Having basic rules and guidelines are necessary in classroom. Children are more guided if they know what behavior is acceptable inside the classroom and what behavior is not acceptable. Reasons for each rule should be well explained and agreed upon by the teacher and students on a routine basis so children understand their purpose. It should me a mutual understanding between the two and uses these rules for their safety as well as to others inside the classroom.
Teachers should focus on positive things or actions that pupils should do instead of always telling the pupils what not to do. Let’s try to do it the other way around. Try to reduce using the word “stop”, “don’t and “no” from your statements to children as much as possible. Make requests or direction to them in a respectful ways. Always try to be sensitive to their feelings. Teachers should show the children what behavior is good by being a role model to them. Pupils learn fast enough to what they see rather than to what you tell them to do. Children see, children do. Show pupils exactly what you want while giving verbal instructions.
According to study, the most effective method of managing children’s behavior is through the application of positive reinforcement. When teaching a new behavior, it is best to highlight the action every time the behavior occurs. It requires immediate and continuous reinforcement to be learned and maintained. Behaviors that are followed by positive reinforcement are likely to be strengthened and repeated. Use effective praise that is selective, precise and encouraging. Positive praises provide meaningful feedback and promote the self-esteem of the child.
Pupils tend to forget appropriate behavior from time to time. They need frequent reminders of the rules to follow as long as they need to be reminded. There will come a time that corrective action is necessary and we teachers should always explain and make it clear to them the consequence of the unacceptable actions that they did. Pupils should also be given a chance to explain their side on the action that they did in a respectful way. Teachers actively listen and respond in a sensitive manner.
Nowadays, children who did inappropriate behavior become the center of all the attention in the classroom. Those that misbehaved are believed to be given negative punishment as consequence for the behavior. As teachers, let’s try to limit the attention to children who are used to negative responses to adults. Most of the time, these children are the ones left alone. We should be the one to help those children to make friends with others. In this way, they will appreciate you more for not believing others that they cannot do well. As teachers, we should always have a heart for our students and believe that they all can be good.
By: Bernadette S. Gonzaga | T-II | Orion Elementary School
