“Don’t run.” “Don’t shout.” “Don’t talk.” We say these all the time. It feels natural. But there’s a problem with this approach. It tells students what not to do, but it doesn’t tell them what they should be doing instead. That small shift in language can make a big difference in your classroom. What’s Missing in “Don’t…” When you say “don’t run,” the instruction stops there. A student might pause, but then what? Should they walk? Should they stand still? Should they line up? The actual expectation is missing. Some students figure it out. Others guess. And some just continue the behaviour because they were never clearly told what to do instead. This is where behaviour issues often repeat. Not because students are being difficult, but because the instruction wasn’t complete. What Positive Instruction Looks Like Positive instruction simply means telling students the behaviour you want to see. Instead of: “Don’t run” → “Walk smartly” “Don’t shout” → “Use a quiet voice” “Don’t push” → “...
If you’ve ever raised your voice in class, you’re not alone. Every teacher gets pushed to that point at some stage. But over time, I realised something uncomfortable: shouting might stop the noise for a moment, but it doesn’t actually fix the problem. It just creates a different one. What Really Happens When We Shout At first, shouting seems effective. The class goes quiet. Students look up. You feel like you’ve regained control. But look a little closer: Students go quiet out of fear, not understanding The same behaviour comes back again Some students switch off completely Your relationship with the class takes a hit Instead of building respect, shouting often builds tension. And once that becomes your main tool, students start to depend on it. They only listen when the volume goes up. It Drains You Too Shouting isn’t just hard on students, it’s exhausting for you. You end up: Losing your voice Feeling frustrated more often Starting lessons already on edge That kind of energy carries ...