If you work with older students, they have probably been surly and negative for quite a while. Even younger children can have deeply entrenched negativity. To expect words to rapidly change longtime, entrenched, bad attitudes is naive. There are so many alternatives to mere words. Our resources are packed with these more effective, alternative strategies that work much better than outdated, conventional approaches.

There are so many alternatives to words that it is a long list, but a few of the best substitutes include cartoons, handouts, games, quizzes, experiments, contests, experiential learning, and other indirect methods that turn the light on over the student's head. Students are so practiced at deflecting words. They are not as practiced at avoiding the insight generated by unexpected approaches. For example, a student may have a bad attitude about attendance and punctuality. That classic classroom management problem can persist, and students often disregard verbal admonitions, advice and sanctions. This fun, light intervention handout (shown below) can transform a chronic, negative classroom management problem into an enjoyable learning activity with none of the contentiousness normally associated with working with truant and chronically late students. This fun activity will out-perform words every time.


We offer this activity as both a poster (click) and as a handout in our Behavior Change Handouts: Becoming a Successful Student book; (click here or see the book pictured below).

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