How To Deal With Naughty Children In The Thai Classroom

[teacher17]

Hello! Maybe this topic has already been started before...so please send me the link if it has....

I went from teaching high school kids to preschool/elementary children. It's been a huge difference to teach the little ones...although not a bad one. I have been trying sooo many different techniques to get the kids to stay quiet and STAY in their seat. The boys especially, like to get up and wander around aimlessly. I have tried rewarding one very good student at the end of class with a sticker, and I tell the class what a good student he/she has been.

I have also punished a kid by making him/her sit in the corner of the classroom (in a chair) and they are not allowed to talk or play with anyone...but that doesn't really work because I have to keep my eye on them...and there are just too many kids. I also tell them if they are not good, they cannot play the game I have planned for them...and I follow through. That works....but kids have such a short term memory....so the next they, they might just be bad all over again.

The thing that does work is telling the strictest teacher in the school to come help me and talk with the kids (although she usually ends up hitting them with her hand or a ruler...so much for Thailand banning corporal punishment from the schools....) however, I hate to bother the Thai teachers so much and I don't want the kids to get hit...even though I know they get hit anyway.

The one thing that is really difficult is to get them to STAY in their seat, especially when I am talking. They get easily distracted. I have tried clapping, have the students mime me (which kind of works...) etc. Are Thai students notoriously naughty? Or is this just something that happens in every country.....?

The Thai teachers will just tell me to hit the students myself...but since I'm obviously not Thai...it's not really my thing. They just have a short attention span and I have to teach them for 1 hour. Any ideas? Any techniques that you've used that have been successful?

[LucidLucifer]

Having another teacher come in to handle discipline should be a last resort, all it does is undermine your own authority.

I would focus on positive reinforcement all the time. Positive, positive, positive, and set that as the model for the other children to follow. Instead of admonishing the children who are not doing what you want them too, reward the ones that are doing what you want. And don't leave it until the end of the lesson, give them instant gratification, even if's just a well done.

An hour is a long time to teach children of that age, especially ill-disciplined ones, so make sure you keep the pace up, keep it fun and active, and regularly play games with them. There is nothing wrong with stopping a lesson and having a quick 5 minute bit of fun.

Maybe your desire to keep the kids in their seats while you do all the talking is harking back to your days teaching older children. If they can't do it for extended periods, don't make them. Adjust your teaching techniques to suit the class.

Have you tried working with them to come up with an agreed set of rules and expectations? Let them come up with them (you of course guide it so you get what you want). Letting them come up with their own rules gives them ownership over them, and is going to be far more effective than simply lecturing about what they should and should not be doing. Print the rules and display them prominently in the classroom, and also constantly remind them of them. Before doing anything, ask them e.g. what is it you should be doing while I am introducing todays lesson?

Don't just tell, ask. You could even have them sign their names to say they agree to said rules, and discuss with them appropriate sanctions if they do not.

Another thing, don't battle the naughty kids, especially in front of the other children, it's a no win situation. Leave it simply as a 'I will deal with you after the class, at lunch etc' and follow it through.

You are going to have a hard job on your hands with this, because if you have already lost certain members of the class, it is very difficult to then bring them around. Good Luck.

[Somtamnication]

First day of class, the kids have 9 rules to write in their book. Includes such things as profanity, arrive on time (failure), greet the teacher, ask to leave or walk into the classroom, have books, etc etc.

As they forget some rules, remind them by having it read by the entire classroom.

You failed to tell us what age level are you have the most difficulty with.

Day one, I set the rules, and they know I am the boss in the classroom. If you fail to do this, you lose them for the rest of the year.

M level students, separate the leader from his buddies.

P level students, have them sit with girls (if it is a boy).

Always use the Thai teacher for help. They are feared and use that to your advantage. Never hit them, as you will be the farang mai dee. Calling a Thai to help does not undermine your authority. On the contrary, the Thais want you to use them for discipline. Works wonders in my classes.

Give homework, do sit ups, stand with arms above their heads. Many things you can do.

[brit1984]

Appoint the naughty kids as the classroom police. They will soon forget their previous propensity for mischief, and focus on their new role of identifying rule breaches by their classmates.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

[kanderson]

I've seen kids get excited about "sticker " maybe a star with and ink pad so you can give a stamp on the back of their hands. If it works - get a couple stamps and more ink.

[LucidLucifer]

Calling a Thai to help does not undermine your authority.

Yes it does. You are basically telling them, 'I can't control you.'

