Valcourt 1

Ali Valcourt
Mrs. Harrell
English 4 Honors
October 30, 2014

Imagine a world where students dont talk back, they do not argue with teachers and they
complete all of their assignments. If there was a perfect world, then disciplinary actions would
not be needed. When children with behavior issues act out in class, they interrupt the other
students learning. If the teacher doesnt do anything to discipline the student for his/her
behavior, then that child will continue to interfere with the other students learning. It is necessary
for todays teachers to use behavior modification in the classroom to differentiate instruction of
children with various conduct disorders.
Disciplinary policies must be in place to handle incidents when a student's behavior
creates a problem. With that said, strategies exist that school staff can employ to help prevent
these behaviors from escalating to a point where additional disciplinary action is necessary.
Professional development and training can help school staff members organize their thinking
about problematic behaviors. Unfortunately, the school staff members only receive limited
training in how to prevent and respond to troubling behavior. When they are trained, they are
given many different strategies to use to help children with behavioral issues. Behaviormanagement strategies help staff members respond to behaviors that already have escalated.
Behavior-prevention strategies are more proactive - they can prevent behaviors from occurring
(Boardman). Discussing the problem, mild authority, contacting parents, behavior modification,
and physical restraint (which should be the last resort) are different strategies that are used in
elementary schools and are helpful to teachers to keep the classroom under control.

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A particularly relevant part of the professional role should be how teachers deal with
problematic student behaviors, especially as several studies have reported that teachers perceive
that 15% or more of the children in elementary school exhibit high levels of problem behaviors
(Rydell and Henricksson 93-102). Student behavior is a daily concern. Typically, teachers do not
have time to listen to the students excuses about their behavior. It is much quicker to alleviate
the classroom disruption by sending them to the school disciplinary team. Instead of sending
them to the office, by listening to students' concerns, teachers often can discern the real meaning
and function behind the behavior (Boardman). Many teachers dont even need to send the
student down to the disciplinary team, but just to take the student outside the classroom and talk
to them about what he/she did. Though, if the student maintains the disrupting conduct, then the
teacher needs to take a different approach to the kind of discipline technique she uses.
In a perfect world, where students are polite and complaint, the use of discipline wouldnt
be needed. Unfortunately there is no such thing as a perfect world, school personnel are
encouraged to train for preventing and responding to problematic students. They are trained so
when students act out in class and interrupt the learning environment the teachers know how to
take care of the situation. If the instructor wasnt properly educated and didnt have discipline
policies in place, then that student would continue to disrupt the class during their learning.
Without discipline, the student would continue with the improper behavior because they
wouldnt know any better. Because of that reason, it is necessary for todays teachers to use
behavior modification in the classroom to differentiate instruction of children with various
conduct disorders.

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Works Cited
Boardman, Randolph M. "Behavior Modification." American School & University 82.7 (2010).
Biography in Context. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.

Rydell, Ann-Margret, and Lisbeth Henricksson. "Elementary School Teachers Strategies To

Handle Externalizing Classroom Behavior: A Study Of Relations Between Perceived
Control, Teacher Orientation And Strategy Preferences." Scandinavian Journal Of
Psychology 45.2 (2004): 93-102. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Oct. 2014.

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Ali Valcourt
Mrs. Harrell
English 4 Honors
October 21, 2014

Research Question: What strategies can be used by teachers to help kids with behavioral
issues?
Working Thesis Statement: Teachers use many different strategies to deal with kids with
behavioral issues.
Refined Thesis Statement: It is necessary for todays teachers to use behavior modification in
the classroom to differentiate instruction of children with various conduct disorders.
Annotated Bibliography
Boardman, Randolph M. "Behavior Modification." American School & University 82.7 (2010).
Biography in Context. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.
The article explains how since there isnt a perfect world, students talk back to the
teachers, they argue with teachers, and they dont complete their assignments. If there was a
perfect world, then disciplinary actions wouldnt be needed. The article gives tips to prevent
crises and help understand how staff behavior can help mitigate a crisis. The article explains that
teachers dont usually listen to the students, but they just send the student to the schools
disciplinary team. Instead of sending them to the office, by listening to students' concerns,
teachers often can discern the real meaning and function behind the behavior. Boardman also
explains that there are two types of questions that staff members will hear when they are
intervening with a student in a crisis. Questions either will be asking for information or will be a

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challenge to authority. If a student is looking for information, then the teacher should provide it.
When staff members avoid taking questions personally that challenge authority, they are
declining the invitation to a power struggle. This article helps with my research by giving tips
and strategies to help teachers out when a child is misbehaving.

Rydell, Ann-Margret, and Lisbeth Henricksson. "Elementary School Teachers Strategies To

Handle Externalizing Classroom Behavior: A Study Of Relations Between Perceived
Control, Teacher Orientation And Strategy Preferences." Scandinavian Journal Of
Psychology 45.2 (2004): 93-102. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Oct. 2014.
Rydell and Henrickssons article explains which strategies that teachers use are the best
to help kids with behavioral issues. The article says that there are many different strategies used
by teachers in elementary. In the article, there is a study shown; it explains how teachers have
different disciplinary strategies that they employ, and they differ in how successful they are in
dealing with unwanted student behavior. They explain that perceived control is the belief that
one can determine his/her own internal states and behavior, influence one's environment, and/or
bring about desired outcomes. Some disciplinary strategy preferences are reasoning/discussing,
mild authority, contacting parents, behavior modification, firm verbal reprimand, and physical
restraint. This article helps my research by explaining different strategies that are used in
elementary schools and are helpful to teachers to keep the classroom under control.