How to Turn a Messy Class into an Ideal Class

1.       Whenever you need someone to model the correct behaviour, have a (naughty) child do so, because that way this child can experience the correct behaviour, and for the rest of the class it is a good example to see “the naughty” behaving correctly.

2.    If you need to meet the parents (or call them) don’t tell them all the things their child does wrongly; most probably they already know what their child is like. It’s better if you ask parents for “advice”, this way they are less defensive and more prom to help you.

3.      Reward for good behaviour. In my class we have a “reward jar” and every time they behave correctly I add one or two bids and when the jar is full we have a different lesson (perhaps we play outside, or I bring a pet or a movie, or we have a picnic). The importance of this group reward is that it fosters cooperation and collaboration.

4.        When something goes wrong or students are not following some norms: back up and try again.

5.       Give them structure- and lots of it! Try to stablish a routine and make corners visible and clearly separated. If your class is predictable (in form, content will always vary) learners are less anxious and they know what to do in each moment.

6.       Reduce the amount of work required for a given task (e.g. Five sentences to complete instead of ten). 

7.       Finally, (and most importantly) think about why the struggles are happening. There is always a reason for misbehaving, so try to tackle the root of the problems and consequences will disappear soon.