It is accepted behaviour management practise that screaming for help everytime you run into difficulties is bad in the long run. In certain situations, when disciplinary proceedings need to be taken to the next level, of course, call for someone, but as a day to day way of running your class.....no, no, no.

[LucidLucifer]

Appoint the naughty kids as the classroom police. They will soon forget their previous propensity for mischief, and focus on their new role of identifying rule breaches by their classmates.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

That's great.....you've just rewarded their poor behaviour. And what example does that set to them and the others?

Use rewards to bring the naughty kids back on side, but giving them special priveledges, use with caution!

If a poorly behaved child has had a good lesson, week, or even 5 minutes, reward them for that accordingly, but making them 'policemen' ......i don't think that would work, certainly not after the novelty has worn off, and that won't take long.

[teacher17]

Thanks for the replies.

Well, I do agree that using a Thai teacher for help should be a last resort. But honestly, I HAVE been using them as my last resort...haha....and it DOES work (most of the time). But I would prefer to control the class without their help.

I think today I will go over the rules with them again. They just get so excited and want to play games, games, games all the time! Of course, that's to be expected since their little kids. I do think I need to get my mind away from "teaching high school" and really put it more in "little kid" mode.

One more thing...you know how little kids are always trying to get your attention, and they all want your help at the same time...saying teacher, teacher, teacher...and it's like, well I can only help one kid at a time...how do you get them to stop that. I tell them to wait a moment (in Thai as well) but they are not the most patient kids....

The problem is, Thai children (from what I've seen) are so used to being disciplined by getting hit and being yelled at, so it's like they don't know how to respond to my methods of "positive discipline." If the classes were smaller, it would certainly help my situation too, but that's not going to happen....

Classroom police is a good idea....although I'm going to have to get my BF to help me translate it into Thai, since the kids may not understand what they are supposed to do. The preschool kids are actually the easiest, since there is a Thai teacher there to help out. The kids, ages 6-8 are the biggest troublemakers. Well, each class has its own trouble makers.

[LucidLucifer]

Thanks for the replies.

Well, I do agree that using a Thai teacher for help should be a last resort. But honestly, I HAVE been using them as my last resort...haha....and it DOES work (most of the time). But I would prefer to control the class without their help.

You're doing the right thing by trying to handle it yourself, and i'm not saying don't call a Thai teacher, things do need escalating from time to time.

I think today I will go over the rules with them again.

Please, don't just do it today, do it every day.....make it part of your routine. Expectations need constant reinforcement at that age.

One more thing...you know how little kids are always trying to get your attention, and they all want your help at the same time...saying teacher, teacher, teacher...and it's like, well I can only help one kid at a time...how do you get them to stop that. I tell them to wait a moment (in Thai as well) but they are not the most patient kids....

Include that in your discussion of rules and expectations....and remind them of it. It will never stop completely, at that age they are still learning the conventions of social interaction, it's all about educating the whole child, it's your responsibility to teach them those things, so they will know them as they get older.

Classroom police is a good idea....although I'm going to have to get my BF to help me translate it into Thai, since the kids may not understand what they are supposed to do. The preschool kids are actually the easiest, since there is a Thai teacher there to help out. The kids, ages 6-8 are the biggest troublemakers. Well, each class has its own trouble makers.

By all means do it if you must, but please choose your rozzers carefully. Not the naughty kids. Identify the popular/influental children who are trustworthy and generally well-behaved.

I'd prefer to be calling them monitors though, the meaning of monitor helps explain the role they are expected to do (ie. monitor behaviour) refrain from calling them policemen. Calling them Police will have completely different connotations. You should also be changing your monitors regularly, i'll leave how regularly down to you, I don't know how often you see each class.

Awarding children monitor status will then be incorporated into your whole rewards scheme.

Edited May 29, 2012 by LucidLucifer

[LucidLucifer]

Just out of interest, are there any other western teachers at your school, ones that teach the same age groups and have a pretty good handle on the kids?

If their are, it would be worth observing their lessons to see what they are doing. There is nothing wrong with pinching ideas.

Edited May 29, 2012 by LucidLucifer

[brit1984]

The point of appointing the troublesome kids as police is not to outsource the discipline work, it is to make the kids think they are with you (not against you). It is just psychology like those prisoner and guard role play experiments they did a while back.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

[tonititan]

One more thing...you know how little kids are always trying to get your attention, and they all want your help at the same time...saying teacher, teacher, teacher...and it's like, well I can only help one kid at a time...how do you get them to stop that. I tell them to wait a moment (in Thai as well) but they are not the most patient kids....

