Some Classroom Manag

ement Problems, their R

easons and Solutions

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MANAGING CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
The following are just a sampling of behavior problems the teacher encounters
in her daily teaching:
1. James interrupts the teacher’s discussion by talking and making noise.
2. Regina cannot “stay put” on his seat as he goes several times to the waste can throwing
anything.
3. Mark seems to be busy looking around the room watching other pupils, his attention
not focused on the teacher.
4. Rommel argues and fights with other children very often.
5. Ana often goes out of the room without permission.
6. Camille teases her classmates which usually ends up in bullying.
7. Beth keeps herself busy without paying attention to the teacher.
8. Sheila comes late often, her entrance disrupting class discussions.
A classification of children’s behavior developed by Quay and his co-workers
(Quay, 1979) showed four (4) types of behavior disorder or clusters that the
teacher should be aware of.

1. Children described as having a conduct disorder are likely to be disobedient

and/or disruptive, get into fights, bossy and have temper tantrums;
2. A personality disorder in children which is identified by social withdrawal,
anxiety, depression, feelings of inferiority, guilt, shyness and unhappiness;
3. Immaturity which is characterized by a short attention span, extreme passivity,
daydreaming, and preference for younger classmates; and
4. Socialized aggression which is marked by truancy, gang membership, theft and
a feeling of pride in belonging to a delinquent sub-culture organization.
• Problem
• Often when her class are
about to embark on an
activity it occurs to her that
all the whispers and puzzled
faces mean that they haven't
a clue what to do. 
• Reasons
a) instructions weren’t clear for students;
b) instructions were too complicated;
c) classroom management wasn’t on a proper
level;
d) pre-task activity was omitted;
e) task is not appropriate for the students’
knowledge.
f) few auditory learners in the class.
• Solution
a ) make clear, short and slow instructions
again; use visual help; use body language,
gestures, eye contact, facial expressions;
don’t speak low monotone or a high-
pitched voice , it can be difficult to
understand or grating to the ears; speak on
the right volume, don’t speak too fast..
b) solve problems with discipline, insist on
attention during the lesson(even if you
must dedicate to it the whole lesson ),
explain your students that their poor
knowledge is the result of their
disorganization.
c) work in groups, monitor and help weak
pairs. Call the strongest pair to the blackboard
to present their work to the class.
d) do the pre-task activity with the class,
translate or explain in English the new
vocabulary.
e) check if students are ready for the task
according to their previous knowledge.
f) use a lot of visual support and flash cards. 
• Problem
• One group of students has n
o interest in learning English
and she wonders why she is
wasting her time. 
• Reasons
a) this group of students have fallen behind
their study;
b) the activity doesn’t cover their learning
style;
c) the group was formed from one learning
style students or students all with the same
low learning skills
• Solution
a) uninterested group of students needs
extra work to cope with their educational
problems;

b) a teacher has to adopt the activity to her

‘uninterested group’ learning style;

c) correctly reform the group.

Move properly
Sitting behind a desk or standing on a dais creates a
"distance" between the teacher and the students. Try to have
an aisle and enough space between the rows so that you can
easily reach those at the back. This way you can talk to
individual students, allow the shy ones to ask questions
quietly without the fear of embarrassment, as well as check
their work and help them .

Some movement on your side is essential, because it allows

the students to focus on you. 
Stepping forward to emphasize a point, small steps towards
different sides of the class lets the student feel that the
teacher is taking genuine interest in what he or she is
saying 
• Problem
• Every time she puts the stude
nts in groups but they just tal
k in their L1 and usually abo
ut
topics unrelated to the
class 
.
• Reasons
a) the topic is not interested to the
students;
b) students have little vocabulary
to speak the topic;
c) bad group formation, no leader;
d) low motivation and little control

from the teacher.

