Working on the outside classroom environment and small changes in the inner classroom is the first step. As the jungle is cleared out, you gain room to trim the hedges. Starting with your own attitude, set clear boundaries for the students.

The key psychological approach is how you present your expectations. Every situation will have details that need individual adjustments. There are three elements to keep in mind while forming your mental commitment:

• Consistency: Students want to be pushed hard for success. They are looking to you for direction, even if it appears they are distracted. Make a commitment to be upfront and honest about your rules for proper behavior. Frame this in the context of letting them decide how they wish to be treated.
   
• Respect: Students are eager to gain acceptance. They need you to show them how to coexist and make compromises. Speak to them in a polite tone of voice and discuss their behavior with them. Your job is to teach, and their job is to learn.
   
• Pride: Students seek a sense of satisfaction in what they do. Keep the class moving along at a regular pace. Set up a buddy system for short periods with older students helping younger ones. Have them put away their instruments and pick up after themselves. Eventually they will learn a sense of routine and a job well done.
   

You are looking to develop a cooperation over time that reduces misbehavior. As MENC member Eric Loring says, "When I first notice a student misbehaving, I try to make a general comment to the section of the student who is misbehaving (i.e. I need the attention of ALL the trumpet players). If I notice the student misbehaving again during class, I'll call that student directly by name and ask for their attention (i.e. [student's name], I need your attention on me). These two steps take care of about 90% of my problems." Over time your students will know how to behave and you can introduce more leeway.

Related Resource—Crowd Control: Classroom Management and Effective Teaching for Chorus, Band, and Orchestra.

Tips collected from the MENC Forums. Discuss this article on the Band Forum.

Read Part 1 of this series.
Read Part 3 of this series.

Coming in two weeks: Managing the Misbehavior Jungle, Part 3.

-- Paul Fergus, December 4, 2008, © MENC: The National Association for Music Education (www.menc.org)