Yes, that can be so annoying. I have found that it works to go out of your way to acknowledge the kids who ARE being appropriate and raising their hands/waiting. When a student is shouting out for you, you can use that moment to remind him/her to raise their hand, but don't try to quickly answer the question so you can move on. That will only reinforce the behavior. If you say, "XXX, you need to raise your hand and wait your turn," then acknowledge a student who is doing that ("I like how YYY is raising her hand quietly. YYY, what do you want to say?" it is likely that XXX will raise his hand. Kids learn from imitation, and if they see that doing the expected behavior gets them the attention they want, they'll learn to start doing it. Or you can say, "XXX, I want to help you, but YYY had her hand raised." Eventually, once the kids understand your expectations, you can start completely ignoring the kids who are shouting out and acknowledge the ones who are appropriate.

Edited May 29, 2012 by tonititan

[LucidLucifer]

The point of appointing the troublesome kids as police is not to outsource the discipline work, it is to make the kids think they are with you (not against you). It is just psychology like those prisoner and guard role play experiments they did a while back.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

I'm sorry Brit, it doesn't work like that with primary aged children. I know from experience. It will last 5 minutes and then they'll be back to their old tricks, that is, if the naughty kids themselves really fully understand right from wrong. At that age, you're still teaching them.

[LucidLucifer]

One more thing...you know how little kids are always trying to get your attention, and they all want your help at the same time...saying teacher, teacher, teacher...and it's like, well I can only help one kid at a time...how do you get them to stop that. I tell them to wait a moment (in Thai as well) but they are not the most patient kids....

Yes, that can be so annoying. I have found that it works to go out of your way to acknowledge the kids who ARE being appropriate and raising their hands/waiting. When a student is shouting out for you, you can use that moment to remind him/her to raise their hand, but don't try to quickly answer the question so you can move on. That will only reinforce the behavior. If you say, "XXX, you need to raise your hand and wait your turn," then acknowledge a student who is doing that ("I like how YYY is raising her hand quietly. YYY, what do you want to say?" it is likely that XXX will raise his hand. Kids learn from imitation, and if they see that doing the expected behavior gets them the attention they want, they'll learn to start doing it. Or you can say, "XXX, I want to help you, but YYY had her hand raised." Eventually, once the kids understand your expectations, you can start completely ignoring the kids who are shouting out and acknowledge the ones who are appropriate.

Good post. Comes back round to my point about reinforcing positives, and picking up on that rather than focusing on negatives.

[teacher17]

Tonititan: Good ideas. Thanks.

I am the only falang teacher (english teacher) at the school. There is a Chinese teacher from China, and she has the same problem as I do. I try not to take anything too seriously...they're just kids, so it's difficult for them to comprehend everything. I certainly wish the Thai teachers would stop hitting them as a form of discipline. That just makes it more difficult for foreign teachers to control the class (in my opinion).

[sirchai]

Take the naughtiest and hang him on the highest tree on campus. That will help, I'm sure.....

I'd just separate them from their "friends" who disturb class. Let the boys sit next to a girl and keep your lessons funny.

Thai kids hate boring lessons in a language they don't really understand. \

Good luck with your little monsters! -

[pault17]

I never teached in Thailand (and probably never will) but I enjoyed reading this post.

Excellent advise, brought in a civilised manner.To the point and having the poster's problem in mind.

A real treat to the 'neutral' reader.

[Ijustwannateach]

At that age, OP, 'sitting in the seat' is not necessarily achievable for long periods of time- it might be more advisable to come up with types of activities that take advantage of the energy of this age group. Really, it's more about group participation than anything else for kids that old.

[teacher17]

Yes, I understand it's difficult for them to stay in their seat. But it's more about...sitting in the seat when I am talking...specifically. For example, I might be talking and telling the class the rules of a game, etc...and these little boys (or girls) will be walking around trying to talk to other kids and distracting them.

[LucidLucifer]

Have you tried clearing the room of desks and chairs, moving them all to the sides, and having them sit (or stand) in a circle on the floor? That alone, because it is something different than what they probably do with their Thai teachers, will get their attention and engagement. If you are being bubbly, fun and animated, that will also do get their attention. Think about tone of voice, body language, hand gestures, visual aids and prompts. They will all help to engage.

I've done observations of so many teachers in my time, both students and qualified teachers, and one thing remains key, if the teacher is engaging, the children will listen, pretty much whatever the class, whatever the subject matter.