• Solution
a) find the topic challenging the age group of
your students;
b) practice the new vocabulary, use different
aids to support all types of learners;
c) change group members to balance their
group work, avoid close friends in the group.
d) Monitor, advise and motivate the students
with brilliant marks and praise.
• Problem
• The course book she is using
is terrible. It is too easy for
the students and they get
bored easily. She doesn’t
want to spend hours planning
as they don’t seem interested
anyway
.
• Reasons
a) low motivation;
b) boring lessons;
c) the course book is not relevant
to the students’ abilities and
knowledge.
• Solution
a-b-c) It's important to keep to the program,
not to the course book, change the book
when possible; if not, add some readers and
grammar books; prepare songs, chants and
games on the topic you need; do projects,
involve students in self-study, encourage to
go to the library and use the Internet; use a
lot of different visual, auditorial and
kinesthetic materials; look through your
classroom management, correct it, make your
lessons lively. 
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
APPROACH/
COMMON EVALUATION
STRATEGY
CLASSROOM
TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS
Change your body language and the tone
of your voice - Giving a student a stern look
or taking a step towards him or her will often
get his or her attention, as it tells the student
The strategies used by the teachers
1.Talkative that you have your eye on him or her. were all appropriate in managing
Raising your voice may help the students
students during hear you, but yelling will usually do no more
the talkativeness of the students.
No one is physically or emotionally
class discussion than make your throat sore. Lowering your harmed by these approaches.
voice to a near whisper will often force
students to stop talking, because they won't
be able to hear you otherwise.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
APPROACH/
COMMON EVALUATION
STRATEGY
CLASSROOM
TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

Change your body language

and the tone of your voice -
Giving a student a stern
look or taking a step towards him
or her The strategies used by
will often get his or her
attention, as it tells the student
the
teachers were all
1.Talkative that you have your eye on him
appropriate in
or her. raising your voice may
students help the managing the
during students hear you, but yelling talkativeness of
will usually the students.
class do no more than make your No one is physically or
discussion throat sore. emotionally harmed by
Lowering your voice to a near
these
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
APPROACH/
COMMON EVALUATION
STRATEGY
CLASSROOM
TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

Move the disruptive

student(s) The strategies used by
to a different seat in the the
room – teachers were all
1.Talkative In most cases, students appropriate in
who sit managing the
students talkativeness of
with their friends are
during the students.
bound to talk during class.
class On the other hand, some
No one is physically or
discussion emotionally harmed by
students may be these
unstoppable and will try to approaches.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
APPROACH/
COMMON EVALUATION
STRATEGY
CLASSROOM
TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS
The strategies used by
Give the disruptive the
student teachers were all
1.Talkative (s) a "time-out" - Have appropriate in
students the student(s) sit in an managing the
empty seat in the back of talkativeness of
during the room, away from the the students.
class No one is physically or
rest of the class, stand in a emotionally harmed by
discussion corner, or stand in the these
hallway. approaches.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
APPROACH/
COMMON EVALUATION
STRATEGY
CLASSROOM
TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

Give additional tasks

and assignments to the
whole class – The strategies used by
By giving the entire class the
teachers were all
more
1.Talkative appropriate in
work as a result of one or managing the
students two talkativeness of
during disruptive students, you the students.
class will No one is physically or
discussion promote self-discipline emotionally harmed by
within the these
approaches.
 away from the rest of the class, stand in a corner, or stand in the hallway.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES

APPROACH/
COMMON EVALUATION
STRATEGY
CLASSROOM
TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

Some teachers allow cell We agree on how the

phones to be on the teacher
vibrate setting as long as manages this problem. We
2. Cell Phone as
they are attended to at the
Disruption in the students know that we
break can't avoid bringing cell
middle of the
rather than used when it phone inside the
class classroom because it is
which
discussion or very useful especially in
interrupts the class.
activity times of emergencies.
Teachers are also As a teacher we should
(e.g. habitually
encouraged to abide by also be
texting, attending responsible on the use of
this rule. Allow for at least
unimportant cell
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
APPROACH/
COMMON EVALUATION
STRATEGY
CLASSROOM
TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

If a student were caught

habitually texting even at We agree on how the
2. Cell Phone the middle of the teacher
Disruption in class discussion/group manages this problem. We
activity as
the students know that we
middle of the (just for the fun of texting, can't avoid bringing cell
class even phone inside the
classroom because it is
discussion or after reminder him/her to very useful especially in
attend
activity to his/her cell phone
times of emergencies.
As a teacher we should
(e.g. habitually later). also be
texting, responsible on the use of
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
APPROACH/
COMMON EVALUATION
STRATEGY
CLASSROOM
TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

