This presentation teaches you how to positively influence student behaviour. You will be asked to recall problems and reflect on what worked to alleviate the problem. Different strategies will be presented and there will be discussions on how to make the strategies work in your own situations.

1. Influencing Student
Behaviour
Peter Fenrich
Instructional Development Consultant
Learning and Teaching Centre (bcit.ca/ltc)
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Tel: 604-432-8817
Peter_Fenrich@bcit.ca

2.  Have you ever
been or known
someone who
was angry at or
frustrated with a
teacher?
 Could that have
been prevented in
the first place?
Bridge-in

3. Outcome
 By the end of this lesson, you
should be able to positively
influence student behaviour.

4. Experience as a Student
 Think about a time that a teacher
made you angry or upset.
 What did the teacher do to make
you angry or upset?
 What should the teacher have done
instead?

5. Experience as a Teacher
 As a teacher or based on anything
you witnessed, recall an incident
when a student’s behaviour needed
to be managed.
 Think about what caused the
incident.

6. Prevention in the First Place
 In groups of two or three, for each of
your incidences, discuss what, if
anything, you or the teacher could
have done to prevent the incidence
in the first place.
 This not the way to do it: Video

7. Start Well
 Since first impressions are so
important, ensure that your first class
starts well.
 What can you do to start off right?

8. Typical Things that Can Help
 Keep your students engaged.
 Randomly ask questions.
 Ask a misbehaving student a question. But,
what should you be careful about?
 Move near to a misbehaving student.
 Sometimes be at the back of the class.
 Pause until everyone is quiet.
 Be aware of what is going in.
 Know their names.
 Be “caring” (e.g., smile, be fair, be passionate,
be empathetic…).

9. If There is a Problem
 Be aware of institutional policies on
instructor conduct, student conduct,
harassment, discrimination, and
threatening and abusive behaviour.
 You can find information on the
website, in an orientation manual, or
from a department head or manager.

10. Dealing with Problems (1)
 Stay alert for potential problems.
 How can staying alert help?

11. Dealing with Problems (2a)
 In general, you should:
a) Address problems as soon as they
arise.
b) Wait to see if the problem comes
up a few times.
c) Wait until a student complains
about a problem.

12. Dealing with Problems (2b)
 Address problems as soon as they
arise.
 Why this is important?
 It should never get to this: Video

13. Dealing with Problems (3)
 Remove your student(s) from the
situation.
 Why is removing them from the
situation is important?
 How can you remove them from the
situation?

14. Dealing with Problems (4)
 Involve your student(s) in resolving
the problem.
 Why does their involvement help?

15. Dealing with Problems (5)
 Use your authority, as is
appropriate.
 This is not appropriate:
Video
 Remember, in the long
run, being democratic is
better than being
autocratic.

16. Application (1)
 Cell phone video
 What will you do to prevent this
situation?

17. Application (2)
 Imagine a potentially challenging
“behavioural” situation.
_____________________________
_____________________________
 What would you do to address it?
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________

18. Key Points to Remember
 Stay alert for problems
 Address problems quickly
 Remove students from the situation
 Involve your students
 Use your authority, if needed
 Other suggestions?
 Video summary

19. What questions about
influencing student
behaviour
do you still have?