Without actually seeing you teach in person, I don't know what it is you are, or are not doing, but maybe you should be asking yourself whether the problem lies with your teaching style, or with the children's behaviour issues. Please don't read that as me putting the blame on you, I am not, what I am asking is that you reflect on your own practise.

The ability to critically reflect, and improve, is the sign of a good teacher.

[Rhys]

Hmmm..recall the days well.... Suggestion... bring in the parents..see what happens..the moms... may have an approach. Hang tough..

In the end, it is no use to get upset over this. Deal with in the best you can.. move on

Cheers

[teacher17]

Well, I may have to move all the desks...even though it's a pain. Plus, there is hardly any room to move, even when you do move the desks. No, I don't take it personally. I certainly have a lot to learn....however, I do feel that I'm pretty energetic and I play games and sing songs with the students. I still feel that because of the way the Thai teachers discipline them (hitting them,) it actually makes things more difficult for the foreign teachers. I find that giving one student who was exceptionally good, a sticker at the end of class works well. Any more ideas would be welcome.

[LucidLucifer]

Well, I may have to move all the desks...even though it's a pain. Plus, there is hardly any room to move, even when you do move the desks. No, I don't take it personally. I certainly have a lot to learn....however, I do feel that I'm pretty energetic and I play games and sing songs with the students. I still feel that because of the way the Thai teachers discipline them (hitting them,) it actually makes things more difficult for the foreign teachers. I find that giving one student who was exceptionally good, a sticker at the end of class works well. Any more ideas would be welcome.

Stickers are good, the children love them for sure. As an extension of that, but with the same kind of theme, have you thought about making them 'Star of the Day?' Give a reason explaining why they are the star, the rest of the class can applaud, and this helps model good behaviour. Write their name (better if you can make little name tags and they can then bluetak their name) on to a star of the day poster. Next lesson, they get little priviledges, whatever you choose them to be.

These are easy enough to knock up yourself, but if you want a ready made one, and you have MS publisher, I'll happily send you one i've made. PM me. It's nothing too grand, but print and laminate it and it does the job well enough.

[tonititan]

Well, I may have to move all the desks...even though it's a pain. Plus, there is hardly any room to move, even when you do move the desks. No, I don't take it personally. I certainly have a lot to learn....however, I do feel that I'm pretty energetic and I play games and sing songs with the students. I still feel that because of the way the Thai teachers discipline them (hitting them,) it actually makes things more difficult for the foreign teachers. I find that giving one student who was exceptionally good, a sticker at the end of class works well. Any more ideas would be welcome.

I agree, kids love stickers, and they can be great motivators. If your plan of giving an exceptionally good student a sticker works well, that's great. But I would also suggest giving rewards/reinforcement more often than at the end of the period (and other poster already suggested this as well). The truly problematic kids are unlikely to be "exceptionally good" the entire class period. Those are the kids you need to target, and those are the ones who probably need immediate reinforcement of their positive behavior. So as soon as they do something well, it helps to "reward" them, either with a sticker, with a special job, or even with just verbal praise. That will make them want to repeat that positive behavior. You could try having very small stickers to give out, and at a random (unannounced) point in your lesson, give a sticker to every student who is following directions/sitting down/etc. But you have to keep it positive. You don't want the kids with inappropriate behavior to feel punished ("Too bad - you weren't sitting!") because that will just make them rebel even more. Rather, use the stickers to motivate those kids to behave. You have to give them another opportunity to earn a sticker. So you could say, "I really wish I could give you a sticker, [Name], but you weren't sitting down like the other kids. If you sit down and listen, you can earn a sticker." Then a few minutes later, you can again reward all of the kids who are sitting. It may seem cumbersome at the beginning, but as time goes by, the frequency of sticker-giving can become less and less.

Otherwise, if you decide to only use the sticker reward for one student each day, keep in mind that you can't expect the same behavior out of all kids. "Good" students may earn the daily sticker by listening the entire class, participating well, AND sitting nicely. But the kids having a hard time will almost never live up to that standard, at least not right away. It's too much of a jump. You'll have to gradually condition them and mold their behaviors. So if a "naughty" student who normally runs around the room the entire class is able to sit down for just one activity, that's a huge improvement for that particular student. You can still give that child the daily sticker and make sure to emphasize that he/she is getting the award because he/she sat down during the _____ activity. That's the key - looking for an "exceptionally good" day for a particular student as compared to his/her normal behavior, not just compared to the whole class.

