Duct tape, Velcro and ball gags.  But for the bad students, I have other tool that I use.

I've never had any discipline problems, mainly because I mostly teach young adults in a LTC, but also my demeanor is not one that encourages messing around, and that is totally natural, just my upbringing I suppose.

One trick I did learn when undergoing my PGCE, was from a lecturer who had worked in some of the most difficult schools; invade their space, walk right up close to them, don't say anything, and stand still. They will calm down.

On the first day of every semester, I set rules for the class, and then enforce them. This takes many Freshmen by surprise, for while they are used to rules, they are not used to the consequences of breaking them.

All in all, I feel that I'm pretty patient. I don't lose my temper, but make light of a lot of things that happen. It's "ebb and flow," but I let them know on the first day that it is a classroom and not a social club, and the rules are there to help them learn. Here's what I list:

What to bring: Dedicated Notebook: Points will be assigned for note taking at the end of the Semester.

Ink Pen/Pencil: You will need something to write with.

1). If you do not understand something that is said in class, let me know immediately so I can repeat it. Not at the end, not tomorrow, not next week, or a month from now.

2). Class attendance is required to pass this class. Know when each class starts, and please be on time. Being late three times will count as being absent once. Absent four times, you fail.

3). You must actively participate in class to grow in a language.

4). English is the only language spoken in the classroom. If you want to get better, use it.

5). This class is built on respect. There are three parts to observe. The first, respect for your instructor. This is done by remaining quite and listening while he is talking. Second, respect for your classmates, which is achieved by listening while they are talking, and thirdly, respect for yourself, by applying what you have learned in class and practicing after hours.

5.  

6. 6). IMPORTANT: You have an empty pocket? It is now the new home for your mobile phone, which should be turned off in class. You will not need it, so do not take it out again. If this becomes a problem, cell phones will be banned from class for the rest of the semester.

7. 7). Magazines and newspapers are in the room for everyone to enjoy. Please do not take any of them out of the classroom. If they disappear, they will not be replaced.

8. 8). Assignments must be turned in on the day they are due in order to receive full credit.

9. 9). There will be no eating or drinking allowed in class. The only exception is a container which is your personal item and will be removed with you at the end of class.

10). Do not rearrange the furniture in the classroom. This includes the curtains, windows, and air conditioner unit. This is not your living room, so you are not free to arrange according to your desire.

This is, however, your class also. Set a good example and help keep it clean. Take pride in the area that you study in. If you have any questions or problems you are welcome to contact me through email, QQ. or phone (which I list).

  I mostly teach children from 9 upwards and I find the best way to keep them in line is to keep them involved and interested, the moment they're distracted they're a pain. I also give stickers constantly as they're kind of like currency for kids. I don't work for free, why should they? Most of all I have a reward of stickers and a raffle at the end of each lesson; misbehave and I start to withdraw the rewards, first from the one misbehaving, then from the whole class. That's usually enough to get them in line. Ultimately it's generally down to how well you plan your lesson as to how well they behave.

I'm sure you stole a couple of mine, Giad! Especially #5...

First thing every teacher needs to understand... it's much easier to start out strict with discipline, and then ease off... than to start out easy and try to impose it later!

Most students are fine (naturally), and for the most part, I've built up a fairly good relationship with them (even if I don't remember their names ) So, the best example i can give in relation to that is: I set all my classes homework - practice speaking English for at least 1 hour every day (they're English majors, right???) So, next week, I ask them, have they been practicing for their 1 hour every day? In one class, it was no-one (typical), I think the best I had out of about 6 classes was 4 students who said yes (or near enough to ...). I sent ALL of those who said 'no' to the dean's office, to explain to her why they couldn't be arsed being a good student (more on that shortly). But, the best reaction I had was from one class that I really liked - keen, interested, funny, etc etc... I sent about 90% of them to the dean's office, and the look on their face was brilliant... it wasn't fear, or anger, or upset... it was about 50/50 shame and disappointment.... they felt bad because they realised they had disappointed me - they had let me down.

OTOH, I've made students cry (even boys... well, they were holding back the tears). The first time I really let at it... I had a class in which a girl was sitting near the back, pulling out her nail-polish etc... I just stopped and stared at her... til one of the others nudged her... and hinted that's not a smart thing to do. She had this expression of 'huh?? what's wrong??' So, I let loose  something I'd been thinking for a while. "Question: how are you going to feel when you have to tell your parents you failed? That, even after all the hard work and effort they went to to ensure you had a good education, the money they spent on you to be here, you just threw it away? What did your parents have to give up, to sacrifice for you to be here now? By stuffing around, not doing homework, not putting in effort, not even trying, you're insulting your parents" Etc etc.  Yep, shame! That's probably your best weapon as a teacher - because in China, filial piety is number 1! Oh, I had a LOT of apologies come to me after that... (doesn't really last long, but for a couple of weeks, I think things were a bit different - they tended not to annoy me as much, at any rate.)

