MANAGEMENT OF

STUDENTS’ BEHAVIOR
AND WELLNESS

Cover page picture is from

*The author does not claim originality. The following is just a
https://www.teacher.org/blog/managing-student-
compilation of available works on each topic .
behavior/
 Chapter 1: Classroom Behavior Management

Classroom Behavior Management

INTRODUCTION

Behavior management is a whole school approach in creating an environment that will

promote positive behavior and reduce opportunities for poor behavior. It is also about
responding to poor behavior in a way that not only allows students to take responsibility for
their behavior but provides them with an opportunity to learn and change. It recognizes that
sometimes there are underlying causes for poor student behavior, like lack of supervision and
parental guidance, family and relationship problems, peer pressure, illness and death amongst
family members, drug and alcohol abuse and economic hardship that students need help to deal
with.

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Explain Behavior Management and Behavior Management Policy

2. Analyze the principles & responsibilities of teachers in the Behavior Management Policy
3. Identify the causes and consequences of poor student behavior
4. Identify the link between the promotion of positive student behavior and student learning

DEEPEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Behavior

Behavior is the reactions and actions of an individual or group to other individuals or

groups of people, events, or the environment. It is influenced by many things like age,
personality, interactions with others, culture, home environment and gender. Student behavior
is the way children and young people behave at school. In schools, there is often positive
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 Chapter 1: Classroom Behavior Management

student behavior, poor student behavior and anti-social student behavior. Positive behavior
includes cooperating, paying attention in class and sharing with classmates. Poor student
behavior includes talking when supposed to be working, and being late in class. Antisocial
behavior is a behavior that is harmful and not accepted in society, such as drug and alcohol use,
graffiti and bullying.

Research studies and evidence-based best practices have identified the following principles in
relation to students’ behavior.

• Behavior is learned and therefore can be unlearned.

• Each student is unique and therefore requires an individualized approach based on the
purpose or function of the student’s behavior.
• The first step of an intervention is to identify the purpose or function that the current
behavior serves.
• Behavior is influenced by the type of reinforcements or other consequences received
after the behavior occurs.
• Teachers and school-based teams need observational data to determine the function of
the behavior and the effects of antecedents and consequences surrounding that
behavior.
• Teachers and school-based teams need to understand the function of behavior in order
to select appropriate teaching strategies.
• Altering the setting or environment may improve student behavior.
• Data collection is the basis for initial decision making as well as for continuously
monitoring the programming.
• Teachers and school-based teams can enhance their competency and capacity for
meeting the learning needs of students with behavior disabilities by working through a
process that consists of:
-understanding and observing behaviors
-implementing positive behavior supports
-matching appropriate teaching strategies to student needs.

Activity: Case Study

Directions: Read the case below. After that, complete the table.
Jeff came from a family of seven. His mother was a quiet woman. His father was very
demanding and aggressive. Jeff was often aggressive towards other students in class. The
teacher had warned him on several occasions and even sent him to the head teacher. Jeff
often took pencils and books from other students. The teacher though Jeff was a bit of a
bully. One day, Jeff punched another student who refused to buy him an ice block. The next
day, the student’s father came to school demanding Jeff be suspended.

Poor/Antisocial Behavior Causes Possible Consequence

1.
2.

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 Chapter 1: Classroom Behavior Management

How Can Behavior Affect Academics?

1. Students who behave disruptively by bullying other students, talking during lectures or by
requiring the teacher to interrupt lessons to discipline them can have a negative effect on an
entire classroom. A 2010 study published in "American Economic Journal: Applied
Economics" found that disruptive students can lower the test scores and academic achievement
of an entire classroom. Teachers who have disruptive students in their classroom may have to
spend additional time on behavioral management, reducing the time the teachers spend
teaching.
2. Students with poor impulse control have more difficulty motivating themselves to study,
do homework and listen in class. This can decrease their ability to excel academically, even
when they perform well on IQ and achievement tests. Wang and Aamodt emphasize that rule-
setting and teaching frustration tolerance play critical roles in helping children develop impulse
control.
3. Student motivation can determine whether a student studies or does her homework, whether
she seeks additional help when she needs it and how carefully she listens in class. A 2006 paper
published in "Annual Review of Psychology" emphasized the role that student motivation plays
in learning and found that unmotivated students tend to perform more poorly.
4. Learning disorders and mental health problems such as attention deficit disorder, dyslexia,
autism and oppositional defiant disorder can dramatically affect student behavior. Students
with oppositional defiant disorder, for example, struggle to accept authority and may frequently
defy teachers and parents, according to "Child Psychology." Students who need mental health
interventions, occupational therapy or psychoactive drugs may behave poorly in class even
when teachers have excellent classroom control. This can affect these students' ability to learn,
and students with some disorders may be unable to achieve good grades in typical classrooms.

