A Simple Action Plan for a Challenging Class

Balancing Rapport With Rules 

The research supports what most educators already know: Positive student-teacher relationships contribute to a reduction in disruptive student behavior, higher levels of student well-being, and improved learning outcomes. Positive relationships matter. But what if you have a challenging class in which it feels like you’re constantly “putting out fires”?

Teachers sometimes face realities that researchers do not.  Namely, daily disruptions that inhibit or even prevent learning in classrooms.  Not only that, but many students come to school with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), for whom traditional “punishment” leads to escalation.  

So how can we maintain positive relationships with students who frequently disrupt class?  How do we regain control of a class without “losing them” entirely?

Changing up your classroom management approach in the middle of the year is not easy, but it can be done.  In fact, if you’re still reading this article, you know it probably NEEDS to be done.  

It may feel a bit counterintuitive, but by explicitly teaching, reinforcing, and upholding reasonable behavior expectations, you’ll actually improve the relationship with your students. 

Action Plan for a Challenging Class

Step 1: Identify one or two specific behaviors you’d like to modify.

You’re the expert on what’s been going on in your class. Since it’s nearly impossible to address every issue at once, pick one or two behaviors that you believe would produce a significant improvement right now.

One idea: The start of class is often a critical point in the class period.  If the start of class goes reasonably well, the rest of the period typically goes well.  But if you’re having trouble starting class every day, not only is that exhausting, but it tends to set a raucous tone for the entire period. 

Whatever behaviors you hope to address, have a clear idea in your mind of what you want the students to be doing instead.  Think through how you are going to explain that to them, and how you can explicitly model the proper behavior.

This is a key first step–you are not focused on the negative behavior but rather on what the positive behavior should be.  Be prepared to explain why the positive behavior is better for the class as a whole.  You can refer back to your class norms if applicable.

Step 2: In your mind, clarify each step of your progressive discipline plan.

You might already have done this at the start of the year, or maybe you’re doing it now.  Either way, the students will likely need a reminder.

Discipline steps should fit into the culture and structure of your school site.  For example, if your school does not have a process for sending students out of class or a “detention” room, you can adjust accordingly.

A typical set of discipline steps might be:

• First offense: non-verbal warning
• Second offense: verbal warning
• Third offense: teacher meeting at lunch to discuss behavior 
• Fourth offense: (on the same day) phone call home, made after class
• Fifth offense:  (on the same day) behavior referral to the office

Tips for discipline steps:

*Steps should start over each day to give students a clean slate.

**Depending on the severity of the behavior, steps can be skipped.  For example, physical violence against another student would not warrant a non-verbal warning.

 ***You are the expert on your students.  Exceptions are sometimes made depending on the student and the situation.  You should be compassionate and professional, but you also need to get control of the class. 

Step 3: Prepare yourself mentally to put in some extra time and effort to make your discipline plan work – including your lunch or after-school time.

For the next week (or maybe longer), expect to give up your lunch or other time for meetings with students.  During these meetings keep the tone positive and let the student talk. Ask them questions and identify if there are underlying issues that should be addressed, ways that you can reward their good behavior, or ideas from them about how to handle their behavior.  

Expect to send emails or make phone calls home.  Make a commitment to yourself to follow through.  

Implementing the Plan With Your Students

Step 4: Spend the first 5-10 minutes of class reviewing the proper behavior, why it is necessary, and reminding the students of your consequences.  

Explain to the students the reason for the rule and how the rule benefits students.  Most students understand the need for basic courtesy and order.  Model the proper behavior.

You should also identify when you will begin enforcing the new rules, which needs to be after your initial conversation.  You can say something like, “Beginning today I am going to enforce the tardy policy…” or “Beginning tomorrow we are going to work on coming to class on time…”

Clarify your expectations for the students moving forward. It is inherently unfair to begin issuing consequences when the behavior has been permitted in the past.  This conversation serves as “the reset” so that students understand that you will begin enforcing the rule.  

Step 5: Calmly and fairly enforce your consequences.

A classroom without consequences can be tempting for three reasons. Typically, no teacher wants to be labeled a disciplinarian. Some students don’t react well to consequences.  Third, consequences mean more work for the teacher.  As a result, we sometimes give out endless warnings without following through. 

Establishing positive relationships with your students is super important. But it’s much easier to have positive relationships if the classroom is reasonably under control.  A classroom with clear and reasonable boundaries allows both students and the teacher to relax.  

Tips to Regain Class Control Without Excessive Damage to Relationships

1. Discipline is only effective when both teacher and student are calm.  

Resist any urge to engage the student in a conversation about behavior during class; that tends to escalate the situation.

2. Be firm, but keep it friendly when enforcing consequences.

If one student is disruptive, don’t make it about the entire class.  Don’t yell. Don’t belittle the student. Avoid sarcasm. In the words of Suzanne Sullivan, my teacher credential program leader, “Sarcasm has no place in the classroom.”  Never touch the student. Always treat every student with respect.  Aim to maintain a “firm, yet friendly” tone with students.

3. Don’t overuse the consequences.  

Ideally, only a small number of students will receive consequences.  If a teacher issues consequences to half the class, the action plan isn’t working.  

If the plan isn’t effective, reassess your approach.  Try something else until the situation improves.  One idea: see if a phone call or email “campaign” helps.  Most parents will back you up if you reach out for their help with a tough class.

4. Aim for improvement, not perfection.

Stay focused on the specific behaviors you identified and understand that you may need to ignore some behaviors that fall outside of those categories. 

5. It’s best NOT to send kids out into the hall as punishment.

This causes problems for other teachers and is a potential liability issue due to lack of supervision.  Plus, getting out of class is often what the student wants in the first place. 

6. Follow through with student meetings.

As with anything, persistence pays off.  If a student won’t come in for a meeting at lunch, email that teacher and have them send or hold onto the student.  Same with after-school behavior meetings.

7. Follow through with emails home.

It’s just a fact of life for many teachers: We don’t send an email home until long after we should have sent it.  Keep the emails positive.  Think of the time spent typing the email as relationship-building time with home.  Use our email templates – copy and paste to save you time.

8. Take advantage of the meeting time with the student to repair and build.

We see a lot of behavior consequences in which the teacher sits at their desk while the student sits quietly in the opposite corner. This is a missed opportunity for relationship building.

Keep the chat friendly and light.  Address the student’s behavior in positive, friendly terms. Don’t dwell on it.  Take advantage of the time to get to know the student a little more; let them get to know you.  Keep it positive, show them a photo of your dog, talk about the big game coming up, and excuse them early.  

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Brad has taught history at the middle and high school levels for 19 years, almost exclusively in American public schools.  He has a master’s in educational technology and is passionate about elevating the status of professional educators.