Explain classroom rules to students so that they understand what's expected of them. Define acceptable behavior and unacceptable behavior in a set of classroom rules for everyone to see. Read the rules to younger children and strive to be fair and consistent with these rules.
Praise children for good behavior. Redirect bad behavior, such as throwing paper, into positive behavior, such as helping with passing out classroom materials. Some children need a job in the classroom to curb antisocial behavior.
Role-play with the children using puppets. Create a good student play. Show a puppet who acts appropriately at school with raising her hand, speaking kindly to others and working quietly.
Teach good behavior skills, such as listening and being polite. Some children may not have learned these social skills prior to the classroom. Assign children lessons to teach them. For example, set up a listening game, such as telephone, where children whisper into the ear of their neighbor, then that child passes the whisper onto the next person.
Identify children with behavioral problems in preschool or elementary school. Look for children who talk back and consistently disobey the teacher. Set up a meeting with the child's parents to discuss any problems at home, such as divorce or substance abuse.
Teach children to self-monitor their behavior. Target one behavior at a time, such as raising your hand before speaking in class. Give a piece of paper to the child with a happy face and a sad face. Every time the child doesn't raise his hand, check off the sad face. When the child does raise his hand, check off the happy face. Instruct the child to do this himself.
Meet with parents about the child's self-monitoring program and agree to meet every month to discuss the child's progress. Praise the child when he's able to self-monitor and change his behavior. Work on other issues after the first problem is solved.