Classroom Management – “The Four Questions”



Classroom Management – “The Four Questions”

Create an environment in your classroom that leaves the student understanding that they will choose to “behave in” or “behave out” of your class.

1) Never tell a student that you will “send them to the office”

2) The student will choose to behave in or behave out of your class.

3) There are four sequential questions that you can ask a student that is misbehaving.

4) Do not fall for “smoke screens”. (flippant answers that avoid the question)

5) Do not bail them out by answering all or part of the question.

6) Stick to the four questions. (display them on the wall in your classroom even)

7) Do not discuss, teach or lecture in between questions.

The Four Questions

1) Excuse me, what are you doing?

2) What are you supposed to be doing?

3) Are you doing it?

4) What are you going to do about it?

Making the questions work:

1) Ask the question twice if you don’t get the answer you should. (if you get a smokescreen)

2) Create a moment of silence after you ask the question.

3) Affirm the student if he/she is not cooperating after you ask the question the first time. (“you’ve been doing so well lately”)

4) “You may either answer my question or you will have to receive ___________.” (some consequence)

5) Ask the question again in the same matter of fact tone.

6) If you get attitude while asking the questions, stick to the questions.

7) Don’t try to deal with attitude and misbehavior at the same time.

8) Deal with attitude later in private. “We’ll have to address your attitude later”

9) If you get satisfactory answers to all: “What’s going to happen if you do this again?” (follow up with consequence if it happens again)

10) If the student becomes violent or verbally abusive (cursing etc.) the questions are over and you notify the office or ISS.

11) If a student “behaves out” of your class, when they return always follow up with, “What happened yesterday?” “What can we do so it won’t happen again?”

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