Introduction
When The Day the Lesson Fell Apart
It was a Friday morning. Ms. Carter, a fifth-grade teacher with five years of experience, had prepared an engaging science experiment. The class was buzzing. But just minutes into the activity, another refused to participate. Over half of them wouldn’t stoop or stop, no matter what direction you tried (throwing a paper, banging on the table, etc.). Within 10 minutes, chaos reigned. The experiment was forgotten.
Disruptive behavior in the classroom isn’t just frustrating, it’s a barrier to learning for everyone. Whether you’re a new teacher or a seasoned educator, managing such behavior is one of the most challenging (and essential) parts of your job.
Let’s explore some proven, research-based classroom management strategies to handle disruptive students and maintain your composure while keeping the respect of both you and your students.
What do we mean by “disruptive students”?
Students who disrupt the class are those who interfere with its learning environment. This means things like:
- Talking out of turn or over the teacher
- Frequent tardiness or refusal to follow directions
- Disrespecting other students or teachers
- Walking around the classroom for no reason at all
- Using their phone or technology improperly
However, here’s the thing: disruption is often only a symptom, not the real problem. Understanding why students act out is key to controlling their behaviour. This supports restorative justice in education, not just discipline.
Why Class Management Is Essential
Good class management isn’t about control. It’s about creating a secure, structured space where all students can thrive and learn. According to the U.S. Department of Education, for instance, positive behavioral interventions have been shown to significantly improve student outcomes and reduce suspension rates. This aligns with the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework.
Good classroom management strategies:
- Reduce stress for the teacher
- Establish trust between the student and the teacher
- Improve academic performance
- Develop a classroom culture that welcomes everyone
These are student engagement strategies and inclusive classroom practices in action.
Proven Classroom Management Strategies for Disruptive Students
1. Set Clear, Consistent Expectations Early
By establishing classroom norms with your students, you are turning slips into opportunities. This sense of ownership not only lets them know what is expected but also why things must be so.
Example: At the beginning of each semester, students brainstorm a list of classroom “do’s and don’ts.” The final version is then posted, where it can be viewed.
Why it works: People are more likely to follow rules they helped set. This addresses classroom expectations and consistency.
2. Build Strong Relationships
In short, teachers achieve better results with students they understand as individuals. Take the time to know your students as individuals, or make the effort to understand the people behind the pupils.
Some quick ways to build relationships:
- Use students’ names when you greet them as they come in
- If you can, attend some of the students’ sports or club events
- Do the “two by ten”: For 10 days, spend 2 minutes a day chatting with a disruptive student about any subject that isn’t school-related.
Edutopia research has shown that students who feel honored and respected are more likely to respond positively to correction. This is core to building student-teacher trust and student-centered discipline.
3. Use Non-Verbal Classroom Management Techniques
Before You Engage, Consider Whether Less Overt Signals Will Suffice. Sometimes, all it takes is a glance or a subtle gesture to change the behavior. Try:
- Making eye contact
- Pausing (or breaking off) mid-sentence
- Clearing your throat or seeming to swallow hard
- Moving closer to the student
- Using agreed-upon hand signals
This is about non-verbal classroom management techniques and preventing classroom disruptions while keeping things flowing smoothly.
4. Private Discipline Strategies for Teachers
In the case of disturbances, find an area where it’s two people at most and talk with the student privately if you can
Never call a student out in public. This can fail badly, particularly if the student is a senior who feels embarrassed or threatened.
In place OF time-outs, use a “time in.” Have the student come out into the hallway briefly for a quick discussion.
Use this kind of language:
“Hey, today I noticed that you were having a tough time concentrating on your work. Want to take a little break, then come back as soon as you feel ready?”
This is an excellent example of private discipline strategies for teachers and a calm response to student misbehavior.
5. Use Restorative Practices, Not Just Punishment
One look of punishment and the aggressive behavior stops. But that is punishment only. Restorative practices are very different. Today, for a procedure, ask the student to compose a reflection of less than 50 words that demonstrates the following thoughts. This will all require their discretion.
You:
- What was ail?
- Schools using these methods have noticed improved relationships between students, and (at least in Washington, where the program was first introduced) a sharp drop in expulsions.
This aligns directly with examples of restorative justice in schools and provides an alternative to zero-tolerance policies.