Sleeping in class is
usually Managing the
considered rude. Most of problem which is
the student
teachers believe it should sleeping during
not be tolerated and is class
3. best curbed up front by period is very
Sleeping waking a sleeping student
and asking them to step
much
during outside with appreciated
you. because of how
class Once there teacher often the teacher
tell students that it’s best handle
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON APPROACH/
CLASSROOM STRATEGY EVALUATION
PROBLEMS TECHNIQUE

This occurs from time to

time and you obviously are
the one to
choose lenience or
punitive action. If it’s one And if the reason is
3. of your more regularly that the student
Sleeping involved students,
perhaps give
doesn’t feel well the
teacher shows
during them an option of an extra concern to
credit
class research assignment they
the health and well
being of the student.
period can bring to your next
class period covering
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS
•An alternative approach is to
assume that
the student does not feel well,
was up most of the night with a
sick child, or has some
other condition that results in
sleepiness And if the reason is
3. when still for long periods of that the student
Sleeping time. You
might simply choose to wake the
doesn’t feel well the
teacher shows
during student and ask them if they are
feeling alright. concern to
class •To pull this off you need to the health and well
approach it being of the student.
period with true concern for the
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS
•An alternative approach is to
assume that
the student does not feel well,
was up most of the night with a
sick child, or has some
other condition that results in
sleepiness And if the reason is
3. when still for long periods of that the student
Sleeping time. You
might simply choose to wake the
doesn’t feel well the
teacher shows
during student and ask them if they are
feeling alright. concern to
class •To pull this off you need to the health and well
approach it being of the student.
period with true concern for the
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS
•Encourage students to
actively
participate, take notes
(explain that this is helpful to
their learning as it
stimulates memory in the
brain) and in particularly long
And if the reason is
3. classes break up the
that the student
session with activities or
Sleeping paired
doesn’t feel well the
teacher shows
during conversations about a topic to
concern to
ensure
class that students stay engaged.
the health and well
being of the student.
Students
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

There should be clear

parameters set around
this issue up front –
either in your syllabus or
in the
We agreed on how
class decided norms.
the
Stick to your guns on the
teacher manages
policy.
this kind of
4. Some fair policies might
problem. There
Repeated should be clear
include 3 tardiness equals
cut
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS
We cannot force students to
speak in class nor
participate in group projects.
This can be addressed and Yes it's true that
become a win-win situation teachers
by either giving the cannot force the
student alternative options students to speak in
to verbal class. We agree
5. Refusal participation (unless it’s a
speech class) or simply
in praising
students'
the

to carefully coaxing some minimal effort

response out of them and because
Participat praising with that students
whatever minimal effort you will
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS
In some cultures, students
work A classroom is filled
together to produce with different

6. homework.
It may come as a shock to
students with
different culture and

Sharing/ these
students that they cannot
as a
good teacher you
submit should
Copying identical work. This may also be flexible and
come aware of
of Work as a surprise to couples, your student's
parent-child, culture.
siblings, or close friends.
• CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

Be careful to give thought to

how you will handle this
before you encounter it and
6. react as if it were intentional
cheating.
How the teacher
deals with her
Sharing/ This can also occur when the
class does a great deal of
problem here is
agreeable because
Copying group work. Make sure
you are clear about what is
of her
awareness of her
of Work individual
vs. group work in your
students' culture.

assignments.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

Call the attention of these We agreed that the

7. Students students and send them to parents/guardian
were the principals or guidance must know
office for sanction or what their
caught appropriate disciplinary children/ward
cheating measures. Requiring each is doing in the
student concern to bring school
during their parents or legal particularly, help
exams/test guardian to inform them them motivate their
about the acts done by their children/ward
s children. to study well.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS
Talk to the student
The reality is that sometimes concern about his/her
students just don’t like you. behavior and look at
You will find the
yourself in a conversation deeper reason why
with he/she
yourself about why they behaves that way. If
don’t like you and treat you nothing has change,
8. with disrespect. the
Disrespect Animosity will perpetuate Teacher could request
ful itself so the
remember your role and look student to bring
Behavior for a his/her
way to positively invite the parent/guardian and
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

Call the attention of the With these

9. students approaches, we c
Unauthorize concern and inquire on the an see that the
d cutting of reasons teacher
why they cut classes or are monitors the welfare
Classes or usually of his/her students,
frequent absent from school. he/she is not
absenteeism Give them warnings that too lenient nor too
similar harsh.
events will be subject to
consequence.
Talk to the parents/guardian
of the students concern
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

