My beliefs about classroom discipline

1. I believe that the consequences should fit the action i.e; being on phone when the student shouldn't be, take the phone away.

2. Some children may act out because they are having issues at home. make sure to asses their character, if this behavior is out of the ordinary for them talking to them about what is happening may be all you need to do.

3. Treat your students like people. If you have a positive relationship with students they will be more happy and productive in your class. less stress = more work done = less disruptions.

3.1. for example, (in a middle years school-younger) you can offer a hug or high five before class (seen on a teaching Instagram account) this offers them choice, while still having a positive interaction with every student.

4. Use an anticipatory set to get the students engaged with the learning. This way, they will be prepared for rest of class and their minds will be started and working.

5. I believe that as a teacher you should remain calm and not lose your cool on a student. This makes it seem like a power struggle and will only make them act out harder.

5.1. If needed you can always have them wait outside the classroom for you to calm down.

6. I believe that students need breaks. In long classes it is hard to pay attention for long periods of time, especially if you are not engaged. If as a teacher you stand and talk for an hour almost nobody will be listening by the end. giving small breaks to discuss the topic for one or two minutes can keep the student engaged in the learning at hand.

7. I believe that for younger children ignoring them when they act out is best. When the student talks out of turn or tries to make a joke, keep talking without hesitation until they put their hand up to speak.

7.1. This does not give them the reaction they want and so they will stop because their actions are not being tolerated

8. Let your students know what is acceptable and what is not at the beginning of the year so they know what is expected of them. I believe if the student does not clearly know the rules, they cannot follow them to the best of their ability.

9. I believe that not all broken rules need discipline. If a student accidentally breaks a rule and you can tell by their facial expression or reaction that they know it was wrong and apologize you do not need to remind them, because they clearly know.

10. I believe the parent(s) or guardian should always be informed about how their child is doing in school. This helps keep students respectful because they want to look good to their guardians.