Behavior Management

Behavior management is a whole school approach. It includes creating a positive

environment for learning and uses strategies that encourage positive behavior in schools. It also
involves a range of strategies to reduce the chance of poor or antisocial behavior. Behavior
Management is also about having effective ways to deal with poor behavior so that students
can learn from their mistakes and at the same time, take responsibility for wrong doing.

Six Principles of Behavior Management

Principle 1: Negative consequences sometimes change behavior, but they do not change
attitude.
Principle 2: Only positive reinforcement strategies produce long-term attitudinal change.
Principle 3: Negative consequences do not improve the behavior of impulsive children and
frequently increase the frequency and intensity of misbehavior.
Principle 4: Cognitive control of behavior can be learned through the use of appropriate
positive reinforcement systems.
Principle 5: Positive reinforcement systems must be incremental in nature such that the child
can directly observe even small improvements in behavior.
Principle 6: You must always reinforce the final compliance with adult authority no matter how
long it takes to get there.

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 Chapter 1: Classroom Behavior Management

Behavior Management Plan

A behavior management plan is a plan made up of procedures that are in place to hold
students accountable for their behavior, encourage positive behavior, and to eliminate scolding
or lecturing, which is rarely, if ever, effective in changing behavior. A behavior management
plan is not synonymous with discipline. Discipline is one aspect of a behavior management
plan. A behavior management plan is developed long before the first student walks through
your door in August.

A good behavior management plan will consist of procedures, rules, and consequences.
Students must be made aware of these from the beginning of the school year. In some cases,
the students can help you develop these. When they contribute to the development of the plan,
they feel more ownership and are far more likely to comply.

To write your behavior management plan, there are a few simple steps to be followed:
1. Develop procedures –What is the procedure for turning in papers? Sharpening pencils?
Going to the bathroom? Lining up? Silent reading time? Think these through ahead of time,
communicate the procedure to your students, and, most importantly, practice the procedure
with them several times.
2. Write rules – It helps if you write the rules with your students. Students consistently come
up with more rules than you could ever imagine on your own. However, it is best to have only
a handful (4-5) of rules. The rules students come up can often be sorted into the four or five
major rules that you want to have for your class. It also helps to state rules in a positive manner.
For example, “always walk in the hallways” instead of “no running” or “raise your hand and
wait to be called on” instead of “no talking out”.
3. Establish consequences – Students should be informed on day one of what the consequences
are for rules broken or procedures mishandled. This should also be clearly communicated to
parents. Consequences will depend on the grade level and school, but should include things
like time out, notes home, calls home, detention, etc.
4. Make time for praise and rewards – Students need to be recognized when they are doing
something right, especially those students that struggle with behavior. Catch them being good,
reward them and praise them for it, and it could make a huge difference in their behavior and
how they respond to you.

Activity: Developing Rules

Directions: Read and analyze the guidelines below. After that, create your own four
classroom rules based on it.

Guidelines
State positively Example: Follow directions the first time they are given.
Nonexample: Do not argue when asked to do something.
Use simple, specific Example: Talk in a whisper when working with a partner.
terms Nonexample: Maintain a reasonable vocal level when working
with a peer.
Make measurable and Example: Go straight to your seat when you enter the classroom.
observable Nonexample: Come to the classroom ready to work.
Ensure that they convey Example: Keep your hands to yourself.
expected behavior Nonexample: Be a good citizen.

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 Chapter 1: Classroom Behavior Management

Behavior Management Policy

A behavior management policy outlines rules as well as acceptable and non-acceptable

conduct that can help to address and correct student behavior. It consists of mission statement,
expectations and rules, procedures, consequences, and crisis plan.

Discipline

Discipline comes from the word ‘disciple’ which means ‘to instruct’. School discipline
is about teaching children the rules of acceptable behavior, and helping them to understand
what is expected of them in their society. Effective discipline ensures there is a sense of order
amongst students and school are safe places where learning can take place without interference.
School rules and behavior management policies are part of discipline. Often when people talk
about discipline, they really mean ‘punishment’ which is one method to enforce discipline by
negative or harmful means.

