Are you looking for hacks to encourage students not to make inappropriate comments to teachers? If so, keep reading.

1. Refrain from physical contact with a learner who is likely to become orally abusive (e.g., a pat on the back may cause the learner to argue, threaten, call names, curse, etc.).

2. Provide an appropriate physical distance from the learner when interacting with them to avoid stimulating the learner to make unacceptable remarks.

3. Utilize language that is pleasant and calming when speaking with the learner to avoid stimulating the learner to make unacceptable remarks.

4. Do not criticize. On occasions where correcting the learner, be honest yet compassionate. Never cause the learner to feel negatively about themselves.

5. Provide instructions in a compassionate rather than a menacing manner (e.g., “Please finish your math paper before going to recess.” rather than, “You had better finish your math paper or else!”).

6. Talk objectively at all times.

7. Be firm, fair, and consistent with expectations and consequences of behavior.

8. Teach the learner appropriate ways to express displeasure, anger, frustration, etc.

9. Get the learner to put themselves in someone else’s place (e.g., “How would you feel if someone called you dumb or stupid?”).

10. Make sure that your remarks to the learner are in the form of constructive criticism rather than criticism that can be perceived as personal, menacing, etc., (e.g., instead of saying, “You always make the same mistake.” say, “A better way to do that might be … “).

11. Praise those students in the classroom who connect appropriately with teachers.

12. Teach the learner to think before acting (e.g., they should ask themselves, “What is happening?” “What am I doing?” “What should I do?” “What will be best for me?”).

13. Let the learner voice their opinion in a situation to avoid becoming angry or upset.

14. Talk with the learner to explain(a) what the learner is doing wrong (e.g., arguing, menacing, calling names, etc.) and (b) what the learner should be doing (e.g., following the rules, staying on-task, paying attention to their duties, etc.).

15. Connect with parents (e.g., notes home, phone calls, etc.) to disseminate information about the learner’s progress. The parents may reinforce the learner at home for communicating appropriately at school.

16. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

17. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

18. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

19. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.