…for classroom management.
Hello and welcome to the 99th edition of our weekly newsletter, Things in Education.
In the previous edition of Things in Education, we shared a broad framework that organises three classroom management approaches along a continuum and briefly discussed each approach.
In today’s edition, we go deeper into the first classroom management approach—the interventionist approach.
However, before we dive in, it is important to clarify our stand on the approach—the interventionist approach tends to focus only on student behaviour management, without focusing much on teacher behaviour, students’ socio-emotional development, teacher-student relationships or instructional classroom management. It is a reactive approach and not a proactive approach. The best aspects of this approach must be used in combination with the non-interventionist approach, and it should not be used in isolation. We will write about this combined approach in future editions. For now, let’s understand the interventionist approach…
The interventionist approach is about reacting to student behaviour with clear consequences. When a student acts out or disrupts the class, the teacher steps in to correct it. This strategy is built on the idea that consequences—positive or negative—can shape behaviour. Students not only learn from their own experiences but also from observing how their classmates are rewarded or disciplined.
The interventionist approach is based first and foremost on the theory of behaviorism. According to this theory, behaviour is shaped by two types of consequences—reinforcement and punishment.
Reinforcement
Reinforcement is a consequence used to increase desired behaviour.
Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement aims to increase desired behaviour by adding something pleasant. It can be of three types:
Immediate:
Verbal praise: “Well done, Ankit! That’s a great answer.”
Gestures: Smiles, nods, thumbs-up, high-fives.
Stickers or stars for completing homework or good handwriting.
Occasional:
"Learner of the Week" award for effort and participation.
A note or phone call home to praise a student.
Special classroom privileges like leading a group activity.
Sustained:
"Learner of the Month" certificates for consistent hard work.
Classroom reward charts where students collect points for good behaviour.
End-of-semester awards for punctuality, neatness, or helpfulness.
Negative Reinforcement
Negative reinforcement aims to increase desired behaviour by removing something unpleasant. It can be of three types:
Immediate:
The teacher stops monitoring closely once students stop talking and focus on their independent work.
If students quickly settle down at the start of class, the teacher stops waiting in silence and begins the lesson right away.
A student is allowed to skip extra practice if they demonstrate mastery of a topic.
Occasional:
Students who consistently complete assignments don’t have to do extra revision worksheets.
The teacher stops reminding students about a rule when they start following it regularly.
If the class stays quiet during reading time, the teacher removes a strict seating arrangement and allows flexible seating.
Sustained:
A student who improves their behaviour no longer has to sit in the front row as a reminder to focus.
If students consistently follow classroom rules for a month, the teacher stops giving unannounced quizzes.
If students consistently stay on task and manage their work independently for an entire semester, the teacher reduces direct supervision and allows them more freedom in completing assignments.
Reinforcement, whether positive or negative, should always be:
Consistent – Applied regularly to ensure its effectiveness.
Meaningful – Aligned with students' efforts and achievements.
Age-Appropriate – Suitable for the developmental level of the students.
Punishment to Decrease Undesired Behaviour
The goal of punishment as a consequence is to decrease undesired behaviour.
Positive Punishment
Positive punishment aims to decrease undesired behaviour by adding something unpleasant. It can be of three types:
Mild:
Non-verbal cues: A firm look, raised eyebrow, or slight head shake to signal misbehaviour.
Proximity control: Moving closer to the student to encourage self-correction.
Soft verbal correction: "Amit, let's stay focused on the lesson."
Moderate:
Verbal warning: Clearly stating consequences if misbehaviour continues.
Logical consequences: "You spoke out of turn, so now you must wait until others have spoken before you get another turn."
Temporary loss of privileges: "Since you misused the group activity time, you will complete the next task independently."
Serious:
Additional assignments: "You didn’t participate constructively in class. You must summarize today’s lesson in writing before leaving."
Supervised timeout in the classroom: A student is given a short break from the group to self-regulate before returning.
Parent communication: Informing parents about recurring misbehaviour if needed.
Negative Punishment
Negative punishment aims to decrease undesired behaviour by removing something pleasant. It can be of three types:
Mild:
Loss of small privileges: "Since you were distracting your partner, you will not sit together in the next activity."
Reducing participation in fun activities: "You were talking during the story, so you will observe rather than act in the role-play."
Moderate:
Restricted access to classroom incentives: "Since you didn’t complete your task, you won’t be considered for ‘Student of the Week’."
Temporary removal from a group activity: "If you continue to disrupt the discussion, you will listen without contributing."
Serious:
Longer-term privilege loss: "Since you've been consistently late in submitting assignments, you are no longer eligible for the class prefect role."
Missed participation in school events: If disruptive behaviour persists, the student is not allowed to take part in a special event.
Parent involvement and corrective action plan: A meeting with parents and the student to establish behavioural goals.
Punishment, whether positive or negative, should always be:
Corrective – Focused on improving behaviour, not just penalising mistakes.
Fair – Applied consistently and proportionally to the misbehaviour.
Educational – Helping students learn from their actions and make better choices.
As stated above, we believe that the interventionist approach—made up of reinforcement and punishment—should not be used in isolation. A well-planned classroom environment with clear rules, procedures and systems of reinforcement and punishment, along with healthy teacher-student relationships is necessary. Over the next few weeks, we will continue to write about the approaches of classroom management. In the meanwhile, we would love to hear more from our readers about how and when you use positive and negative consequences balanced with healthy classroom dynamics for classroom management.
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Edition: 4.06
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