This document provides an overview of strategies for managing student behavior in the classroom. It begins by discussing foundational principles like maintaining a calm demeanor, showing students care, and consistency. It then examines classroom management styles and recommends a democratic approach. Specific in-class techniques are outlined, like using a rewards system. For out-of-class counseling, the document recommends establishing rapport, coordinating with parents, using behavior charts, and cognitive-behavioral strategies like identifying triggers and role-playing alternatives. It stresses adapting techniques to individual students and investigating underlying causes of misbehavior.

1. E. Kent Rogers MS Mental Health
Counseling

2. • Foundational Preventative Principles
• Classroom Styles
• In Class Behavioral Techniques
–Whole-Class
–Individual
• Out of Class Session Methods
• Beyond Behaviorism
We will look at…

3. Foundational Preventative
Principles

4. Setting the Foundation
Many behavioral issues can be avoided through
a carefully created classroom environment.

5. Remember the three C’s:
1. Calm
2. Care
3. Consistency

6. 1. Calm
Avoid displays of anger
Anger is not effective…
Why?

7. • Shows emotional weakness in teacher
• Lowers student respect and affection for
teacher
• Creates atmosphere of insecurity in
students
• Students try to find security in taking
control
• Actually gives students sense of power
over teacher

8. • Amplifies student feelings of
hostility and rebellion
• Classroom becomes “us verses
teacher”
• All of this amplifies stress of
teacher and students alike
(Mr. Rosto/Mr. Daum)

9. 2. Care
Make sure you care and show you
care about the students.

10. Do people exist for the sake of
products, or products for the sake of
people?

11. • Students are primary, knowledge
secondary
• In keeping concern for students primary,
learning will happen more easily.
• Imitation (Bandura’s Bobo)
• Genuine response
(Mr. B/Mr. Odhner)

12. • How to show you care:
1. Smile
2. Greet
3. Handshake
4. Respect

13. • PRAISE OFTEN
• Effort
• Obedience
• Orderliness
• Progress
• Kindness
• Helpfulness
• Social
• Excellence
Do you get praised at work?
(Dr. D’Andrea; Dr. Mahadavi)

14. 3. Consistency
1. Set and express clear rules and
limits
2. Set and express clear consequences
for infractions
3. Post rules and limits in classroom
4. Have a clearly defined warning
system

15. • When a consequence is required,
explain to student very clearly why
• Give consequences for misbehavior
consistently according to the pre-set
rules and consequences
• Give consequences immediately after
misbehavior
• Treat all students in the same way
(Mr. A; Mrs. Steppon; Ms. Murr)

16. Lack of consistency in inescapable punishment
can result in learned helplessness . (Seligman
and Maier; 1967)
Inconsistent punishment leads to entrenched
behavior, resistant to extinction (By Deur, Jan L.;
Parke, Ross)
Inconsistent reward, however, can lead to
increased and consistent good behaviors that
continue in the absence of reward.
(So random punishment is bad, random
reward is valuable)

17. In a big school…
• Randomized homework check
• Random class reward for good class
work/behavior
• Random public individual reward for good
work/behavior

18. Classroom Styles
• Three styles of classroom
management
1. Permissive
2. Authoritarian
3. Democratic

19. Permissive
• Lack of discipline
• Students misbehave with little intervention
• Leads to increasing disruption in classroom
• Learning minimal

20. Results in…
• Disregard and disrespect for teacher
• Well-behaved students upset, may join
disruption
• Carry over into future
• Cliques and bullying to fill authority vacuum
• Insecurity
• Momentum difficult to stop
• Learned helplessness
(K.R.; Ms. Freel)

21. Authoritarian
• Rigid, uncompromising
• Uninterested in students’ views and explanations
• Harsh, arbitrary punishments for infractions
• Cold or disdainful of students
• May pick favorites
• May require students to tattle on one another

22. Results in…
• Causes resentment and hostility towards
authorities
• Hostile environment = Hate School
• Teaches might makes right, bullying
• Backlash: Defiance
(Mr. A; Mr. Odorn; Mrs. Kutter)

23. Democratic
• Concerned for students
• Classroom rules drafted together
• Consequences for infractions are explicitly
stated
• Teacher listens to all parties and adapts rules
to situation

24. • Consequences:
– Match misbehavior in severity
– Meaningful to students
– If possible, have relationship to infraction
– Implemented fairly and consistently
• Offers increasing levels of choice/freedom
• Works to make learning creative and fun

