8 classroom discipline hacks that will work for you at home
The discipline that is used in schools can also be used at home and it is also very effective!
In a classroom there are usually more than 25 children, and they not only learn to add, subtract, read or write … they also learn values and coexistence. The children’s teachers manage so that the children, in addition to learning, also acquire good values. They maintain order, control behavior problems, and promote learning, while somehow finding time to pay individual attention to each child.
It is not a bad idea to keep in mind some discipline tricks that are used in class to use at home and that children improve their behavior at home. Below you will find some of these strategies so that you can choose the one that best suits you and your children.
Index
1-THE HOUSE RULES: WRITTEN AND WHERE THEY LOOK GOOD!
School teachers often have class rules written on large posters for all children to see from anywhere in the classroom. At home you can do the same, write down the house rules and put it in a place where everyone reads them daily, such as in the living room.
Simplify the rules, choose no more than six rules, always the most important. If the list is too long, your children will forget what it says very quickly. It is also important to write the rules in positive. Instead of saying: ‘Do not take other people’s things without permission’, it is better to say things like: ‘Ask permission before taking other people’s things’.
2-EXPLAIN EXPECTATIONS AHEAD OF TIME
Teachers explain their expectations before children encounter new situations. For example, you can say things like: ‘A substitute teacher will come this afternoon and you will have to follow the rules with him anyway.’ Your kids won’t know how to behave in new situations unless you explain what they need to know.
Before experiencing new situations (such as going to the cinema, going to a football game, going to a play, etc.) you need to explain to your children what they will expect and how they should behave (for example, in the cinema you cannot talk, or disturb or get up from your seat).
3-CREATE A STRUCTURE AND CONSISTENT
Ask your child things like: ‘What happens after lunch in class?’ They may answer that after lunch they have recess, then math, and then language. For instance. Teachers keep a consistent schedule because this helps children structure their day and better control their behavior and emotions. At home it can be exactly the same.
Create a structure at home by giving your child a regular schedule. Set aside time for homework, chores, dinner, and the bathroom. Although you may not be able to keep the routine as consistent as the teacher does, creating structure will help your child better manage his behavior.
4-DO NOT YELL WHEN YOU HAVE TO GET THEIR ATTENTION
When there is a lot of noise in the classroom, if the teacher yells, the children will think that it is an appropriate way to communicate and they will end up yelling too. The louder there is in class, the teacher does not yell … whisper.
Yelling only adds to the noise and chaos and the teacher’s voice is mixed in with all the ambient clutter. But when a teacher whispers, the students stop talking so they can hear what she says. If your kids are fighting at dinner or arguing about who comes first, keep your voice down. You may find that it is much more effective at getting attention.
5-NON-VERBAL KEYS
Remember when your teacher used to turn off the lights to get everyone’s attention? The sudden change in light was a quick way for the teacher to make everyone stop talking without saying a word.
Look for opportunities to use nonverbal cues to address behavior problems at home. If your kids are arguing in the back seat of the car, turn down the radio. Or, try turning off the light in their room (or lowering the blind) when they are behaving too negatively to stop it quickly without the need for yelling or bad manners.
6-SOLVE PROBLEMS TOGETHER
The best teachers invite children into the problem-solving process. Instead of assuming they know what the problem is, they ask the children for information on how to solve the situation.
Children are generally willing to do their part when they can be part of the solution. When you notice a specific pattern of misbehavior, or times when it seems like your child is in trouble, point it out. Then talk to your child to find helpful solutions.
7-USE REWARDS
When some children have behavior problems in the classroom, teachers often use a reward system to handle this problem. Teachers can document the behavior of a child for several days to achieve purposes, being able to use for example a table of points or stickers.
If the child has a good behavior, they may have a privilege such as choosing a prize from a chest or having a sticker of good behavior. You may even have a few extra minutes of playtime. Sometimes teachers use these incentives with the whole class, if the whole class is good, they can have 10 minutes to play at the end of the day, for example. A little healthy competition can encourage students to help each other be their best.
Identify a specific behavior that you want your child to improve and create a reward chart or scorecard. Then let him choose his rewards, such as having an extra 10 minutes to play on the computer or go to a park that he especially likes.
8-SEE WHEN HE BEHAVES WELL
A teacher knows how to pay attention to good behavior since it is the best way to motivate children to behave well. Instead of pointing out to the children that they won’t stop talking, you can say something like: ‘I like how Pedro is fine sitting quietly and working. Luisa, you’re doing a great job too! ‘
Managing a classroom of 20 or more students can be difficult. And often, all the students are competing for the teacher’s attention.
When your kids act bad, don’t give the bad behavior your full attention . Attention, even when it is negative, can encourage the behavior to continue. So instead of saying, “Stop playing with the fork,” go to your other child and say, “I love the table manners you’re using right now.” Praising one child for being good could inspire the other to do the same.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.