Boys and Girls Town Model

The Well-Managned Classroom


“There are no bad boys. There are only bad environments, bad examples, bad thinking.” – Father Edward Flannagan (Founder of Girls and Boys Town)


“Schools were made for learners and learning.” (p. 3) Girls and Boys Town has developed a well-organized, structured system for working to establish a warm, learning-conducive environment where students can grow and thrive. The model breaks behavior management into four categories:

  1. Social Skills

  2. Teaching Interaction

  3. Motivation Systems

  4. Administration Intervention

  • Social Skills

Girls and Boys Town describe a social skill as “the ability to interact with others in ways that are socially accepted or valued and at the same time are personally beneficial or beneficial primarily to others.” (p.49) Social skills are a chain of decisions that are based on reading signals when interacting with others and deciding the appropriate way to act. (p.49) The Girls and Boys Town model outlines sixteen social behaviors considered most critical for interpersonal relationships. These sixteen skills are categorized as either Basic Skills, which are used most frequently, and Advanced Skills, which are needed less often.

The sixteen social skills do not only consider giving and receiving verbal cues, but also consider eye contact and body language. These skills are broken into simple, yet descriptive steps. Breaking skills into steps makes them specific, objective, continuous, and concrete. They focus on the behavior, not the child. In addition, these must be reinforced immediately after the action and consistently with all learners each time.

  • Teaching the Skills

(From Girls and Boys Town South Africa: The Well-Managed Classroom Manual)

Basic Skills

Skill 1: Following Instructions

1. Look at the person

2. Say “Okay.”

3. Do what you’ve been asked right away.

4. Check back.

Skill 2: Accepting Criticism or a Consequence

1. Look at the person.

2. Say “Okay.”

3. Don’t argue

Skill 3: Accepting “No” for an Answer

1. Look at the person.

2. Say “Okay.”

3. Stay calm.

4. If you disagree, ask later.

Skill 4: Greeting Others

1. Look at the person.

2. Use a pleasant voice.

3. Say “Hi.” Or “Hello.”

Skill 5: Getting the Educator’s Attention

1. Look at the educator.

2. Raise your hand. Stay calm.

3. Wait until the educator says your name.

4. Ask your question.

Skill 6: Making a Request

1. Look at the person

2. Use a clear, pleasant voice.

3. Explain exactly what you are asking for. Say “please”

4. If the answer is “Yes.” say “Thank you.”

5. If not, remember to accept no for an answer.

Skill 7: Disagreeing Appropriately

1. Look at the person.

2. Use a pleasant voice.

3. Say “I understand how you feel.”

4. Tell why you feel differently.

5. Give a reason. Listen to the other person.

Advanced Skills

Skill 8: Giving Criticism

1. Look at the person.

2. Stay calm. Use a pleasant voice.

3. Say something positive or “I understand.”

4. Describe exactly what you are criticizing.

5. Tell why this is a problem.

6. Listen to the person. Be polite.

Skill 9: Resisting Peer Pressure

1. Look at the person.

2. Use a calm voice.

3. Say clearly that you do not want to participate.

4. Suggest something else to do.

5. If necessary, continue to say “No.”

6. Leave the situation.

Skill 10: Making an Apology

1. Look at the person.

2. Use a serious, sincere voice.

3. Say “I’m sorry for…” or “I want to apologize for…”

4. Don’t make excuses.

5. Explain how you plan to do better in the future.

6. Say “Thanks for listening.”

Skill 11: Talking with Others

1. Look at the person.

2. Use a pleasant voice.

3. Ask questions.

4. Don’t interrupt.

Skill 12: Giving Compliments

1. Look at the person.

2. Smile.

3. Speak clearly and enthusiastically.

Tell the person exactly what you like.

Skill 13: Accepting Compliments

1. Look at the person.

2. Use a pleasant voice.

3. Say “Thank you.”

4. Don’t look away, mumble, or deny the compliment.

Do not disagree with the compliment

Skill 14: Volunteering

1. Look at the person.

2. Use a pleasant, enthusiastic voice.

3. Ask if you can help. Describe the activity or task you are offering to do.

4. Thank the person.

5. Check back when you have finished

Skill 15: Reporting Other Learners’ Behavior

1. Look at the educator or adult.

2. Use a calm voice. Ask to talk to him or her privately.

3. Describe the inappropriate beavior you are reporting.

4. Explain why you are making the report.

5. Answer any questions the adult has.

6. Thank the adult for listening.

Skill 16: Introducing Yourself

1. Look at the person. Smile.

2. Use a pleasant voice.

3. Offer a greeting. Say “Hi, my name is…”

4. Shake the person’s hand.

5. When you leave, say, “It was nice to meet you.”

- Remember that some steps are not very descriptive. Learners may need educators to elaborate for them to understand what is expected.