25. Results in…
• Better learning
• More creativity
• Increased initiative and leadership
• Emotional security

26. Democratic Results cont.
• Increased social skills/kindness
• Increased assumption of responsibility
• “I love school”
• “I love my teachers”
(Mr. B)

27. Understanding Students
• Behavior does not arise out of a vacuum
• We all are the composite of our upbringing,
genetics, social influences, cultural norms etc.
• When you look at a student you are looking
at an entire society.
(Charlie; Phil D)

28. Understanding Students cont.
• Family turmoil
– Parents fighting
– Older siblings excluding, bullying
– Joint family issues
• Academic Pressure
• Social Insecurity

29. • Changing Body
• Brain development
– “Adolescent brain is psychotic”
• Because of body and knowledge
developments, adolescents believe they are
fully mentally mature, but are not

30. Understanding Students cont.
• Many misbehaving students have a problem
that is outside their immediate control
– A physiological issue such as ADHD, LD, PDD or a
mood disorder
– Family problems
– Poverty
– Poor parenting at home
– Lack of social skills, poor or no friends
– Cultural issues such as being of a low caste or
minority
(Priyata)

31. • Understanding and caring does not mean
leniency, permissiveness

32. Classroom Management
Skills

33. Class-wide Techniques
1. Marbles in a Jar:
– Good class b’vior, marbles in; poor b’vior,
marbles out.
– Full Jar = Reward (Positive Reinforcement)
• Remember to somewhat randomize reward schedule

34. Leads to…
• Creates sense of team
• Creates sense of pride
• Creates sense of responsibility
• Creates sense of agency
• Promotes desired behavior

35. Class-wide Techniques cont.
• Train class in a call-response after which they
know to be silent; e.g.
– Teacher:“One, two, three, eyes on me!”
– Class: “One, two, eyes on you!”
– Teacher: “Don’t talk to teacher; Don’t talk to
friends”
– Class: “Now is the time for si-lence.”

36. Leads to…
• Makes quieting down into a fun game.
(Operant: Positive Reinforcement)
• Ritual enforces compliance (Classical
Conditioning)
• Whole class speaking in unison greatly
raises chances of compliance—the
whole class is in effect agreeing to be
quiet. (Social Conformity)

37. On the Spot Steps for Compliance
Progressive steps to obtain compliance:
1. Proximity
2. Eye contact
3. State required activity (do not request)

38. 4. Hand on shoulder
5. Allow seven seconds, then state again
with consequence explained for failure to
comply
6. Allow seven seconds and then implement
consequence

39. How is this effective?
• Reveals teacher’s self-discipline—not
shouting
• Reveals teacher to be powerful--can enforce
expectations
• Reveals teacher means business—not just
words, but body is involved
• Other students will take note of actions

40. Individualized In-Class Motivation
• Climb a Tree /
Hot Air Balloon.

41. • Positive Reinforcement (Going Up)
• Negative Reinforcement (Going Down)
• Positive Reinforcement (Reward)
• Positive Reinforcement (Esteem)
• Positive Reinforcement (Pride)

42. • In St. Xavier’s many student in each
classroom, making this intervention difficult.
An options is if you don’t have to reprimand
a student in a day, the name goes up.

43. Out of Class Counseling
Strategies

44. STEP ONE:
ESTABLISH RAPPORT

45. 1. Rapport. Without rapport, even
excellent interventions will not work.
Rapport is a relationship intentionally
developed by the counselor in which the
student feels safe with the counselor,
trust in the counselor, understood and a
sense of positive connection.

46. • More so than in clinical settings, rapid
behavioral change is expected in schools and
contact time with the client (student) is less,
so building rapport quickly is vital.

47. • To build rapport rapidly:
–Play doodle game
–Play rock, paper scissors
–Play guessing games
–Ask about/discuss interests, games TV, movies,
food etc

48. How to Build Rapport cont.
–Share related stories
–Get the students laughing
–Be genuine (about who you are and
that you care for both student and
school)
–Be ally, not school’s enforcer, yet be
clear about objectives
–Give a small candy after sessions

49. • Listen
• Neutrality
• Reserve disbelief
• Show other sides
• Remind of school expectations
• Offer to talk to teacher
Handling Problematic Students without
breaching rapport

50. STEP TWO:
ESTABLISH GOOD, ONGOING
RELATIONSHIP WITH PARENTS

51. • Have initial and ongoing meetings
• Consider home consequences
• Assess each case
• “Busy Book”/ “Communication Book”
• Avoid “my bad book” with pictures etc.
• Family coaching at times

52. STEP THREE:
USE A BEHAVIOR CHART

53. Make a self-monitoring chart like this
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
B’fore Break 3 1
After Break 2 2
After Lunch 2 1
Teach Sig. Mr. Rogers
The goal is that students begin thinking about,
monitoring and altering own behavior. For any
ratings of one, review incident with the ABC’s (see
below).

