One of the most effective classroom management strategies is teaching students how not to behave.
The way it works is simple.
When you notice certain behaviors being repeated . . .
Pushing in line.
Calling out during lessons.
Side-talking.
Etc.
. . . you mirror those behaviors right back at your students.
Not then and there, mind you. It’s best to wait until the next day or at least a couple hours later.
But essentially, you’ll model the exact behavior(s) you’re noticing in your classroom.
It’s an effective strategy because when students see themselves in your modeling, they become less likely to repeat the behavior. The reason is that it strikes a nerve atop their personal pride.
It makes engaging in the behavior awkward, even embarrassing.
One of the keys to making the strategy work is to have fun with it. It’s your exaggeration and humor that cause students to rethink taking part in the behavior again.
When disrupting the class is reframed as unreasonable and even absurd, and is coupled with consistent accountability, it tends to disappear.
When using the strategy, however, it’s common for teachers to digress into lecture and admonishment. We’re so conditioned to view misbehavior in a negative light that it’s easy to get worked up.
The solution is to personify the behavior in an imaginary student.
When it’s attributed to someone who doesn’t exist—Bobo or Lulu, for example—then it naturally adds a lightheartedness to the lesson.
“Yesterday, Bobo and Lulu were running in the hallway.”
“Lulu left a mess in the class library.”
“Bobo and his friends were off-topic during group work.”
It can be anything.
Using imaginary students also lends itself to exaggeration. The behavior seems more preposterous as students picture a goofy classmate acting out in ways they know are against the rules.
They also think it’s funny. Yes, even high school students—as long as they like and trust you. You’ll get questions like:
“Is Lulu absent today?”
“Can Bobo eat lunch with us?”
“Are Lulu and Bobo having a good day?”
It’s fun. But more than anything, it makes the how-not strategy more effective. It keeps the tone upbeat and less personal—as you’ll never single out a specific student.
However, as long as you continue to follow your classroom management plan as it’s written, there will always be an undercurrent of seriousness and truth. Your students will know that beneath the humor . . .
Beats the heart of a leader that accepts nothing less than their very best.
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Hi there. I’ve been reading your blog for a few years, and I have three of your books. I like this post a lot because it’s similar to something I have set up for this year. I made a sample class on Dojo, which I’m using to teach kids the rules and consequences. I just introduced the “class” to my sixth graders, and I think they are really into that form of teaching expectations and consequences. We can talk about why Negative Narcissus got a time out, for example, without labeling an actual student. Thanks for all the advice. It’s been unbelievably helpful.
How would this strategy look like in an 8th grade classroom?
Thank you.
I’m wondering how you would model side-conversations? I can see when talking about a fictitious student, but the modeling I’m having a hard time picturing.
Hi Scott,
You sit in a student’s seat and model with a volunteer. I’ll be sure and add this to the list of future topics.
I second this request! In general, I get self-concious when modeling and therefore I don’t commit fully, which is one of my biggest downfalls when teaching my rules and expectations. Any other advice you have about the detailed how to would be wonderful! Thanks for everything as always.
Hi Mimi,
There is a lot in The Happy Teacher Habits about how to be more compelling during lessons, but I’ll write more about this topic and modeling in the future.
Thank you! I have read The Happy Teacher Habits, and it definitely did offer more concrete and detailed advice. For me, I think the problem is that it takes me out of my comfort zone and is something I personally need to work on. So maybe it’s actually just the work I need to do that’s holding me back!
I did this with my high school honors class of 16 males and three females – and the most vocal student played my part as the teacher while I acted like him. It was hysterical and the class was roaring because as soon as he started to review the assignments on the board, I would yell across the room asking his friend what he did last night, using his lingo, then put my head on the desk and snore, turn around and whisper that this is so “lit,” then yell out that I had to go to the bathroom. To which he would recite the class rules. The class laughed at both of us. The point was made and the class was great for about a week. I was surprised that it was so much fun and effective. Now it is time to repeat.
I love it, Lin! Thanks for sharing.
I have these behavior in my class- especially using “outside voices”- as if every needs to hear over everyone else.
It would be great if you could add small videos as then we could SEE the as an example!
Thanks for your great info!
If you haven’t already, you should read his article on volume/voice levels in the classroom. I like to give my students context. For example, for the loudest voice they are allowed to use in the classroom (I call it level 2), I compare it to how you would speak in a nice restaurant. Of course you can speak in a normal voice and have a conversation, but if you start talking or laughing obnoxiously loud or yelling across the room, you are bound to get some disapproving looks from your fellow diners. The students find this example funny, and it seems to get the point across. I also have them practice all the volume levels so that I know they understand them.
I LOVE this idea!!! Trying to work it all out in my head, though. Are Bobo & Lulu actually members of our class? They’re just imaginary, right? I work with kindergarten. Would this work with them? Thank you!
Hi Michelle,
Glad to hear it! Yes, they could be. They are imaginary. And yes, it should work well with kindergarten.
Hi Micheal,
I tried this method last year and I ended up with students thinking it was funny, and would then mimic the behavior to get a laugh from the class. What would you do in this situation?
Thanks!
Hi Michael. Thank you for responding but, Geez, I feel like such a dimwit reading back over my question. Of course they are imaginary! I guess I was just coming up with some of the explanation that I’ll use with my children as to why they can’t see them. I’m trying it with them! Anyway… I just read your book The Happy Teacher Habits (which, by the way, has challenged and inspired me!) while weathering Hurricane Florence and am sooo intrigued with the chapter on “Bridge.” The three steps you give to make those connections with the children…. I am thinking about what is coming up this week and am having a hard time coming up with stories about my subject matter. Matching in math, adding detail in writing, etc… I know this is going to take practice but I don’t really know where to start. Thank you!
Hi Michelle,
The two easiest ways to get started telling stories, or lessons in story form, are to at your own interests and experiences or pull them right out of your teacher’s guide.
Thank you! I appreciate your time.
How do you copy a student’s disrespectful behavior when he just stands at the board, ignores teacher, ignores students who try to help? It is as if the battery was removed from a robot.
Thanks and God bless you and your work that helps us so much. Have a great year.