Identifying effective classroom management strategies is important to support teachers in promoting environments
conducive to learning. Effective classroom management has been demonstrated to be associated with student achievement,
motivation, and fewer challenging behaviors. Given the benefits of effective classroom management strategies and providing
students with self-regulation skills, the present study examined the effectiveness of a contemporary classroom behavioral
management strategy in reducing off-task problem behaviors. The Raising Lions method of behavior management
emphasizes:
i. Immediate action responses from teachers,
ii. Encourages a positive or neutral tone of voice, and
iii. Allocates brief prompts for students that allow them the opportunity to exercise self-control and re-engage in
classroom instruction without teacher judgment.
Employing a pre-post-follow-up design, the present study examined implementation fidelity and the effectiveness of
this classroom management strategy in reducing the number of off-task problem behaviors in elementary school classrooms.
Classroom observations were conducted in all 18 classrooms (school-wide, including transition kindergarten through Grade
6 classrooms), with a population of primarily Latino students. One-way ANOVAs compared off-task behaviors across pre
and post-intervention stages. Overall, results revealed statistically significant decreases in the number of off-task problem
behaviors in 16 of the 18 classrooms. The largest impact was related to teachers not naming the behavior and instead giving
a brief action prompt to trigger self-reflection and self-correction. Implications for practice and research are discussed.