6. Stay Calm and Consistent, Even When It’s Tough
Patience goes out the window when things get tough, particularly after many a disturbance. The more reactive you are, the greater power you have over yourself.
When you stay calm, you demonstrate emotional self-management to children. Speak in a neutral tone, use appropriate body language and repeat your expectations without starting a debate.
Tip: Have a self-calming plan, a phrase to repeat, a breath technique, or a silent countdown in mind.
This is a key strategy for maintaining classroom control and responding calmly to student misbehavior.
Read Also: Classroom Management and Strategies: The Art of Guiding a Flourishing Classroom
What to Avoid When Handling Disruptive Students
Managing classroom behavior also means knowing what not to do. When you’re in the heat of the moment, it’s easy to react emotionally and try to generate order quickly, but those kinds of responses can backfire. If approached in the wrong way, things will simply get worse.
Public Shaming or Sarcasm
Enlining a student (intentionally or inadvertently) in front of classmates can seriously damage their trust and motivation. Sarcasm, or jokes made at the expense of a student, may seem a way of flexing authority and lightening tense situations. Still, it tends only to inflame disobedience, injured feelings and long-term resentment.
Why it’s bad:
- It frays the bonds between student and teacher
- This type of thing encourages more misbehavior in the future
- It creates a hostile atmosphere in the classroom
What to do instead:
Whenever possible, redirect the student in private. Use calm, positive language that preserves their dignity and gives that person the chance to think things over without feeling under siege.
Zero-Tolerance Policies Without Flexibility
A rigid disciplinary policy that treats all disruptive behavior uniformly, regardless of the context, can drive students away and produce unfair outcomes. Not all disruptions are acts of defiance; some may stem from stress, trauma, learning disabilities or unsatisfied needs.
Why it’s bad:
- It doesn’t address the reason for the behavior
- It can disproportionately hurt children with emotional or behavioral problems
- It takes away opportunities for learning and growth
What to do instead:
Adopt a restorative, responsive attitude. Understand the “why” behind behavior, and provide the student with support and consequences. Discipline should teach, not just punish.
Inconsistent Enforcement of Rules
Nothing breeds more confusion or pushback than when students discover that different standards apply for the same rule on different days, depending on the teacher’s mood or some other variation in place. Inconsistency erodes credibility and promotes a sense of favoritism or unfair treatment.
Why it’s bad:
- It makes conflicting statements regarding what is acceptable
- Your status as a fair, trustworthy adult takes a hit
- The boundary is now open for testing
What to do instead:
Be consistent. If a rule is essential, apply it without exception to every student. Let class rules and penalties be clearly communicated, and calmly enforce them.
Engaging in Power Struggles
When a student challenges your authority by talking back or disobeying a request, it is easy to be sucked into a conflict of wills. But trying to “win” a confrontation before witnesses generally means both sides lose.
Why it’s bad:
- It heightens conflict and evokes emotions
- It diverts attention from teaching
- It usually ends in one party losing face or getting hurt feelings
What to do instead:
Stay calm and collected. Seek to defuse the situation by providing options, speaking in a non-judgmental tone, or taking the student aside. What you want is to guide behavior, not bulldoze it.
Example: How to Turn Around a Difficult Class
Mr. Alvarez couldn’t take it anymore. After just two months with a notoriously disruptive group, he was desperate. So he began holding daily 5-minute check-ins. Soon, student-led lessons seemed like the boring part of class to his eyes! Students handled warm-up exercises one week, followed by supplies the next, and so on.
Progress was slow at first, but over the weeks, classroom order returned. The students felt comfortable and talked less often in class or their home room. He never raised his voice–he just changed the dynamic of this room.
The moral: When students are treated as if they can be trusted, they often respond more responsibly. This is a real-world example of classroom management that demonstrates student-centered discipline.
Instead of Disciplining, Encourage
Disruptive behavior is painful. But with understanding, organization, and a set of tried-and-true techniques, you can turn pandemonium into education.
You’re not just presiding over the classroom, you’re shaping future citizens! This aligns with trauma-informed teaching and social-emotional learning (SEL) to build a respectful culture.
Further Reading
- Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) – U.S. Department of Education behavior guidelines
- Restorative Justice in Schools (restorative justice in education) – Education Week
- Classroom Management (inclusive classroom practices) – NEA.org
Do you have a strategy that you find is a game-changer in your classroom? Share it in the comments! Or forward this along to another teacher who is facing trouble in the back rows.
