This brief  presents eight techniques regarding positive classroom management. These techniques are as viable today as they were when they were originally articulated by Drs. Long and Newman, who wrote about them in their paper entitled ‘A differential approach to the management of surface behavior of children in school’. These management techniques are indirect methods that are intend to address inappropriate, or ‘surface’ behavior(s) without directly calling attention to such. The task is to find the right combination of techniques for each student since no one of these practical techniques is considered to be more effective than the other. These techniques presented here are indirect methods that are intended to address inappropriate behavior(s) without directly calling attention to such. These eight techniques are:

• ignoring behavior
• signs of disapproval
• teacher proximity
• increasing student interest
• helping students jump a hurdle
• structuring when needed
• removing of captivating objects
• leaving the room

Tip 1: Ignoring student behavior. Much of the student’s behavior will soon exhaust itself if it is not replenished, especially if the behavior is designed to “get the teacher’s attention”. In cases like these, it might be wise for the teacher to ignore the behavior and not feed into the student’s attention getting behavior. For example, when Fred starts tapping his feet on the floor, for example, this is a signal for the teacher to go over and help Fred. If the teacher confronts Fred with this behavior, Fred usually argues with the teacher and causes additional problems. In this example, the teacher responds to the motivation of the behavior and not the manifestations of the behavior. 

Tip 2: Teacher signs of disapproval. Teachers have developed a variety of signals that communicate a
feeling of disapproval to the student. Those non-verbal techniques include such things as eye contact, hand gesturing, tapping or snapping fingers, coughing or clearing one’s throat, facial frowns, and body postures.  Such signs can be effective when used appropriately. A student who is talking out inappropriately, for example,  will often stop that behavior if the teacher glances in the student’s direction. Such non-verbal techniques are most effective at the beginning stages of an inappropriate behavior.

Tip 3: Teacher proximity to student. The teacher’s proximity to a student can operate as a source of
protection, strength, and identification. It can be effective, for  example, for a teacher to stand near a student who is having some difficulty. Thus, it is not uncommon for a teacher to walk up and down the row of desks to help students who are having trouble with their work, or to intercede before a student acts up too much. 

Tip 4: Increasing student interest. A teacher who connects with a student’s area of interest may help the student to better mobilize his or her study interests and habits. This has been referred to as the “interest boosting” technique. Consider, for example, a student who may be so interested in basketball that his or her preoccupation with it may interfere with schoolwork. The teacher may need to study up on the student’s favorite  basketball team and become more knowledgeable about the sport. The teacher can then approach the student to discuss basketball. Together, they will spend time talking about various aspects of the sport, but do so only after the student has completed his or her regular assignments. By using this technique, the student may also view the teacher as one who has taken an interest in him or her.

Tip 5: Helping students jump a hurdle. Sometimes the student is frustrated by the immediate classroom
assignments. He or she  may not understand the teacher’s directions, for example, or is blocked by the next step in the assignment. Unfortunately, instead of asking the teacher for help, the student may translate his or her frustrations into motor behavior, such as establishing eye contact with his or her peers, find something interesting in his wallet or her purse, or draw doodles on the notebook. The teacher needs to be on the lookout for this type of student behavior by strolling around the room to prompt the student who is busy doodling or visiting with neighbors at inappropriate times. Providing the student with additional attention and assistance can often provide the help needed in order for him or her to get over the “hurdle” and begin working productively.  

Tip 6: Structuring when needed. Some students need much more structure than other students before they can feel comfortable and secure. Without these guideposts for behavior, some students become anxious and hyperactive. To help these students, a daily schedule or program should be provided in that this may alleviate some of their anxious feelings. They can predict what is expected of them and prepare themselves for the next activity. For example, the teacher writes a daily detailed schedule on the chalkboard each morning. The activities are detailed so the student will be somewhat familiar with what is expected to be accomplished during that given activity. This provides an easier transition from activity to activity and the students are more prepared and are thinking about the activities planned for the day.  

Tip 7: Removing captivating Objects. Teachers have learned that they cannot compete against such enticing items as a baseball in a group of boys, or a picture of the latest crooner in a group of  pre-adolescent girls. Either such objects have to be removed, or teachers have to accept the disorganized state of the group.

Tip 8: Leaving the room: When a student’s behavior has reached a point where the teacher questions
whether the student will respond to verbal controls, it is best to ask the student to leave the room for a few minutes, perhaps to get a drink, wash up, or deliver a message. Consider, for example, the student who suddenly becomes frustrated over flunking a math test because of careless errors of calculation. The teacher needs to provide an area so the student is able to pull himself together without punitive responses. In using this “change of setting” technique, there is no intent of punishing the student, but simply to protect and help the student to get over his or her feelings of either anger, disappointment, uncontrollable laughter, hiccups, etc. Of course, it would defeat the purpose of this approach to nonpunitive management by sending the student to such places as the principal’s or nurse’s office to sit. Again, the teacher needs to consider a neutral site in which the student can pull herself or himself together.