Negative attention from teachers can lead to more negative student behaviors is an article at Eureka Report (see Negative attention from teachers can lead to more negative student behaviors) about research finding what all teachers know already — often the more negative attention you focus on a student will result in more behavior problems, not fewer ones.

Of course, just because we know it works that way doesn’t mean that many of us stop ourselves from doing it!

If I find myself in that kind of endless loop, I generally try a first step of having a conversation with the student that starts this way:

“I think I’m calling your name out and getting on your case too much. I’m not feeling good about it, and I suspect that you aren’t, either. Sometimes what I’ve done in the past is, instead of calling out students names, we arrange a sign – like my tapping on the desk once, or saying a word – that reminds the student to get refocused. Could we try something like that? What would be a sign that you’d like me to give?”

That conversation, applying the sign, and combining it with a lot of praise for specific positive behaviors, usually – though, unfortunately, not always, succeeds in turning the corner.

Here’s an excerpt from the Eureka Report article:

If-a-teacher-gives

I’m adding this info to The Best Posts On Classroom Management.