54. STEP FOUR:
USE THE ABC’S OF BEHAVIORISM

55. 1. Antecedent
2. Behavior
3. Consequence

56. Investigate Antecedents
Antecedents include:
•Emotional state (e.g. grumpy, excited)
•Biological state (e.g. hungry, tired)
•General env’ment (rowdy; Mrs. Thapa’s class)
•Specific triggers (Anil tapped me with pencil)
•Behavioral indicators (clenched teeth, fists, etc)

57. Review Behavior
–Behavior: “I hit Anil”
• Helps form mental associations
• Helps self-awareness
• Helps develop self honesty

58. Review Consequences
–Consequence include
• Social: friend mad, other students look down
• Disciplinary: had to see the principal
• Home: Dad and Mom got mad, grounded me
• Emotional: Felt guilty, angry
• Reputational: Teachers think I’m bad
• Self-perception: Feel like I’m no good

59. STEP FIVE:
BRAINSTORM

60. • Brainstorm for alternative
behavioral responses
• Have student select a repertoire of
new behavioral choices from the
list.

61. STEP FIVE:
ROLE-MODEL AND REHEARSAL

62. • Recent
• Act out as occurred.
• Reverse roles and repeat
• With roles still reversed, act out new
• Repeat in opposite roles
• Repeat this final step several times.

63. Rehearse four steps of moving
through upset
• Identify trigger
• “Life’s not fair” (deep breath)
• “I Forgive and move on”
• Apologize if required

64. STEP SIX:
ESTABLISH REWARDS AND
CONSEQUENCES

65. • Most people find intrinsic reward in
doing well and in getting along, but
students with behavioral issues need
extra incentive.
• Find rewards for good behavior (a score
of seven or higher per day on the chart)
that are meaningful to student but not
excessive.

66. •Find consequences for poor behavior (any
incident warranting a “1”) that is meaning-
ful proportionate and quickly
implementable.
•Decide if it is best for teacher to reward/give
negative consequence, counselor or a
combination

67. Rewards and Punishments should be:
1. Proportionate to behavior
2. Meaningful to the student
3. Have reference to the behavior issue if possible
4. Implemented immediately or as soon as
possible
5. Punishments should be implemented
consistently
6. Decided upon with student’s input
7. Delivered without display of emotion

68. STEP SEVEN:
ASSESS, ADAPT, PHASE OUT

69. • Assess progress regularly
• Adapt treatment plan if progress is
absent
• If progress has been achieved, phase
out rewards so that behavior is
maintained in the absence of
concrete rewards

70. Different Contingency Plans
• Group success—Group Reward
• Individual success—Individual Reward
• Individual Success—Group Reward
• Group Success—Individual Reward

71. Beyond Behaviorism

72. • Studies that investigated the most effective
therapy style (psychoanalysis, behaviorism,
client-centered, cognitive-behavioral etc.)
have revealed that the only factor that
influences positive outcome is rapport—in
other words, a genuine and positive
relationship between therapist and patient.

73. Behaviors don’t arise in a vacuum
• Investigate family, personal past, medical
issues, substance use/abuse, peer issues
• Help student to develop better insight into
why they may be behaving as they do
based on findings.

74. Personality factors
–Investigate attitudes, worldview and beliefs. Look
for:
• Unrealistic expectations of others
• Lack of remorse/guilt
• Failure to accept responsibility
–Most difficult
–Combination of honesty and care.
–Help learn new ones

75. Cognitive Factors
Investigate thoughts
–Look especially for skewed perceptions
indicated by words such as “always” “never”
“hopeless” “nobody.” Also look for
black/white thinking, catastrophising and
negative prediction
–Help student to adopt new, healthier thought
patterns

76. Physiological Factors
Remain alert to underlying physiological and
emotional factors such as ADHD, LD, PDD,
Depression, Anxiety and other Autism
spectrum disorders, etc.
• What about “labeling?”

77. Meditation
With behaviorally distrubed students
ages 8-11, it was found that Benson's
meditative‐relaxation technique reduced
disruptive behaviors significantly more
than a control group who merely relaxed
during the same daily 20 minute
sessions.
Redfering & Bowman (2009)