Interactions with students can be positive or negative. Timing is everything. A positive interaction occurs when a student gets attention for appropriate behavior. A negative interaction happens when the student gets attention for inappropriate behavior. All students deserve and need positive interactions with the school staff.
Appropriate corrections are an important part of instruction.
An interaction is positive when a student receives attention right after she behaves appropriately. However, by using more negative than positive interactions, we give students the wrong message. We tell students that their behavior is only valued when it is inappropriate. The majority of students who follow the rules often do not get any attention for their behavior, while the minority of students who use inappropriate behavior get the lion s share of adult attention. It takes patience and consistency to change patterns of behavior.