is behaving inappropriately, the teacher may redirect the student to appropriate behaviour by calling on the student to answer a question, if asking a question is a part of the lesson.
3. HUMOR—humor that is directed at the teacher or at the situation rather than at the student can diffuse tension in the classroom as well as redirect students to appropriate behaviour
4. QUESTION AWARENESS OF EFFECT—sometimes students who disrupt learning are genuinelynot aware of the effect of their behaviour on other people. Making them aware of how their behavior affects other people is a powerful technique for getting students to control their behavior.
5. DIRECT APPEAL— another technique that is very useful for instances in which a teacher enjoysa referent or expert power base is direct appeal. Direct appeal means requesting in a courteousway that students stop disruptive behavior
6. POSITIVE PHRASING— many times parents and teachers fall into the trap of putting more emphasis of the negative outcomes of misbehaviour than the positive outcome of appropriate behavior.
7. “ARE NOT FORS”— of all the verbal interventions, the “are not fors” is the most in use. It is implemented primarily when elementary or preschool children misuse property or materialsand is generally effective behaviour in a very positive way.
8. REMINDERS OF THE RULES— when the teacher has established a clear set of classroom guidelineof rules early and has received students’ commitment to the rules, misbehaviour frequently may be curbed by merely reminding disruptive students about the rules.
9. GLASSER’S TRIPLETS—Glasser proposes that teacher ask disruptive student three questions in order to direct the students to appropriate behaviors; a. What are you doing?b. Is it against the rules? c. What should you be doing?
10. EXPLICIT REDIRECTION—consist of an order to stop the misbehaviour and return to acceptable behavior. The redirection is made in the form of a teacher command and leaves no room for student rebuttal.
11. CANTER’S BROKEN RECORD— has developed a strategy for clearly communicating to the student that the teacher will not engage in verbal bantering and intends to make sure the student resumes appropriate behaviour. Canter labelled this method “the broken record” because the teacher behaviour sounds like a broken record to the student
C.INTERVENTION FOR CHRONIC PROBLEMS
If the students continually misbehave even after all the preventive intervention techniques have been appropriately employed but they disrupt learning, interfere with the work of others, challenge teacher authority and often try to entice others to misbehave on a fairly consistent basis, these could be done.
1. BEHAVIOR CONTRACTING—a behavior contract is a written agreement between the teacher and student that commit the student to behave more appropriately and provides a specified reward for meeting the commitment.
2. ANECDOTAL RECORD KEEPING—it can be used for remedying chronic behavioral problems. This method has been used successfully by veteran teachers to handle a variety of chronic discipline problems. Anecdotal record keeping is an interactionist approach of controlling classroom behaviors.
The above- mentioned interventions could be applicable to some but not to everyone, so it is in the discretion of the teacher to what intervention she will apply for a certain disruptive student or students. But at the end of the day, one could realize that being an effective Classroom Manager is not a talent which some people just have or others do not but it is a set of skills and an attitude learned through patience and practice.
By: ANGELITA D.ALARCON
