In a 1979 study, Frederick Jones found that nearly 50% of teaching time was wasted due to children’s misbehavior, of which approximately 80% was spent talking in class. Jones suggested that teachers could work on not losing the valuable time by implementing the following techniques: set limits, effective body language, incentive systems, and resourceful help. Setting limits will help students know what to do in every situation, from small matters like pencil sharpening to big matters like being sick. By setting limits, teachers allow students to find their ways of dealing with situations without major disruptions to other students.
An incentive system concentrates on taking away benefits from students when they misbehave. Efficient help is important because students start to misbehave when they start to fall behind. Jones found that teachers use an average of 4 minutes to discipline students when they misbehave. That, he says, can be reduced significantly. One of the ways to do this is getting others who are more settled to help the students who are struggling.
None of these methods will work in all cases, so teachers should always have backup plans such as isolation from class.