(after that, I'd just send them to the dean... cos I told her, and them, if they can't be bothered being good students, why should I bother being a good teacher?? And, if they weren't going to be a good student, then they should get out!)

(When that doesn't work, I just throw them out the window.... (What's the average flying sped of a calculator-laden student?))

It is no doubt a bit easier to set and administer rules to young adult learners than enforcing discipline on 5 year old, precocious, mollycoddled children. Due to the simple fact that their English is not going to be so good and you are reliant on the Chinese assistant to get your message across. The levels of discipline you impose needs to vary with the age of the students in the class.

For example for the real young kids the number one rule is: Don't hit the teacher. After my first term here a couple of years ago I set this as number one rule for the little kids. I haven't quite worked out why they want to hit a foreign teacher (playful whacks I am talking about here, not full assaults that you read about back home) but setting that rule has become a priority.

For all ages the angry look and a controlled outburst of anger can reset the tone in the instances of a 'naughty' class.

On a couple of occasions I have simply sat down, folded my arms and told the class that when they are ready to start learning English I will stand up again and continue. Regaining control when I did that took no longer than 2 minutes.

I lesson plan meticulously so it's a bit of a piss off when just one or two 'naughty' students spoil it for the others.

I keep putting an inverted comma around 'naughty' because that's the word parents and Chinese teachers like to use but I have trouble applying that to some of the kids.

Not allowing misbehaving kids to participate in a game is not a bad way to bring them into line as well.

I also deduct points from a team if a kid is misbehaving. That sets the rest of the team onto him or her.

Scolding them in English can be a waste of time if their understanding level is somewhat limited. The value of your assistant can increase tenfold if she has the ability to portray your anger and efforts to control the class in Chinese.

How do you deal with the discipline in your classroom? What are your best and worst experiences?

Before I implement my classroom rules and disciplinary methods, I orient and consult the parents first. Once I get their permission, I ask for their participation. Some of the disciplinary actions  I employ are: stand in the corner (after 3 times of misbehaving), cannot participate in some games, write his/her name 50-100 times with no mistakes, serious talk with the kid and the parent, taking off points from the awards they have earned, or  a big stamp of a sad face on their notebook.      

The parents are the best way to cooperate when it comes to discipline because theirs are actually harsh. It is best to just make the disciplinary actions technically acceptable for both, the learners and the parents.

Can I shoot a question? what if the parents are supposed to be the ones need disciplinary actions?

During an art class with some grade 7 students at an international school, which I won't name, a problematic student decided to cause a scene when I instructed him to leave the room because he was disrupting the rest of the class. I kept my cool and asked him a few times to leave. He just kept shouting "No you are making me angry". Well not as angry as I was getting at this point. I walked over to where he was sat and attempted to pick the chair up with him still sat in it. I looked a dick head because he was quite large for a grade 7 student, too many KFC's and Pizza's at Pizza Hut to say the least. I tried lifting the chair but he must of weighed at least 70kg's, the little porker. I gave up and sent a student to fetch......wait for it the "Head of Pastoral Care". She came in the room and the little fatty still wouldn't budge. He eventually did leave when she promised him a "Big Mac". The little shit if it was left up to me I'd of put him through a human mincing machine and fed him to starving kids in Somalia.

Generally I find that either just ignoring the "naughty" or misbehaving students or invading their personal space by standing too close and/or pointing at them in front of the rest of the class tend to work. Given the Chinese culture of face and relationships, shame also usually works very well if you are able to exclude the misbehaving students from the rest of the group or cause them to loose face. 

Otherwise, I find it very useful to set and then impose a strict, but short, list of rules during my courses for Chinese college students. If they break any of the rules they get a tick, loosing part of their grade. If they come more than 5 minutes late they either get no attention or are not let into the classroom depending on circumstances. 

Most of the time I have someone else do it for me. I really don't like to do this and the extra work is worthless since a lot of times the kid that has bad behaviour acts like a chicken with his head cut off running around not listening. Usually the best way to deal with this type of problem is to simply eliminate the problem. Get rid of the problem that is causing everybody else to stop learning. 

So I go and get the principal have her escort the kid out and he doesn't come back until he gets disciplined by her to the extent that he's ready to come back and behave.