What are you supposed to be doing?

Classroom/Child Management Help

If a child's not doing what he's supposed to be doing, he usually knows what he is supposed to be doing. So, in a friendly voice, ask the child, “John, what are you supposed to be doing right now?” When you ask, do your best to make sure it sounds like a question and not a statement. You might even need to practice a few times beforehand. If the child answers correctly he'll often start doing what you want him to do without any further prompting. Sometimes, it might be necessary to follow up with, “What are you going to do now?” He'll usually correct his own behavior and comply.

If a child gives you a response that indicates he doesn’t know what he's supposed to be doing, ask him to look at the other kids and see what they are doing or give him a direct instruction. Be sure to encourage children when they comply with your requests.

Variation: When a child is behaving in a way they are not supposed to behave, such as using a doll as a hammer, ask him if he's supposed to use a doll as a hammer. He'll usually know the answer and stop on his own and you won’t even have to tell him what to do. He's made the wise choice on his own.

What do you think? Have you ever used this? Any favorite techniques in your bag of tricks?