Stop Repeating Yourself: How to Teach and Establish Expected Behaviors
“We’ve gone over this…”
“The directions are on the board.”
“For the third time, turn to page 52!”
Does this ever sound like you? Do you find yourself repeating the same direction 5 or more times in a single lesson? Have you ever wondered why following instructions is so difficult when yet another student asks, “What are we doing?”
If so, you are not alone.
Why Classroom Routines and Directions Don’t Stick
It is easy to feel frustrated when these moments interrupt your teaching, but this cycle usually happens because of what educators call the “hidden curriculum,” the unwritten social rules and behavioral habits teachers sometimes take for granted. It is easy to treat skills like “listening actively” or “following directions right away” as automatic behaviors students should just know how to do when they walk through our doors.
But the truth is, we cannot expect students to follow expectations we have yet to clearly teach, practice, and reinforce. Much like academics, expectations are skills to be learned. Think about it this way: we would never hand a student a complex long division problem without modeling the steps and guiding them through the process first. Behavior is no different. We cannot assume students know how to smoothly navigate a busy classroom without that same intentional guidance.
Effective Behavior Management Strategies: What the Research Shows
Research tells us that explicitly teaching functional replacement behaviors can reduce classroom problem behavior by over 70% (Ingram et al., 2005).
This is why CW-FIT skills were designed with function in mind. With CW-FIT we explicitly teach, practice, and reinforce skills like:
- Follow Directions
- Ignore Inappropriate Behavior
- How to Get the Teacher’s Attention
These skills are designed to replace common problem behaviors such as blurting out, excessive talking, and out-of-seat behavior. In CW-FIT classrooms, this approach has helped reduce disruptive behavior by up to 60% (Wills et al., 2014).
The 4-Step Process
CW-FIT focuses on a 4-step process for explicitly teaching these behavior skills. We go beyond simply telling students what our expectations are; we take steps to teach them, we give them opportunities to practice, and we actively reinforce the skills over time.
1. Define
Begin with a clear definition of what it actually looks like to use the behavior. Then, break the skill down into small, bite-sized actions, so our students aren’t left guessing. For example, when teaching how to follow directions, go beyond just saying “do what I say.” Instead, teach those specific, bite-sized actions: look at the speaker, say “okay” in your head, do it now, and check back if needed. These small steps ensure students know exactly what to do to be successful.
2. Rationale
Next, talk about why this skill actually matters. If your school uses PBIS, this is the perfect time to incorporate your school-wide expectations. When we prompt students to think and discuss why a skill is important, they take responsibility for learning it and start to understand how it benefits their entire classroom. This can be a quick turn-and-talk with prompted questions or a small group discussion – anything that gets all students talking about why it is important to follow directions, or whatever behavior skill you are teaching.
3. Practice
When we are learning something new, we need to practice it. Think of this as the “we do” part of your academic lesson. We are going to practice this skill together. During this time, you might discuss what the skill is not, just to ensure the students are only modeling the exact behavior you want to continue to see. If a non-example is modeled, it should be done by the teacher. Most importantly, always end the practice with a correct example or model. Remember, practicing doesn’t stop here; it will continue well beyond the initial lesson.
4. Review
Lastly, we put it all together. We quickly review the definition and the rationale. This is where we encourage our students to engage in this behavior as we continue with our day. Using the poster as a guide and reference point makes this seamless. When students need a reminder, we don’t need a long lecture; we simply point to the poster or give a quick prompt of the steps to help them get back on track. Keep in mind many skills take some reteaching, prompting and encouragement – especially behavior skills!
Get the Ready-to-Use Materials
Want a ready-to-go blueprint for your classroom? You don’t have to plan this from scratch. Sign up for our free CW-FIT resources today to download a complete sample lesson plan along with our official classroom poster!
[Download Free Lesson & Poster]
Want to make sure these behavior skills last beyond October? The secret is pairing these lessons with intentional reinforcement. If we teach a skill, but fail to consistently notice and reinforce it, the behavior naturally fades and those old habits sneak back in. Check out our companion article, High Impact, Low Cost: A Teacher’s Guide to Smart Reward Menus, to learn how CW-FIT ensures reinforcing behaviors fits right into your daily routines without feeling like one more thing on your plate. And get access to our FREE REWARDS MENU, with over 20 free ideas!
Sources
Ingram, K., Lewis-Palmer, T., & Sugai, G. (2005). Bedroom versus classroom: A comparison of the effects of a function-based intervention to a non-function-based intervention. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 7(4), 224–231. doi.org
Wills, H. P., Kamps, D., Fleming, K., & Hansen, B. (2014). CW-FIT: Group contingency effects across the day. Education and Treatment of Children, 37(2), 191–210. doi.org
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