- Help children understand that their actions have causes and effects. Emphasize that they are responsible for their actions and can bring bad or good consequences depending on the choices they make.

  • Identifying Learners with Social Issues:

To improve a learner’s social skills, an educator must assess the learner’s strengths and weaknesses. By understanding a learner’s shortcomings, educators can help the learner improve. To decide how the learn can improve, the Girls and Boys Town model suggests that educators observe:

- The learner’s actions

- The learner’s body language

- The learner’s words

- The amount/degree that the behavior occurs

- The setting (time and place) the behavior occurs

- The actions the learner has not done

  • Using Rationale:

The very important way to help learners make good decisions is to teach them how to reason. Using rationale will teach children how to link cause and effect. It also shows them that they are able and responsible for making their own decisions. Girls and Boys Town describes three ways of helping children understand the effects of their actions:

1. Explain the benefits of their actions.

2. Explain what the negative consequences could be.

3. Explain how it will effect other people.


  • The Girls and Boys Town Model identifies several aspects of good rationales. They are:

1. Logical Consequences of a behavior

2. Address the individual interests and needs of learner

3. Are short and specific

4. Age and maturity level appropriate

* Remember: Giving reasons alone is not enough. Learners need to see fair and consistent consequences to effectively manage behavior.


Motivation Systems:

  • Effective Praise:

- Effective Praise is a four-step process of commending the child for the good things they have done, while addressing what needs improvement. Praising the learner helps them understand that you like when he or she succeeds. It shows the learner that teachers want to work with them, not reprimand them for what they have done wrong. Effective praise develops a learner’s self-esteem while empowering them to critically assess and improve their actions.

Girls and Boys Town Steps of Effective Praise:

1. Describe appropriate behavior: “Stacie, you did a nice job on your presentation. You spoke very clearly, and it was clear you did a lot of research to know your topic.”

2. Provide a reason (rationale): “Working on this project has obviously taught you a lot and given you good practice at speaking in public.”

3. Make sure the learner understands: “ Do you see that this presentation is a good practice and a good learning experience.”

4. Provide the positive result of their actions: “For doing such a good job on your presentation, you’ve earned an extra piece of candy from the jar and ten minutes of extra free time.”

- Things to remember about Effective Praise:

- Don’t give excessive praise: It appears insincere and devalues any praise you give.

- Praise should be given four times as much as criticism.

  • Ways to Prevent Behavior Problems:

1. Constantly monitor the classroom- Small problems can be identified before they grow.

2. Multitask- Keep the class running while correcting behavioral issues, provides less opportunities for students to get distracted or disruptive.

3. Come prepared: To effectively conduct a new lesson, teachers often use this model:

- Introduce what you are going to teach.

- Describe how and when the skill can be applied.

- Explain why it should be used in those particular situations.

- Check for understanding.

- Allow students to practice the skill they have just learned.

- Provide Feedback: Explain what children have done well and what needs improvement.

- Give Positive Reinforcement: Continue to encourage and praise students. Ask the children to also practice these skills at home and outside the classroom.


The Teaching Interaction

The Girls and Boys Town Model outlines nine steps in combating a learner’s anti-social behavior and promoting pro-social behavior:

  1. Initial praise and empathy: Demonstrate and vocalize to the student that you understand and care.

  2. Describe inappropriate behavior: Describe specific actions that the student needs to correct. For example, correct the learner for “hitting Billy when he did not share,” not just “being mean.”

  3. Describe appropriate behavior: Provide positive alternatives that focus the learner on self-improvement. Appropriate behaviors should not just be about satisfying the teacher, they should be about teaching the learner discipline and confidence.

  4. Supply rationales: Show the learner the causes and effects for changing their behavior.

  5. Request for acknowledgement: Ask the child if he or she understands and how they feel about the teacher’s comments.

  6. Practice: Look for opportunities for child to practice the appropriate behavior. This should be done in a way that does not patronize or embarrass the learner or distract other students. If necessary, discuss hypothetical situations with the learner about when this behavior should be practiced.

  7. Feedback: Praise the child for appropriate behavior. Provide suggestions for improvement.

  8. Supply consequences: Boys Town provides for determining consequences:

    1. Size: How big should the consequences in order to be effective?

    2. Difficulty: How hard is it for the learner to follow the rule they broke?

    3. Appropriateness: Are the consequences effective for this individual child?

  9. General praise and redirection: Continue to affirm and correct a learner’s behavior to help them form pro-social habits.

