Have You Tried Planned Ignoring?
“Have you tried Planned Ignoring?”
That’s what I asked a co-teaching pair last week. I was surprised they hadn’t heard of this tried-and-true method of behavior management.
We were brainstorming after I had watched them trying to control a wiggly late afternoon classroom of 6th graders. “Wiggly” is a euphemistic way to describe their “worst behaved class ever.” They were playing a game of whack-a-mole as one student after another popped out of his seat, asked for a bathroom pass, and sharpened a pencil, not to mention random teasing peer interactions – calling each other names, knocking books on the floor…impulsivity running wild! Sound familiar?
Most teachers have experienced scenarios like at some point in their career. It didn’t help that spring break was late this year, and the sun promised summertime freedom outside. Our tendency is to address each problem behavior individually, but that’s the worst thing we can do.
Here’s why. Teacher A calls across the room. “Ok, Roberto. Stop leaning back. All 4 legs on the floor!” When other students notice her attention focused on Roberto, what happens? Before you can blink, there are three others leaning back on their chairs! And so it goes.
Guidance from the National Positive Behavior and Support Center and other published research informs us that students crave attention from teachers and peers. If they don’t get it from “good” behavior, those who are especially needy will use undesirable behaviors – whatever it takes – to get attention. The behavior you reinforce will persist. If you ignore off task behavior and reinforce the behaviors you want, you influence what will persist.
The next day, I was amazed at the transformation in their classroom. Those two teachers focused on the three desirable behaviors that they wanted – settling down, opening binders, and starting the warm-up. They pointedly acknowledged the few students who were engaged in those behaviors. They also disciplined themselves to truly ignore the off task behaviors – no looks, no facial expressions, no gestures. It worked! Students scrambled to be on task so they could be acknowledged too.
Does it work in your classroom?
