Threatening the Class - Tips For First Time Teachers

When your class gets out of hand or steps outkills a lot of birds with one stone. It stares back at
of line you need to reassert who the boss is. Ifthe student and lets them know that they've
you don't do this the right way, it will backfire onbeen fairly warned. It shows the other students in
you and the problem will just get worse. If youclass what will happen to them if they make the
use empty threats on your class and they callsame decision. It also serves as a reminder to
your bluff, you've not only lost the battle, butyou, the teacher, as you may forget about the
you've made it really hard to win the war. Nowinfraction if that student behaves well for a few
you not only have to raise the level of yourminutes but then regresses back to misbehaving.
threat, you must carry through with it or faceIf you have students that are too old for recess
losing their respect permanently.then the best means of getting them in order is
One great way to threaten your class is to taketo threaten more homework. What you do not
away privileges. Therefore, if you haven't alreadywant to do is give less homework to the
done so, you'll want to start giving your classstudents that behave well. This creates a slippery
certain privileges so that you have something toslope and eventually you will have some students
take away should they misbehave later on. If youwho are doing no homework, and parents will
are teaching elementary school children, you havecomplain that you are not challenging their child
a built-in privilege called Recess. This usually worksenough. You want to give the misbehaving
like a charm because no student want their freestudents even more homework than the rest of
time taken away. It may be hard for you as thethe class. This way there is no limit to how much
teacher, because that's your time to take aextra homework you can dish out. While some
breather and relax, but you must play hardball ifschool administrators don't like the practice of
you want your class to respect the power youusing homework as a punishment, simply state
have.that homework itself is not the punishment, but
For these students, simply write the name of thethe extra assignments are. You are now
child that is getting on your nerves on the board.encroaching on the students free time, and this
Let them know that they are in danger of losingwill usually correct their behavior in class.
their recess time. Writing the name on the board