Using Consequences to Improve Classroom Management

Every school staffroom in the world has different ideas on how to deal with problematic behavior, but an alarming percentage of teachers believe that taking a punitive approach is the way to go.

Physical punishment as a deterrent to undesirable behavior was prohibited in schools roughly 50 years ago, leaving many instructors virtually impotent when dealing with troublesome students due to their continued reliance on a reactive, punitive approach.

Many furious instructors scream out, "We can't cane them, so what can we do?" Even if it were still permitted, some teachers would not need to cane their students.

Some teachers yell at, threaten, insult, shame, and harshly penalize troublesome students, believing that doing more of the same would eventually lead to good change.

The hostile/punitive strategy has four major flaws in my opinion:

For starters, it relies on the presence of a 'punisher,' which discourages self-monitoring and absolves the student of accountability. A concentration on 'managing' students through punishment will result in hesitant obedience at best.

Anyone can make a kid comply if the punishment is severe enough, but this method of control does not encourage or educate good behavior; it just says 'don't do that!' and does nothing to explain how and why the right action should be taken. Many young people just haven't been shown 'how' to act responsibly and have little self-motivation to do so in these days of ineffectual parenting, hedonistic attitudes, and media preoccupied with smut and violence. If we want our children's behavior to improve, we must instill responsibility in them; external control (and rewards, for that matter) merely take it away.

Second, it only results in a transient decrease in undesirable behavior. When the punishment is lifted, the behavior generally returns, resulting in an increasingly frustrated employee. If a light punishment doesn't work using a punitive/hostile approach, logic says that the amount of punishment must be escalated until the intended impact is achieved. "Where on earth do we draw the line?" begs the question.

Third, it degrades the crucial teacher-student interaction. When interacting with students, those who use a punitive/hostile approach consider relationships as a waste of time and are unconcerned with the sentiments of the students they educate. It's odd that these professors are frequently the ones that complain the most about student behavior.

Teachers who choose to regard 'problem' students as 'problem pupils,' and reach out with offers of support, assistance, trust, and respect, on the other hand, have the best success in preventing and dealing with incidences of negative behavior. Those who regard healthy connections as an important aspect of teaching can frequently work miracles with the most difficult students - without the need for sanctions, sophisticated and intricate incentive systems, or a school's behavior policy that is unorganized, unstructured, or incomplete.

Finally, and probably most concerning from a teacher's perspective, harsh punishment fosters fear, distrust, and animosity among students, as well as the urge to exact revenge.

While punishments might encourage obedient, typically well-behaved children to follow rules, they can also encourage strong-willed non-compliant youngsters to rebel. It is quite detrimental to achieving essential employability in the long run. Punishments are only effective with children who already know how to behave; they are ineffective with children who need to learn how to behave.

As a kid, I got my fair share of canings, whippings, and slaps, both in and out of school, and I can honestly state that it didn't help me behave any better. It just improved my ability to avoid detection and planted the seeds of vengeance and hate for those who attempted to dominate me.

What is the solution? So, sanctions aren't the solution. What is that? Surely I'm not advocating that we let them off the hook anytime they make a mistake?

No. I propose two extremely sensible choices

First and foremost, concentrate on preventing behavior issues in the first place. Second, via consistent limits and fair, reasonable punishments, 'train' children to act appropriately. This isn't rocket science, as I already stated.

Committed instructors are inherently good at preventing difficulties. They attempt to aid challenged students by maintaining a positive mindset that views obstacles as learning opportunities. To automate their classes and create required limits, they established a uniform framework of rules and procedures. They then focus on satisfying the needs of the students through clear communication, strong relationships, encouragement, acknowledgment, and highly engaging activities, all while acting as role models for the behavior they anticipate that will make them future leaders. Problems are kept to a minimum when these components are in place. The needs-focused method described at www.behaviourneeds.com goes into further depth on this, but the key line is that when needs are addressed, there are fewer reasons to misbehave.

We will surely have difficulties in class, regardless of how much we focus on prevention, and this is where penalties come in. Consequences transform issues into chances for learning.

