In the classroom, discipline is regarded as a code of conduct that both teachers and students agree upon and cooperate in its enforcement. Once the rules are set by all learning and teaching participants, it will be hard for them to deny or refuse disciplinary actions in case of any transgression of the rules.

Discipline is paramount for learning to take place. It is very important for peace and harmony in any learning environment: peace between students, teachers and administration. That’s why it is always necessary for discipline to be instilled in the classroom to get the best out of your students. 

The causes of indiscipline may include; favouritism as the teacher handles different student cases, how rules in a classroom are enforced since a student may be tempted to commit more offences if not punished for the first one, lack of communication, where rules are not clearly communicated, teacher-student relationship, lack of motivation, bad habits acquired from previous teaching experiences, and lack of teacher leadership.

How do you manage these students?

The most effective way to handle disrespect is to simply and dispassionately follow your classroom management plan and enforce a consequence. Enforcing your classroom rules — which should include a rule specifically for disrespectful behaviour — with an attitude of indifference strengthens your authority and your classroom management effectiveness.

a)                    Set expectations early in the year. The old adage/saying that a good teacher does not smile until after Christmas may not be true, but it is easier to lighten your leadership style as the year goes on rather than get stricter after being lenient. Make sure your class knows that you are wiping the slate and that your expectations of them will no longer be compromised!

b)                  Let students be involved in making the rules. Before dictating a set of classroom rules, ask your students how they would like their peers to behave. By directing a class discussion, your students will define a set of rules that meet both their criteria and your own. Because they have set the expectations, they are more likely to follow the rules and to keep one another in check, freeing you to do things that are more important.

c)                 Contact parents. Depending on where you teach and where your students come from, their parents may be an unexpected support when it comes to good behaviour in the classroom. Often your students’ parents will not automatically take their children’s side of things because they want the best character out of their children. That is not to say that you should take advantage of either your students or their parents, just do not be afraid to approach your students’ parents if the situation necessitates it. Be warned, though, you may not want the child to act as an interpreter if one is necessary.

d)                 Invite volunteers. Depending on the age of your students, you may even choose to ask parents into the classroom as volunteers for a day. Children may behave better if their parents are in the classroom with them. Besides, if your parents interact with each other, the stories of how a certain child may behave in class could get back to mum and dad through other channels ultimately saving you an awkward and unpleasant conversation!

e)                 Invite another teacher. Trading teachers could be helpful in your quest for a composed classroom. If your students have gotten used to the way you operate class and what behaviour you may let slide, having a different teacher for one or more periods of the day may spur them to act a little more restrained. Not only can the atmosphere of class change, your students will benefit from listening to another voice and another style of speech when another teacher stands in front of the class.

f)                  Ask yourself why, oh why? Think about the reason behind the rudeness. Is it possible that your students learning a second language may be acting up to make up for a self-perceived inadequacy in their language abilities? If there is even the slightest possibility that insecurity may be behind classroom misbehaviour, try to look past it and address the real issue. Does your student need confidence? Does she need a feeling of success? Does he need to feel equal to his peers? By addressing the issue rather than the symptoms, you will have a healthier and better-behaved set of students.

g)                 Quick learner detection. It is also possible that a misbehaving student is bored with class because he is a quick learner. Though it may seem counterintuitive, putting that child in a leadership role may give him the extra challenge he needs to engage in the classroom activities. He will have some investment in making sure the other students in class behave.

h)                 Attention span. Remembering the attention span of children can also help you keep your students calm when they act up in class. As a rule, estimate a child’s attention span to be one minute for every year of his age. That means a seven-year-old will max out on attention at seven minutes. Try to keep the pace moving in class without spending too much time sitting in one place. Let your students move around, go outside or work independently to keep the (stir) crazy bugs from biting.

i)                   Respond, not react. It is extremely important for teachers to remember to respond and not react. A person who reacts acts impulsively and out of emotion. The person, who responds, on the other hand, takes more time before acting and separates his or her emotions from the decisions he makes. It is a good rule to follow in all areas of life, but it is especially important to remember when your class is just plain getting on your nerves. Do not let your emotions get the better of you but instead stay calm and make logical and intentional responses.

j)                   Discipline in private. The best way to address the situation is quickly and with as little disruption as possible. Refrain from disciplining any child in front of the class. Choose instead to have those conversations in private. If you respect your students, they are more likely to respect you. Ultimately, no classroom is perfect. Your kids will have good and bad days, and you will, too. Do your best to keep your cool when your students start getting out of control. Try to use humour to diffuse situations before things get out of hand.

If a student becomes verbally confrontational with you, remain calm and remove them from the situation as quickly as possible. Do not get into yelling matches with your students. There will always be a winner and a loser which sets up a power struggle that could continue throughout the year. Further, do not bring the rest of the class into the situation by involving them in the discipline or the writing of the referral.

If a student becomes physical, remember the safety of the other students is paramount. Remain as calm as possible; your demeanour (behavioural attributes) can sometimes diffuse the situation. You should have a plan for dealing with violence that you discussed with students early in the year. You should use the call button for assistance. You could also have a student designated to get help from another teacher. Send the other students from the room if it appears they could get hurt. If the fight is between two students, follow your school’s rules concerning teacher involvement as many want teachers to stay out of fights until help arrives. Keep an anecdotal record of major issues that arise in your class. This might be necessary if you are asked for a history of classroom disruptions or other documentation. Let it go at the end of the day. Classroom management and disruption issues should be left in class so that you can have some down time to recharge before coming back to another day of teaching.

The writer is a lecturer at Kigali Institute of management

Email: nelsonmwesigye@gmail.com