Ongoing Behavior:

The best way to create a well-managed classroom, is to help the learners develop self-control. Girls and Boys Town describe several ways to do this:

- Coupling Statements: First state the inappropriate behavior, then tell the learner how to correct it.

“Sam, you are kicking Sarah’s desk; please stop swinging your feet.”

- Explain inappropriate behavior, then instruct the learner how to fix it. When they do so, praise them using the same language you used to instruct.

“Sam, thank you for stopping swinging your feet.”

- Provide reasons for the learner to stop inappropriate behavior.

“When you kick Sarah’s desk like that you disrupt the other students.”

- Be patient when you know something is hard for a learner and explain to them that you know it is difficult.

“I know that it is hard to sit still for a long time, but could you please stop kicking Sarah’s chair.”

- Explain the benefits of positive behavior.

“When you keep your feet still, it is much easier for the other students to focus and learn.”

When to Refer Child to Administration:

  • When misbehavior will not stop
  • When child is being disruptive or interfering with other’s ability to learn
  • When the child refuses to listen
  • When the child is violent
  • When the child has lost control of themselves


What to Do When Misbehavior Will Not Stop:

  • Warn the learner they will be sent to the office.
  • Allow the learner time after giving instructions. The learner will need time to process the directions, particularly when they are emotional or angry.
  • Maintain your composure: Do not lose your temper, yell, use violent gestures, or strike the learner. This destroys trust.
  • Keep your distance from the learner: You do not want to harm or give the impression that you want to harm the learner.
  • If the leaner becomes violent and destructive but will not leave, instruct other learners to leave the classroom.

Administrative Intervention

A learner should be referred to the administration when he or she “can no longer stay in the classroom because of the frequency, intensity or severity of the ongoing behavior.”

This is will occur in one of three ways:

  1. Learner violates a major school rule (especially if it is dangerous to self, educator, or other learners.)

  2. Learner continues the same minor misbehavior over time (such as not following directions, talking out in class.)

  3. Learner performs different minor violations over time.


FIRST: Get the child to the office:

When told to go to the office, the learner will either: go compliantly, will go with resistance, or refuse to go at all. Be prepared to address each scenario.


SECOND: Once the child is in the office:

When the child is in the office, use same/similar methods of addressing the child.

  • Praise: “Thank you for sitting.”

  • Coupling Statements: “You are ignoring what I ask you to do; please listen.”

  • Simple Instructions: “Please sit down.”

  • Empathy: “I realize you are frustrated.”

  • Rationale: “If you explain why you are angry, I can try to help you.”

  • Physical Monitoring: Move slowly from a distance to calm the leaner.


*Things to Remember

- Avoid using physical restraint if at all possible.

- If the child leaves the office, do not bring back by force, but follow him or her around the school.

- If the learner attempts to leave the school, restaurant may be necessary.

- Be clear and exact with directions. Make sure words are used in a way that does not leave “wiggle room” for students to disobey.

“I need you to return to your classroom.”

Instead: “I need you to quietly return to straight to your classroom without disturbing any other learners.”


THIRD: Check with the referring teacher.

Administrator and teacher together complete an office referral form, writing down notes about the incident. This is helpful if evidence is later needed.

The referral form should include:

  1. The situation: What caused the event? What children took part? Where did the event take place? When did the incident happen?

  2. The learner’s actions: What did the learner say/do? How often did the incident occur? How serious was the incident that occurred?

  3. The consequences: What did the teacher say/do? What did the administrator say/do? How did the learner react to this? What consequences were administered to the learner?


FOURTH: Assigning consequences and bringing the learner back to the classroom.

Once the learner has regained control, begin praising the learner for the positive things they’ve done. Then initiate the consequences of the offence. This includes:

  • notifying the parents

  • having the learner write an apology to the educator

  • completing all missed work

  • giving a personal apology to the educator


Working with Parents

- Things to Remember:

  • Be positive and enthusiastic. Show that you want the child to succeed, and you are invested in seeing that they do. If you are not positive, they will not be either.

  • Get to know the parents early—before conflicts arise.

  • Ask parents to tell you about their child.

  • Keep parents informed in class activities and lessons.


- Overcoming Barriers to Parents:

  • Indifference: Nurture hope and support in the parents’ ability to help the child

  • Unreliability: Be precise, give advanced written notices and reminders

  • Hostility: Keep composure, remove yourself from any potentially dangerous situation

  • Serious Issues: support parents and children, refer to counselor, refrain from acting as a counselor yourself

  • Abuse and Neglect: legally obligated to report any suspicion of child abuse