Top Ten elementary classroom behaviors
Teachers can be prepared by planning for certain behavior problems. Here are the top 10 behavior problems that I have encountered in my field placement experience. In addition, I have listed some strategies for dealing with these common issues.
1) Frequent use of bathroom
1) Frequent use of bathroom
- The teacher can establish a signal that the students will use when they need to go to the bathroom. An example of this would be knocking. The student can knock on their desk while the teacher is giving the lesson. Then if it is an appropriate time to use the bathroom the teacher will knock back twice, but if it is not an appropriate time to use the bathroom the teacher will knock once.
- The teacher can create bathroom passes and put a limit on how many they can use throughout the day. By putting a limit on the bathroom passes the students will have to learn to be responsible about when they choose to go to the bathroom.
- The teacher can provide the students with positive ways of receiving attention and praise. One way to do this is by having classroom responsibilities or jobs. This allows the students to be responsible for accomplishing something that will benefit the class. The teacher can encourage the students to be responsible and independent and then praise them when they complete a task.
- The teacher can provide the students with a moment to shine. One way to do this is by having student of the week. This allows a student to showcase what makes them special and unique. Student of the week will also help to build a strong community in the classroom.
- The teacher can set up a three step process that the students must follow. The steps would be as follows: Ask the person to stop doing the behavior/activity you do not like, by using an "I statement", get up and leave the situation, if you still cannot solve the problem come to the teacher. However, if the student was harming him/herself or others, tell the teacher immediately.
- Another way to stop tattling is by going over scenarios when it is appropriate to tell the teacher. Create note cards with different scenarios that are common in the classroom. Then have the students work in groups to decide if you should tell an adult, solve the problem yourself, or ignore it. Once the students have sorted the cards, go over the scenarios as a class (Wilson, 2013).
4) Talking out of turn
- If the whole class is being too loud there a few strategies that teachers can use such as shutting of the lights, hitting wind chimes, hitting a bell, counting down from 5, or holding up a signal that the students know.
- A way to get individual students to not talk out of turn during whole group discussions is by setting the stage. Before the teacher starts the discussion they should remind the students that they need to be respectful. Tell them that everyone's thoughts are valuable. In order to hear them you must raise your hand and wait to be called on (Taylor, 2011).
- The teacher should explain what personal space means and tell the students that they should stand about a half an arm's length away when talking.
- The teacher can use the invisible bubble analogy. Explaining to students that around each individual there is an invisible bubble and you need to respect them by staying out of it (Mayne, 2013).
- Sometimes kids cry because they miss their parents. Teachers can help their student by setting them up with a buddy. Encourage the pair to work on assignments, eat lunch, and play at recess together.
- The teacher can meet individually with the student to discuss why they cry at school. Through this discussion they can find out if they are afraid of being away from their parents, are frustrated with the assignments, or if they are not getting along with their classmates. After the discussion, work with the student to find coping strategies that they could use.
- It is important that the teacher builds a community in the classroom. This way all students feel safe and valued. A good way to build a community in the classroom is through team building exercises. The class will learn how to communicate effectively and how to problem solve.
- Another method is through community discussions. Have a classroom meeting every Friday to discuss issues that students are encountering in the class. Then as a class come up with solutions to how they can solve the problems and prevent them from happening again.
- Provide different manipulatives for students to use such as stress balls, koosh balls, bouncy ball for a chair, or put velvet on their desk so they can tap their fingers. Teachers will need to remind the students that they need to use these manipulatives appropriately and that they still need to stay on task.
- The teacher can allow certain students to take frequent breaks. The teacher can either use a timer or a special signal to let the student know that now is an appropriate time for a break.
9) Students who are clingy
- Teach students how to become independent through classroom responsibilities/jobs such as paper passer/collector or taking messages down to the office. The teacher should verbally praise the student for being independent.
- Pair students up with a buddy, this way they are not clinging to the teacher and they are learning how to make friends.
- Have a schedule on the board with the activities and the times. This way the student knows what to expect next.
- Remind students what the behavior expectations are when transitioning. This way the student knows how to behave and verbally praise the student when they do well.
Links
References
Information from:
Wilson, M. B. (2011, April). What to Do About Tattling . In Respnsive Classroom. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from
http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/article/what-to-do-about-tattling
Rhinehart, L. M. (2011, June 9). Classroom Management Strategies to Control Talking. In Bright Hub Education .
Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/classroom-management/28981-
strategies-to-control-talking-in-class/
Mayne, D. (2013). Etiquette Rules-What is Personal Space?. In About.Com Etiquette. Retrieved February 24, 2013,
from http://etiquette.about.com/od/Manners/a/Etiquette-Rules-What-Is-Personal-Space.htm
Picture from:
Kindergarten Registration. (n.d.). In Todd Elementary. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from
http://www.cnusd.k12.ca.us/Domain/1606
What to Do About Tattling. (2011, April). In Respnsive Classroom. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from
http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/article/what-to-do-about-tattling
Those Stress Balls don't work for everybody. (2013, February 21). In FM99. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from
http://fm99.com/rumble/those-stress-balls-dont-work-for-everybody/
(n.d.). In Office Playground. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://www.officeplayground.com/Koosh-
Ball-P161.aspx
Nolan, B. (n.d.). Edgewood third-graders get a workout while sitting at their desks. In Herald Times Online.
Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2011/09/27/schoolnews.qp-
6425039.sto
Wilson, M. B. (2011, April). What to Do About Tattling . In Respnsive Classroom. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from
http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/article/what-to-do-about-tattling
Rhinehart, L. M. (2011, June 9). Classroom Management Strategies to Control Talking. In Bright Hub Education .
Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/classroom-management/28981-
strategies-to-control-talking-in-class/
Mayne, D. (2013). Etiquette Rules-What is Personal Space?. In About.Com Etiquette. Retrieved February 24, 2013,
from http://etiquette.about.com/od/Manners/a/Etiquette-Rules-What-Is-Personal-Space.htm
Picture from:
Kindergarten Registration. (n.d.). In Todd Elementary. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from
http://www.cnusd.k12.ca.us/Domain/1606
What to Do About Tattling. (2011, April). In Respnsive Classroom. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from
http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/article/what-to-do-about-tattling
Those Stress Balls don't work for everybody. (2013, February 21). In FM99. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from
http://fm99.com/rumble/those-stress-balls-dont-work-for-everybody/
(n.d.). In Office Playground. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://www.officeplayground.com/Koosh-
Ball-P161.aspx
Nolan, B. (n.d.). Edgewood third-graders get a workout while sitting at their desks. In Herald Times Online.
Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2011/09/27/schoolnews.qp-
6425039.sto