Punishment

Punishment is when a negative and unpleasant consequence is given to an individual

so that they will not repeat the same behavior again. Often punishments are ineffective and
even harmful because they based using fear and discomfort as a strategy to control students
and do not provide an opportunity for the student to learn alternative behavior. Corporal
punishment (using physical force against a student) is not permitted by the Department of
Education.

Counselling

Counselling is a process that helps people to cope with issues and reach decisions
affecting their lives. It involves the counsellor talking with a person (client) in a way that helps
that person explore their problems, understand the contributing factors and identify ways to
change or improve their behavior, character, values or life circumstances. It does not involve
giving advice or making judgements. People usually seek counselling when they are
experiencing distress, change or when there has been a crisis.

Guiding Principles of Behavior Management Policy

Principle 1: Right to education

Principle 2: Right to respect, equality and fairness
Principle 3: Right to a safe learning environment
Principle 4: Right to good quality education
Principle 5: Right to fair and consistent rules
Principle 6: Right to a school behavior management policy
Principle 7: Right to access counselling and referral services
Principle 8: Best practice and cooperation
Principle 9: Personal responsibility

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 Chapter 1: Classroom Behavior Management

Responsibilities of the Stakeholders in Behavior Management Policy

1. It is the responsibility of the Principal/Head teacher/Master teacher to implement the school

behavior policy consistently throughout the school, and to report to higher authorities, when
requested, on the effectiveness of the policy.
2. It is the responsibility of class teachers to ensure that the school rules are enforced in their
classes, and that their classes behave in a responsible manner during lesson time.
3. Support staff should provide a positive model of behavior and ensure high expectations are
made explicit to the children. They should inform class teachers of any inappropriate behavior.
4. Parents are expected to adhere to the policy and support the actions of the school.

Activity: Behavior Management Policy Analysis

Directions: Search for a Behavior Management Policy of a particular school. Analyze its
components and identify the roles of the internal and external stakeholders on it. Your
analysis paper must contain the following parts: Introduction, Discussion and Conclusion.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

True or False
Directions: Write T if the statement is correct and F if it is wrong.
1. Teachers can use corporal punishment on students if no other methods worked.
2. Poorly managed schools usually have poor student behavior.
3. Expelling students is a useful behavior management strategy.
4. It is helpful for students to help write a school behavior management policy.
5. Every school should have a behavior management policy.

Essay
Directions: Answer the following questions briefly.
1. What three practices can you do as a teacher to promote positive behavior amongst students?
2. What makes a teacher a good role model of positive behavior for his/her students?
3. What is the relationship between behavior and learning?

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 Chapter 1: Classroom Behavior Management

LEARNING RESOURCES

McDonald, L. (2020). What is a Behavior Management Plan in the Classroom? Available at

https://www.graduateprogram.org/2020/01/what-is-a-behavior-management-plan-in-
the-classroom/
Alberta (n.d.), Understanding Student Behavior. Available at
https://www.learnalberta.ca/content/inspb1/html/4_understandingindividual.html
Walker, R. (2021). Six Principles of Behavior Management. Available at
https://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/resources/articles/challengebehav/sixprinciplebe
hav/index.php
Cowing, B. (2017). What is a Behavior Management Policy? Available at
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-behavior-management-policy.html
Papua New Guinea Department of Education (2014). Behavior Management Policy for the
National Education System of Papua New Guinea. Available at chrome-
extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/viewer.html?pdfurl=http%3A%2F%2
Fwbgfiles.worldbank.org%2Fdocuments%2Fhdn%2Fed%2Fsaber%2Fsupporting_do
c%2FEAP%2FPapua%2520New%2520Guinea%2FSAA%2FDoE_2009_Behaviour_
Management_Policy.pdf&clen=1102326&chunk=true
Thompson, V. (n.d.). How Can Behavior Affect Academics for Students? Available at chrome-
extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/viewer.html?pdfurl=http%3A%2F%2
Fjano.us%2Fngms%2Fsupport%2FHow%2520Can%2520Behavior%2520Affect%25
20Academics%2520for%2520Students_%2520_%2520Everyday%2520Life%2520-
%2520Global%2520Post.pdf&clen=202445&chunk=true
Sulivan (2015). Behavior policy. Available at https://www.sulivanprimaryschool.co.uk/about-
us/behaviour-policy/
Department of Education (2009). Teacher In-Service Behavior Management- Facilitator’s
Manual. Available at
https://www.education.gov.pg/TISER/documents/resources/behaviour/behaviour-
management-tip-2009.pdf

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