Harry Wong, author of "The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher," says that effective teachers use classroom-management skills to effectively monitor and change students' behavior. When students display negative classroom behavior, teachers can use activities to create a positive classroom environment and keep students occupied to keep misbehavior to a minimum.

Sponge Activities and Bell Work

• Wong says that the effective teacher makes sure that no time is wasted. "Sponge activities" soak up extra classroom time, and they also keep students busy during times when they are more likely to misbehave. Have a table with several sponge activities ready for students. These activities can be basic worksheets that complement the current unit of study, or they can be extra-credit projects students might enjoy. When students complete their current assignment, they can search for a sponge activity to keep them occupied. Also, Wong says that the effective teacher has the day's agenda posted so that if students finish a task early, they can start the activity. Keeping students occupied at the beginning of the class is important, too. When students first walk into the classroom, they can be distracted when they first see their classmates. Keep students focused and avoid misbehavior by having an assignment posted for students to complete as soon as they walk in. This "bell work" should build on the previous day's lesson.

Living Bar Graph

• Spencer Kagan, author of "Cooperative Learning," suggests using class-building activities to create a positive atmosphere the classroom. He says many teachers object to these activities because they take extra time, but the payoff is huge, he says. Students who feel connected to their class are more likely to focus later during lessons. Acquaint students with one another by having them create a living bar graph. In a living bar graph, students line up and get acquainted based on a certain topic. For instance, if students were lining based on how many siblings they have, students with zero siblings would line up on one side, while students with the most would line up on the other. Students have to communicate and figure out where they stand on their own. Another variation is to have students complete the activity completely silently.

Class Calendar

• Kagan suggests making all students feel appreciated and valued in the class with a classroom calendar. Include students' birthdays but also other important events in the students' lives, such as the anniversary of an important day. When it's a student's birthday, create a celebration that allows the student to choose a special game to play and possibly even allow him to play his favorite song. After a student's birthday, Kagan suggests allowing him to choose another student to help prepare the next student's birthday celebration. Students who have behavior problems will enjoy being put in charge of a classroom celebration.