Camps are divided as to We also agree on how

10. whether or not students
should ask for permission to
Leaving leave for bathroom breaks or
wait
class too for a break in the class. I
don’t require my students to
frequent limit their bathroom
breaks or ask permission,
ly however,
this is contentious for some
faculty when breaks are
taken too frequently.
the teacher handles
his/her students’
problem Always know
first what is the
reason behind, ask
the student if she/he
has some physical
problem and for the
teacher to know how
she can handle this
problem
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
COMMON
APPROACH/
CLASSROOM EVALUATION
STRATEGY TECHNIQUE
PROBLEMS

You might privately ask the and if the student

10. student if everything is OK
so that they know that you
says that he/she
doesn’t have any
Leaving are concerned by their
behavior. Don’t assume
physical problem
then it is the time the
class too disrespect – it might be a teacher can talk to
bladder infection or some the student about
frequent other physical problem. leaving the classroom
frequently and advise
ly the student not to go
out frequently
because he/she will
miss the discussion.
 References:
Rodriguez, L. (n.d.). 4faculty. In classroom management. Retrieved
february 22, 2010, from http://www.4faculty.org/includes/108r2.jsp.
Common Classroom Management Problems & Their Solutions. (n. d.).
Retrieved February 22, 2010, from Peace Corps - Bulgaria's TEFL
Resources webpage Website:
http://pctefl.hit.bg/CM_Problems_Solutions.htm
Classroom management. (n. d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved February 22,
2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classroom_management
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT ISSUES
 Teacher’s Reflection
•Could this problem •Is this behavior
be a developmentally
result of appropriate?
inappropriate •Do I focus on a
curriculum or
behavioral
teaching
strategies? excess or a
deficiency?
•What do I demand
•Will resolution of the
and prohibit?
•Why do certain problem solve
 Good Teaching
Instructional goals are clear
Knowledgeable of content and
strategies for teaching it
Student expectations are clearly Described
Provide practice that enrich and clarify content
Teach metacognitive strategies
 Good Teaching
Knowledgeable about student’s abilities,
adapt instruction according to their needs
Monitor student progress
Provide feedback
Accept responsibility for student
outcomes
Are thoughtful and reflective about their
practice
Teacher Behaviors
Provide frequent positive praise and
reinforcement
Ignore minor misbehaviors
Reward positive behaviors
Avoid power struggles with
students
Do students like being in the
classroom?
Students are achieving academic and
social gain
 Teacher Behaviors Cont.
Provide clear behavioral expectations -
rules should
state what students should do
Teacher expectations should be high for
all students
Signal control: audible or body language
to cue student
Blocking: teacher moves between two
students to
 Selecting Rules
Allow students to give input
Base rules on acceptable behavior
State rules positively
Select 5 or 6 rules
Select rules for academic and social
behaviors
Change rules when necessary Relate rules
to
E FL Syllabus goals Consider cultural
differences
ABC’s to Behavior Management

Antecedent
Behavior
Consequences
Defining Behavior
Describe behavior objectively and
precisely
(not: “he irritates me”)
Can you observe the behavior when it
begins and when
it stops
– can you count the number of occurrences
each day
– can you measure the duration of the
behavior
Identifying Antecedents