Don't underestimate the power of praise. That's my #1 tool for managing behavior. I rarely, if ever, use prizes or stickers. (Although I completely understand that extrinsic rewards are sometimes necessary.) Even if kids don't show it, I truly believe that almost all children (except maybe a sociopath, lol) want attention from their teacher & want to please their teacher. The more you praise them and make them feel good about themselves, the more likely they are to listen to you. Who doesn't like to be complimented? The same principle works with adults, whether it's in a professional setting, in the dating world, etc. Compliments/praise starts a cycle for students, but a good one - unlike the cycle of kids being labeled "bad" or "naughty," getting no positive reinforcement from teachers, and then continuing or even escalating their behavior. When teachers use praise, the other kids want that kind of attention too. I've seen classrooms where the kids are almost trying to out-do each other to be "good" so that the teacher will compliment them.

Good luck!

Edited June 1, 2012 by tonititan

[LucidLucifer]

Well, I may have to move all the desks...even though it's a pain. Plus, there is hardly any room to move, even when you do move the desks. No, I don't take it personally. I certainly have a lot to learn....however, I do feel that I'm pretty energetic and I play games and sing songs with the students. I still feel that because of the way the Thai teachers discipline them (hitting them,) it actually makes things more difficult for the foreign teachers. I find that giving one student who was exceptionally good, a sticker at the end of class works well. Any more ideas would be welcome.

I agree, kids love stickers, and they can be great motivators. If your plan of giving an exceptionally good student a sticker works well, that's great. But I would also suggest giving rewards/reinforcement more often than at the end of the period (and other poster already suggested this as well). The truly problematic kids are unlikely to be "exceptionally good" the entire class period. Those are the kids you need to target, and those are the ones who probably need immediate reinforcement of their positive behavior. So as soon as they do something well, it helps to "reward" them, either with a sticker, with a special job, or even with just verbal praise. That will make them want to repeat that positive behavior. You could try having very small stickers to give out, and at a random (unannounced) point in your lesson, give a sticker to every student who is following directions/sitting down/etc. But you have to keep it positive. You don't want the kids with inappropriate behavior to feel punished ("Too bad - you weren't sitting!") because that will just make them rebel even more. Rather, use the stickers to motivate those kids to behave. You have to give them another opportunity to earn a sticker. So you could say, "I really wish I could give you a sticker, [Name], but you weren't sitting down like the other kids. If you sit down and listen, you can earn a sticker." Then a few minutes later, you can again reward all of the kids who are sitting. It may seem cumbersome at the beginning, but as time goes by, the frequency of sticker-giving can become less and less.

Otherwise, if you decide to only use the sticker reward for one student each day, keep in mind that you can't expect the same behavior out of all kids. "Good" students may earn the daily sticker by listening the entire class, participating well, AND sitting nicely. But the kids having a hard time will almost never live up to that standard, at least not right away. It's too much of a jump. You'll have to gradually condition them and mold their behaviors. So if a "naughty" student who normally runs around the room the entire class is able to sit down for just one activity, that's a huge improvement for that particular student. You can still give that child the daily sticker and make sure to emphasize that he/she is getting the award because he/she sat down during the _____ activity. That's the key - looking for an "exceptionally good" day for a particular student as compared to his/her normal behavior, not just compared to the whole class.

Don't underestimate the power of praise. That's my #1 tool for managing behavior. I rarely, if ever, use prizes or stickers. (Although I completely understand that extrinsic rewards are sometimes necessary.) Even if kids don't show it, I truly believe that almost all children (except maybe a sociopath, lol) want attention from their teacher & want to please their teacher. The more you praise them and make them feel good about themselves, the more likely they are to listen to you. Who doesn't like to be complimented? The same principle works with adults, whether it's in a professional setting, in the dating world, etc. Compliments/praise starts a cycle for students, but a good one - unlike the cycle of kids being labeled "bad" or "naughty," getting no positive reinforcement from teachers, and then continuing or even escalating their behavior. When teachers use praise, the other kids want that kind of attention too. I've seen classrooms where the kids are almost trying to out-do each other to be "good" so that the teacher will compliment them.

Good luck!

A super post.

Once trained, and that is what in effect you are doing, behaviour management becomes implicit rather than explicit. The children know what is expected of them, and generally all children want to please.

