MRS. KILLJOY AND HER STUDENTS…
Challenging Behaviour:
- Students are not listening to instructions while they are being given
and as a result, students are not completing their work properly and
making careless mistakes
- Students are taking time intended for seatwork to ask the teacher
questions, interrupting her time with other students and tasks.
Addressing the Behaviour:
- Provide quality instructions and sufficient time for students to
process the information
- Hold students accountable for positive and negative behaviours
- Address the disruptive behaviour
- Condition positive behaviours
Provide Quality Instructions and
Sufficient Time for Students to
Process the Information
EXAMPLE: Provide think time and an
opportunity to ask questions before starting
the activity.
- After instructions are given by the
teacher, there is time given to the
students to think about the
information they have just heard. This
gives the students the opportunity to
think of any points that might need
clarification.
- Students are given the opportunity to
repeat the instructions back and/or
ask any questions about the
instructions to the teacher before they
begin their work.
Strategy for Different Grades:
- Younger Grades: Detailed modeling of
expected behaviours and possible role
play; reminder for silent individual
thinking.
- Older Grades: More freedom in wait
time to indicate that they will have
some time to reflect, then after think
time proceed to questions and
clarifications.
Theories/Theorists:
- Vygotsky – clear instructions, teacher
models desired skill
-
Hold Students Accountable for
Positive and Negative Behaviours
EXAMPLE: Create a student behaviour
contract.
- Teacher and students work together
to make a contract with reasonable
expectations of classroom behaviours
and work procedures.
- Ideas might be brainstormed and
written on the board and then
transferred to a poster to be hung on
the wall and a document to be signed.
- Allowing students to contribute ideas
and possible solutions gives them a
sense of ownership of their
responsibilities in the classroom.
- By having the students sign the
document, both the teacher and the
students are held accountable for
agreed upon behavioural expectations.
Strategy for Different Grades:
- Younger Grades: A large poster for
quick reference that can be on the
wall.
- Older Grades: A printed document on
which they sign off and return to the
teacher.
Theories/Theorists:
- Erikson – initiative vs. guilt and
industry vs. inferiority
Address the Disruptive Behaviour
Condition Positive Behaviours
EXAMPLE: “See Three Before Me”
- Once individual seatwork has begun,
students are to see three peers for
clarification of instructions to answer
any questions that they may have
before directing questions to the
teacher.
- If, after checking with three
classmates, the student is still unsure,
that student (and any others
consulted) may ask the teacher their
question.
Strategy for Different Grades:
- The strategy is quite similar across
all grade levels, although the
strategy’s title might not be used for
older grades. The principle of
checking with peers to develop
understanding will still be
maintained.
Theories/Theorists:
- Vygotsky – learning from peers,
interaction
- Bandura – self regulation, selfefficacy
EXAMPLE: Token System
- After setting and agreeing to
behavioural expectations in the
classroom, the teacher and students
work together to create a reward
system to reinforce positive
behaviours (listening, questioning,
etc.).
- A token system is a reward system
with a long-term goal.
- Initially, a token will be given more
frequently in response to the desired
behaviour so that the students engage
with the strategy (ex. In the first
week the teacher needs to be generous
with tokens until the students “buy
in” to the idea and see their larger
goal in sight.)
- Once the students have bought in,
tokens will be given less frequently so
that they do not become dependent on
the reward each time they behave
properly. (Ex. A token might initially
be given if a few students interrupt
the teacher; later a token will be given
only if one of the usually interruptive
students interrupts, and so on…)
Strategy for Different Grades:
- Younger Grades: rewards might
include a jar to be filled with marbles;
once the jar is full, the class receives a
popcorn party.
- Older Grades: reward system might
be less structured meaning that it
might not have a tangible tracking
scheme. Teachers monitor good
behaviour and progress in an informal
manner, updating students on their
success and eventually rewarding
them with free time, a movie, etc.
Theories/Theorists:
- Motivation
- External Reward System
- Operant Conditioning