• What are the events or conditions that imme

diately precede the problem behavior?
• Can you manipulate the antecedents to avoid t
he behavior? (e.g. providing choices for activiti
es)
Reading Antecedents
Facial Expressions: tight thin lips,
clenched teeth, widened eyes with
nostrils flared
Body Posture: head down, slumped
shoulders, clenched hands, sucking or
chewing
Incidental Behavior: rapid shallow
breathing, sighing, kicking, mumbling,
tearing paper, breaking pencils
Identifying Consequences
• What does the student “get” out of the
behavior?
• Are students getting attention, avoiding wo
rk,
receiving stimulus, or enjoy seeing adults u
pset?
Changing Behavior
Provide instruction with simple and
clear
directions
Gain student’s full attention before
giving
instructions
Provide one instruction at a time - do
not provide
 Behavior Management Techni
ques
Positive Reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement
Extinction
Response Cost Punishment
Proximity Control
Decontamination
 Positive Reinforcement
 The positive reinforcement must be rewardin
g to
the student
 The reinforcers must be contingent on the behavi
or
you want to increase
 The reinforcers should be delivered immediat
ely
 Provide appropriate units of rewards for the expect
Negative Reinforcement
• Definition: reinforcing a behavior by removing or
preventing something unpleasant - allows the indi
vidual
to escape or avoid a negative consequence
• Not recommended as a prominent part of classroom
management
– negative reinforcement relies on the presence or threat of negative
consequences
– deliberate negative reinforcement sets the stage for
coercion/intimidation
 Extinction
To eliminate a behavior - you
eliminate its reinforcement, the
behavior no longer produces the
desired effect (positive or negative)
Disadvantages: slow process and
when extinction procedures are first
implemented, the behavior will likely
become worse before better
Response Cost
The behavior “costs” something by
withholding or withdrawing a
positive reinforcer contingent on a
specific misbehavior
Example: students receive 10 tokens at
the beginning of class, every time a
problem behavior occurs, the teacher
gets 1 token back. The tokens can be
exchanged at the end of the day or
Proximity Control

• Visual - visually monitor student activ

ity
from any position in the classroom
• Physical - teacher positions herself/
himself close to each student to inhibit
Decontamination
Preventive action by inspecting
classroom
for two types of objects
– Distractors: entice students to
engage in off-task behaviors (e.g.
toys, slide projectors, hazards:
exposed wires, broken windows
– Potential Weapons: letter openers,
 Informal Interventions
Attention for compliance - verbal
praise
– Use social praise consistently
– Provide praise only to students who
earn it
Ignoring: only appropriate when:
– the target behavior is temporarily
tolerable
Structured Interventions
Group Consequences
Individual Consequences
Individual Contracts
Self Management
Group Consequences
 Provide a set of behavior rules or
expectations
 Determine the interval of time for the
contingency - the longer the interval,
the more valuable the reward
 Provide a menu of choices to avoid
satiation
 Develop a record keeping system
 Determine criterion for reinforcement
Individual Consequences
Surprise Tokens: reinforcers are
delivered at times that are not
predictable by students
Random Drawing: students place their
name on a piece of paper and place
into a jar when they z
comply to rules, at the end of the day,
conduct a
 Individual Contracts
An agreement between the teacher
and the student
about a desirable change in behavior
Parts of the contract:
– The parties to the contract
– The target behavior
– The goal for the target behavior
– The time period for the contract
– The reward available for meeting the terms
– The penalty for failing to honor the contract
Self Management
Behavioral Definition:
-- help the student choose a behavior to
monitor
Teach the student to record behavior
– Event recording
– Permanent Product recording
Teach the student how to plot the data
Teach the student how to apply self-
reinforcement
Identifying Coercive
Interactions
Starts with an antecedent that is
aversive and the student tries to
escape or avoid the activity.
Two parties are trying to control each
other.
– How do these interactions start?
– At what point could I avoid the process by
disengaging from it?
– How could I start a different interaction that does
 Teacher Stress
Burnout Symptoms
– Feeling of boredom, overwork,
emotional
exhaustion, and fatigue
– Development of negative, cynical,
or
depersonalizing attitudes toward
students
 Managing Teacher Stress
Time management
Student behavior
Interpersonal
relationships
Role expectations
Personal concerns
 Poor Time Management
Uncontrolled rushing
Chronic vacillation between unpleasant
alternatives
Fatigue with many hours of
unproductive activity
Constantly missed deadlines
Insufficient time for rest and personal
relationships
Sense of being overwhelmed
Time Management
Techniques
Self-Management
– Time analysis
– Goal setting
– Prioritization
– Delegation
– Action
Interpersonal Concerns
Poor staff relations
Insufficient opportunities
for
professional growth
Administrative
ineffectiveness
 Role Expectations
Teachers often set expectations around
being liked, helpful, and in control
Role ambiguity: confusion of the
scope
and specific responsibilities of the job
Role conflict: discrepancy between
teacher’s
perception of the job and the
 Personal Solutions
Relaxation
Compartmentalized
Thinking: separation between
work and
personal life
Detached Concern: do not dwell on
things over which you have no control
Personal Time