Be prepared. The image of the absent-minded professor works well in movies, but not so well in actual classrooms. Provide structure and stability for your students by coming to class prepared every day. If and when a discipline problem appears, there will be no opportunity to point to your own lack of dedication or preparedness.
Stay calm. You have spent years in classrooms and in your field of practice garnering the education and experience that you share with your students. Unwelcome interruptions to your lessons trample on your professional ego and feel personal. When a disruption occurs, take a moment to take a deep breath. Do not escalate the situation with a rash decision.
Search for the cause of the discipline problem. Shouting, sleeping and talking at inappropriate times are easy to spot. Finding the causes for such behavior may take time. Boredom, a short attention span, sleep deprivation, an unresolved issue at home or an untreated mental illness could all be potential causes. Invite the student who is behaving inappropriately to your office hours. Have an honest one-on-one conversation. Be firm but not a bully. Be sympathetic, but not a pushover.
Look for simple solutions. If you notice that talking, fidgeting and playing with electronic devices are a common occurrence in your classroom from several students, try a simple approach. Perhaps the class would benefit from a mid-class break of five to 10 minutes. An opportunity to stretch, make a phone call or grab a bite to eat could help refocus the students.
Engage the class. Call on students frequently. Use the responses and questions from students to move the class discussion forward. The more the students are involved with the class structure and lesson, the less time they have to be disruptive. According to the Faculty Focus website, trying to maintain an all-knowing stance with students is not the ideal way to teach. Allow your students to feel productive and important to the class.
Use peer reactions. If you have one particular student who is displaying inappropriate classroom behavior, use the reactions of well-behaved students as backup for your position. When you catch a student texting or sleeping, firmly and matter-of-factly tell the student to stop engaging in the offensive behavior. Allow the offending student to bear the brunt of the other students' exasperation over interrupting their class time.