• Hints and tips
• Top tip of the week
• Starting out
• In the classroom
• Around the school
• Behaviour management
  • Preparing for good behaviour
  • Strategies for discipline
  • Managing difficult behaviour
  • Motivating pupils
  • Coping with exam stress
• Time management
• Dealing with parents
• Job hunting
• End of term
• Share your hints and tips
• Peer to peer

Strategies for discipline

It's important to be the cure rather than the cause in discipline matters:

Don't embarrass your pupils

Embarrassing your pupils should not be part of your classroom toolbox. Pupils react badly to being embarrassed in front of their peers: it can lead to revenge tactics in terms of disrupting the class lesson or being uncooperative. If you're angry with someone take them aside and talk the problem through.

Be consistent

Try to be consistent in your behaviour towards your class. Pupils learn very quickly that you moan on a Monday, are a tyrant on Tuesdays and are demob happy on Fridays. They will alter their behaviour accordingly and you could be the cause and not the cure for the behaviour.

Don't be late for lessons

You will spend the first five minutes out of breath, there will have been disruption outside your classroom door and pupils will have had the chance to cause problems. Once they realise you are not an exact timekeeper they will follow your example.

Good discipline outside the classroom

If you see poor behaviour in the corridor, either report it or approach the pupil yourself. Don't walk past it as pupils will think are a soft touch when it comes to behaviour. Reputations of teachers aren't only made in the classroom!