Disruptive behavior is a problem that teachers see in their classroom on a frequent basis. Students may yell or talk out of turn to gain attention from you or their classmates. This disturbance affects all members of your classroom because it takes away from their learning experience. Establish clear rules regarding when students may talk during class discussions and individual work. If necessary, remove the disruptive students so they are not distracting other members of your classroom.
Bullying is a problem you may encounter in your classroom. Bullying occurs at any age and may be as simple as calling other students names, or as severe as physical hitting or kicking. Either way, bullying is a behavior that must not be tolerated in your classroom. Prevent this by creating a strong classroom community where students view each other in a positive manner and respect one another. This discourages bullying because your classroom feels safe and accepted in your community environment.
Students may have difficulty paying attention in school. Assuming this is not related to a disability, it is important to address this issue and discover the reason behind it. Students who are disinterested in the material and show a lack of attention are more likely to engage in bad behavior. Keep students interested in the academic material and vary your lesson plans to include activities geared toward a variety of learning styles and interests. Students who are interested in their schoolwork and the learning process have less time to act out in your classroom.
The most effective way to deal with behavior problems in your classroom is to establish clear expectations of correct behavior with your students. Focus on appropriate behavior, and set specific rules and expectations of the way you want students to act in a variety of situations. At the start of the year, bring together your students and discuss these ideas with them. Ask them for contributions and come to a community agreement on a set of class rules. Include a list of consequences if students choose to break a classroom rule. This will inevitably occur at various points, no matter how hard you work to avoid it.