With my classes, I pretty much never need to say anything, a raised eyebrow or look is enough. They know what is expected from them, and they will normally comply. And before you say you must have been teaching in some lovely schools, the answer is no. In fact, in my last school, I would always get the problematic classes because management knew I could control them.

To get them sitting down nicely during carpet time, sitting straight and not talking, it can be as simple as picking up a 'special cushion.' You can then chose whoever was ready first, or is sitting the nicest, to give the cushion to. No words need be said, it's all in the actions.

As Tonititan and I have both mentioned, give constant reinforcement, and focus on the positives. It is the key.

I, like you, went from teaching secondary down to primary, and it's a huge jump. You'll get there, we all have probably been where you are at some stage of our training or careers.

[culicine]

One more thing...you know how little kids are always trying to get your attention, and they all want your help at the same time...saying teacher, teacher, teacher...and it's like, well I can only help one kid at a time...how do you get them to stop that. I tell them to wait a moment (in Thai as well) but they are not the most patient kids....

Yes, that can be so annoying. I have found that it works to go out of your way to acknowledge the kids who ARE being appropriate and raising their hands/waiting. When a student is shouting out for you, you can use that moment to remind him/her to raise their hand, but don't try to quickly answer the question so you can move on. That will only reinforce the behavior. If you say, "XXX, you need to raise your hand and wait your turn," then acknowledge a student who is doing that ("I like how YYY is raising her hand quietly. YYY, what do you want to say?" it is likely that XXX will raise his hand. Kids learn from imitation, and if they see that doing the expected behavior gets them the attention they want, they'll learn to start doing it. Or you can say, "XXX, I want to help you, but YYY had her hand raised." Eventually, once the kids understand your expectations, you can start completely ignoring the kids who are shouting out and acknowledge the ones who are appropriate.

If many many kids are raising their hands for help you might need to look at how you presented the material and how fast you want with them, though granted there will always be a few to ask questions. Use lots of checking questions, but don't ask "do you understand" - they always say yes! Young kids, and older ones too often need lots of examples of an idea - get them to the board to do some work, even before you start the main lesson. Give some rewards for them paying attention - many problems exist because students aren't either listening or simply don't understand the instructions. Once students know what is expected of them the lesson should run smoothly. With very young kids you need to change the activities often as their concentration span is short. This is compounded by a foreign language which is quite taxing for new language learners.

[NoshowJones]

First day of class, the kids have 9 rules to write in their book. Includes such things as profanity, arrive on time (failure), greet the teacher, ask to leave or walk into the classroom, have books, etc etc.

As they forget some rules, remind them by having it read by the entire classroom.

You failed to tell us what age level are you have the most difficulty with.

Day one, I set the rules, and they know I am the boss in the classroom. If you fail to do this, you lose them for the rest of the year.

M level students, separate the leader from his buddies.

P level students, have them sit with girls (if it is a boy).

Always use the Thai teacher for help. They are feared and use that to your advantage. Never hit them, as you will be the farang mai dee. Calling a Thai to help does not undermine your authority. On the contrary, the Thais want you to use them for discipline. Works wonders in my classes.

Give homework, do sit ups, stand with arms above their heads. Many things you can do.

What I do with my Prathom 5 and 6 kids is when they continue to be naughty, tell them to stand up on their chairs, sometimes for a short time, sometimes till the end of the lesson depending on how naughty they have been. another one, tell them to stand outside in the corridor, they hate that as they know they are in trouble when a Thai teacher walks past.

[siampolee]

One system I use even now is ''peer judgement.''

The children are asked if they think the behavior pattern is wrong, they 99% of the time say yes.then as a group we decide the mode of chastisement (nothing physical).

We have in the classroom a ''naughty student chair and desk so as work is not interrupted, the offenders peers decide whether the offender sits or stands and I review the situation every 5 minutes or so via a show of hands as to whether the punishment time period is over or not.

I find that at the beginning of a new school year it takes about three offences in the whole class for the problems to cease.

Peer judgement is a powerful weapon which also leaves your reputation as the subject or homeroom teacher unblemished in the children's eyes..

And remember, don't lose sight of the fact that we were all kids once too.

[Somtamnication]

That is a good one. I use it and it works. How these kids look at you and think of you is important. Countless times of a bad kid in the class and all eyes turn to you.

[markg]

We have in the classroom a ''naughty student chair and desk so as work is not interrupted, the offenders peers decide whether the offender sits or stands and I review the situation every 5 minutes or so via a show of hands as to whether the punishment time period is over or not.

OMG. That's just wrong on so many levels.