It is important for teachers to develop strategies on behavior management that may assist them in ensuring classroom attention and focus. Children misbehave because of denial of some needs. Different articles have been written discussing strategies teachers should employ to manage the behavior of learners at different ages.
Starting with the infants, their age is tender, and they require parental intervention in behavior management. If such children show misbehavior, they can be collected through informing them that their parents will not like such a behavior. According to Lisa (2007), “Toddlers can see the difference between the teacher and parents. When they misbehave, slight mentioning of punishment makes them stop the mistake.” For instance, if they are making noise, while the teacher is in the class, the teacher may use the strategy of counting from five to zero. At the start, some will follow up with him or her and be quite while others may still be making some noise even after counting to zero. For the effectiveness in the strategy of counting from five to zero, the teacher should reinforce his efforts with motivators such as thank you and well done.
According to Lisa et al (2007), Preschoolers may misbehave in different ways such as refusing to put their school bags down when in class. To collect the behavior, the concerned teacher has to use encouraging words that do not provide room for the negative reaction from the pupil. For the case of the bag, it is suggested that the teacher tells a pupil to give him a bag for safe storage. The teachers presence in every activity the pupils are involved in makes them maintain good behavior. Another key area of behavior management for the pupils is to create a positive relationship. With such relationship, they will be able to report all the misbehavior they observe in the class.
K-3 pupils may be disturbing a bit because of their desire to play more games every day. They may have their games outside class and extend them to class. Preschoolers have the tendency to run in class whether the teacher is in class or not. For the case of K-3 pupil misbehavior, the teacher should avoid regular punishment as it proves time wasting. Instead, he or she should have colorful pictures of plants, animals and books placed at every corner of the class. Such pictures capture the attention of the pupils and they spend more time studying them and thus, obtaining their concentration to books becomes easier (Lisa et al., 2007).
The strategies provided to help rectify student behavioral diversities in class are in line with the expected NAEYC Culturally and Developmentally appropriate conduct since they involve the parents in solving the misbehavior, and making the pupils participate in solving part of their misbehavior by counting from five to zero enables them to develop the aspect of self regulation and discipline. Staying with the children in any activity they involve themselves enables the teacher to counsel them against misbehavior anytime and anywhere, which is in line with the NAEYC educator ethical conduct code. However, the process of using pictures on the wall is not in concert with the professional and ethics conduct of an educator. Instead of such measure, the principles demand that any punishment apart from corporal be used to illicit attention (Lisa et al., 2007).
According to Lisa et al (2007), educators are subjected to penalties at misconduct, but some penalties can be appealed. Some of the misconduct and penalties include when a teacher abuses the learner, his or her certificate can be confiscated. However, the teacher may appeal if the stipulated period of punishment or penalty is over. The teacher is subjected to penalties if he or she proves incompetent to deliver as a public school teacher or private. Appealing is impossible in such a case. If an educator has been served with a court order with claims that he or she has committed a state crime, in such instance, the certificate is confiscated, but can be returned at approval that the educator is not a state criminal.
The teacher to prevent harmful learning by ensuring the pupils are taught the right content can use the strategies of correcting behavior in class. Mental health can be achieved through ensuring excess content is not delivered in class. Physical health is important and can be maintained through the teacher participating in the physical exercises the pupils are involved in to encourage them in the field. Safety can be attained through avoiding corporal punishment and involving their parents in solving some behavioral issues (Lisa et al., 2007).
Learners with special needs pose a great challenge during instruction. However, if some of the outlined strategies are employed they can be able to learn faster and easier. “Pictures mounted at every corner of the class, the special needs students will be attracted to the pictures hence learn” (Lisa et al., 2007).
In conclusion, children exhibit misbehavior of different kinds, but if the outlined strategies are employed, such behavior will be curtailed. Teachers should also note that their behavior is regulated and may face penalties in case of misconduct.
- Lisa A. M. and Ellen C. F. (2007) Challenging Behavior and Role of Preschoolers. A journal on positive behavior and healthcare for pupils. National early education institute. http://nieer.org/recourses/policybriefs/16.pdf
