The real secret to classroom discipline

Most teachers complain about classroom discipline. If the whole class isn’t impossible, there are always a few students who insist on disrupting the teacher, bothering their classmates, and deviating from the class activity.

How do you react when students behave inappropriately? Some teachers raise their voices, make threats, or take away privileges. Others simply throw the student out of class, passing the problem onto someone else. In the short run, these strategies might actually achieve order. But do they work in the long run?

If you have to keep using them over and over, the answer is no.

Not only do they not teach students good behavior, but they also interfere with learning. Getting yelled at or punished yanks students out of the open, curious mindset they need to engage in class. And kicking them out takes away the opportunity completely — it’s the opposite of education.

So what do you do instead? Well, like every idea I write about, classroom discipline is inextricably linked to everything else you do as a teacher. There are no special tactics just for discipline. But if that’s a big pain point for you, it’s helpful to look at fundamental teaching principles through that lens.

No one likes to admit it, but most teachers are asking their students to “do as I say, not as I do” when it comes to classroom behavior.

I’ve taught in many places, from universities to elementary schools, and the faculty meeting is always the same. The purpose of the meeting is unclear, and someone always shows up late or unprepared — sometimes even the leader. There’s an air of boredom, and most people are sneaking unsubtle glances at their phones. Everyone dashes out as soon as possible.

These are the same people who ask their students to be punctual, prepared, respectful, and engaged in class.

Imagine you’re at a professional development workshop. You’re not interested in the subject, but it’s required, so you’re there. You didn’t sleep well, and you’re embarrassed when you start to nod off right from the start. So you sit up and try to engage, but when you make a comment, the presenter shushes you and admonishes you to raise your hand.

That ticks you off. At least you were trying to participate, but now you sit back and pull out your phone instead. Not for long though — the presenter snatches it out of your hand, saying you can have it back after the workshop.

Now it’s time for a group activity. Your colleagues seem nice, and they are more enthusiastic about the topic, so their energy draws you into the discussion. You jot down a few good points before the conversation comes to a lull, and you decide to get to know each other a bit. You’re all laughing at a funny story about your dog when the presenter stops by the table to say that this isn’t the time for chit-chat.

You leave the workshop with relief, having learned nothing, and the presenter spends the rest of the day fuming about her rude audience.

Are they interested? Are they in good condition to learn, mentally and physically? What’s motivating their behavior — are they playing with their phones and making conversation to be obnoxious, or because they’re bored? If they’re bored, how can I engage them?

Before you can influence your students’ behavior, you have to understand it, and that takes caring, empathy, and humility.

Scientific research has established some basic principles of shaping behavior. We know that positive reinforcement works better than punishment for teaching good behavior. We also know that, at least for humans, intrinsic motivation (internal satisfaction) is more powerful and enduring than extrinsic (like money, grades, or praise).

Unfortunately, typical classroom discipline strategies ignore this completely. Punishment, or the threat of it, is the first response, and whatever rewards do exist are extrinsic.

If you want your students to truly learn good behavior for life, not just comply with the explicit rules of your class while they’re in it, you have to offer something they want and give them a real choice about it.

First, you get honest about your own behavior and level your expectations for your students with the ones you have for yourself. Then, you start listening to your students to understand how their desires and needs drive their behavior. Finally, you create an environment they want to be in and allow them to decide whether to engage.

That is what lets you say, finally: Good behavior in my class is the same as in life — treat yourselves and each other with respect, kindness, and honesty. Those are the admissions requirements. If you choose not to meet them, you are also choosing not to participate.

You will be amazed at how your students rise to your expectations.

But don’t forget, this is no quick fix. If you don’t do the work of reflecting on your teaching practice and changing it, saying these words will achieve nothing. But if you do, it will change everything.

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