Developing Your Classroom Management Plan

It is helpful to divide the subject of classroom discipline into three types: Preventive, Supportive, and Corrective. Although you may find one category more suitable to your personal teaching style than another, circumstances will often call for alternate disciplinary approaches. When developing your own classroom management plan it is important, therefore, to carefully consider the appropriate role of each type.

The Three Types:
Preventive Discipline -- measures taken to preempt misbehavior by keeping students engaged.
Supportive Discipline -- measures taken to assist students with self-control by helping them get back on task.
Corrective Discipline -- measures taken when students are not following classroom or school rules.

To Do: Click on the radio buttons to select which type of discipline matches the actions on the left. Then click "Submit."

Characteristic	Your Answer	Correct Answer
Make your curriculum as worthwhile and enjoyable as possible.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Redirect misbehavior in positive directions.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Learn to catch students' eyes and use head shakes, frowns, and hand signals.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Remove distractive objects such as toys, comics, notes, and the like.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Ask your students for input and help.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Make sure consequences are consistent when students break a class rule.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Reach clear understandings with your students about appropriate class conduct.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Restructure difficult work by changing the activity or providing help.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Discuss and practice the behaviors to which you have jointly agreed.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Use physical proximity when non-verbal signals are ineffective.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Invoke a consequence appropriate to any particular misbehavior in accordance with class rules.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Be the best role model you can be by showing concern, etiquette, courtesy, and helpfulness.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Inject humor into lessons that have become tiring.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

Speak with students privately about reasons for troublesome behavior.	Preventive Supportive Corrective

About the Three Types of Discipline

Preventive
Preventing misbehavior is obviously preferable to dealing with it after it has occurred. Most experts contend that the best way to prevent classroom misbehavior is to provide a stimulating curriculum that involves students so successfully that they spend little time thinking of misbehaving. As you plan your discipline system, emphasize preventive discipline by giving strong attention to the following:

Make your curriculum as worthwhile and enjoyable as possible.
Remember that students crave fun, belonging, freedom, power, and dignity.
Be pleasant and helpful.
Involve and empower your students by asking them for input and help.
Reach clear understandings with your students about appropriate class conduct.
Discuss and practice behaviors to which you have jointly agreed.
Continually emphasize good manners, self respect, and respect for others.
Be a role model.

Supportive
All students may become restive and subject to temptation at times. When signs of incipient misbehavior appear, bring supportive discipline into play. This facet of discipline assists students with self-control by helping them get back on task. Often only the student involved knows it has been used. The following tactics are suggested for supportive discipline.

Use signals directed to a student needing support.
Learn to catch students' eyes and use head shakes, frowns, and hand signals.
Use physical proximity when signals are ineffective.
Show interest in student work. Ask cheerful questions or make favorable comments.
Sometimes provide a light challenge: "Can you complete five more before we stop?"
Restructure difficult work by changing the activity or providing help.
Give hints, clues, or suggestions to help students progress.
Inject humor into lessons that have become tiring. Students appreciate it.
Remove distractive objects such as toys, comics, notes, and the like. Return them later.
Acknowledge good behavior in appropriate ways and at appropriate times.
Use hints and suggestions as students begin to drift toward misbehavior.
Show that you recognize students' discomfort: ask for a few minutes more of focused work.

Corrective
Even the best efforts in preventive and supportive discipline cannot eliminate all misbehavior. When students violate rules, you must deal with the misbehavior expeditiously. Corrective discipline should neither intimidate students nor prompt power struggles; but rather should proceed as follows:

Stop disruptive misbehavior. It is usually best not to ignore it.
Talk with the offending student or invoke a consequence appropriate to the misbehavior in accordance with class rules.
Remain calm and speak in a matter-of-fact manner.
Follow through consistently on promised consequences.
Redirect misbehavior in positive directions.
If necessary, talk with students privately about misbehavior. Ask how you can help.
Be ready to invoke an insubordination rule for students who refuse to stop misbehaving.