But you must have a discipline plan in place prior to the start of school. No matter what your plan is it must have well thought out expectations and consequences. Remember, consequences should be planned for both positive and negative behavior. If you are teaching Middle School and following the Middle School concept, then you have a team of teachers. These teachers should get together and work out the specifics concerning the expectations and consequences for your individual school.
While I would not try to make a conclusive list of helpful hints, concerning expectations and consequences, these are a few of the tools that I would suggest you include in your tool box for effective classroom management:
1. Group work or cooperative learning is a valuable model of teaching. When you use this model make sure that you have plenty of hands on activities to keep students full attention.
2. Be careful about letting Middle School children out to go to the restroom. Many times another student has set up an appointment to meet them at a certain time. I would tell that student to finish their work and if they still need to go in about ten minutes I will send them.