Consequences are a democratic, respectful, and equitable reaction to misbehavior. Unlike penalties, they do not mock, disgrace, humiliate, or punish in an unjust manner.

Kids are quick to identify unfair and unjustified penalties meted out by enraged instructors, and they are equally eager to speak up in return. If a teacher goes too far in terms of punishment or shame for a single student, the entire class may turn against them without knowledge building. And this has the potential to magnify a pretty minor issue by 35 times. Consequences are distinct in that they focus on the behavior rather than the child. All too frequently, teachers identify students based on their behavior, making penalties appear to be personal attacks.

Above all, penalties instill responsibility and accountability, as well as the desired behavior. Life is frequently said to be the best teacher, and realistic, well-considered consequences may help young people learn from their own errors.

Consequences usually entail the temporary removal or restriction of whatever was causing the problem, in order to show that good behavior leads to a better end. Here is a list of possible outcomes, as well as an example of a punishing alternative.

If they overuse or ruin equipment, temporarily remove it from them:

- "Stop swinging your chair around. If you do that again, I'll take your chair away and have you sit or stand for 10 minutes on the floor."

- "You're well aware that wearing a hat to school is prohibited. Place it in your bag or it will be placed in mine until the conclusion of the school day."

- "Put your headphones in your locker or I'll hold them till the end of the day."

- Punitive: "That's all for now! In class, I informed you about headphones. Help them to be innovative. I'll take those and return them when I'm through!"
- "Those are yours till the end of the semester!"
- "Remove that hat, you're looking stupid, and it's against the rules! Go stand outside the staffroom until I'm ready to pick you up!"

Take away some of their time if they are late or wasting your time:

- "Vicky, you're three minutes late for class. You will leave 3 minutes behind the rest of the group."

- "You've just squandered 5 minutes of class time, Simon. You will return to work for five minutes at the start of break time."

- Punitive: "I'm fed up with you squandering my time! Check it out - you've had detention every lunch hour this week!"

Remove rights for a period of time if they abuse them.

"You were allowed to sit in the cafeteria during recess as long as you didn't annoy anyone. That privilege will be taken away from you for the following week."

- Punitive: "I trusted you to behave, but you've already demonstrated that you can't. You can no longer spend the holidays at home!"

Allow children to practice correct conduct if they participate in inappropriate behavior: "Hey, you weren't meant to rush down the hallway." During your break, instead of sprinting, you will practice strolling."

- "All five of you have taken much too long to discreetly line up." Come to my room at the start of a break for a 10-minute practice session."

"Don't run!" says the punitive. DON'T RUN, I said! Right, you've earned two detentions: one for running and the other for ignoring me!"

Separate them from the activity briefly if they interrupt it.

- "You've demonstrated that you can't operate as part of a team. For the following 10 minutes, you can sit next to me and work on your own. I'll let you rejoin the group after you've accomplished it."

"Get OUT!" is the punishment.

Teachers are educated individuals, but many don't seem to understand that the more you make students' lives difficult and rely on punitive methods, the worse they will treat you and the more difficult your work will become.

Bottom line

If you want to make your life in the classroom simpler, avoid being harsh or aggressive, and encourage them to be creative, travel lovers in different countries, and honest.

References

https://www.careercliff.com/good-morning-in-different-languages/

https://www.lifesimile.com/when-your-partner-cheats-on-you/

https://www.seafishpool.com/oarfish-facts-habitat-earthquakes-prediction/

https://www.dogdwell.com/black-chinese-shar-pei/

https://www.birdbaron.com/eurasian-spoonbill/

https://www.hippohaven.com/hippo-diet-what-do-hippos-eat/

https://www.rhinorest.com/greater-one-horned-rhino/

https://www.primatespark.com/fun-facts-about-vegetarians/

https://www.quotesmuse.com/peace-of-mind-quotes/

https://www.triviaquestionquiz.com/true-or-false-trivia/

https://www.biographyicon.com/ferdinand-magellan-voyage-death-route-facts/