How to Master On-the-Spot Discipline of Students in Non-Classroom Spaces

You’ve got your classroom management style down pat, but what do you do when you have to deal with a situation with an unfamiliar student or environment?

Power struggles with students can feel like navigating a minefield—one wrong move, and the situation blows up. Things can be even more stressful if you encounter a situation outside your classroom, possibly with a student you don’t know very well, if at all. But with the right approach, you can avoid these standoffs and foster a school environment of cooperation and respect.

Every behavior is a form of communication - even behaviors that require disciplinary action. Our responsibility as professional educators is to try to understand those behaviors, simply put, begin to do better with our behavior management systems.

~ Nathan Maynard and Brad Weinstein, Hacking School Discipline

True Power Moves

Here are some tips to keep the peace and outsmart those inevitable moments of tension:

Know your school policy. Everyone needs to know what their role is ahead of time. What is the procedure for when students are fighting in the hallway? Who is in charge if a student is misbehaving in the bus dismissal line?

Communicate the rules clearly from the beginning.  Expectations, and the consequences for not meeting them, should be laid out from the start, in a way that encourages mutual respect. For example, instead of saying, “If you talk during the lesson, you’ll be punished,” try, “In this class, we respect each other’s time, and talking during lessons doesn’t help anyone learn.” When they understand what's expected, they’re less likely to engage in power struggles.

Recognize the Signs of a Power Struggle Before It Starts. A lot of power struggles can be avoided if you spot the signs early. If a student starts to get visibly frustrated, sighing heavily or rolling her eyes, it’s time to step in before things escalate. Use a calm voice and acknowledge her feelings. A simple “I can see you're upset, and I understand that” goes a long way in preventing a confrontation. It’s not about agreeing with them, it’s about making them feel heard.

Embrace restorative justice practices. When possible, use the moment of conflict as an opportunity to connect. The focus should be on reflection and coming up with a solution as a group. Ask open-ended questions and give all parties a chance to share their feelings. Restorative practices encourage students to take responsibility and reduce overall stress in the school community.

Pick your battles. Not every hill is worth dying on. A student wears his hoodie inside-out? Let it slide. Power struggles often happen when we dig our heels in over something trivial. Is it really a big deal if she’s sitting on the ground outside? Probably not. The more you let the little things go, the more respect you’ll earn when you do choose to enforce a rule.

Don’t take it personally. Whatever the student says to you, it isn’t really about you. He may have many reasons for lashing out, but it has to do with his emotional state and not a mission to make your life difficult.

Don’t force them to take it personally either.  Preserve their dignity by focusing on the behavior, not the person. Instead of making a blanket statement about her personality (such as, “you’re a troublemaker”), try something like, “I can see that you're having trouble focusing right now.” This keeps the focus on the issue at hand and doesn’t turn it into a personal attack.

Give them (some) control. One surefire way to prevent power struggles is to offer students a little autonomy. If they feel like they have some say in how things go, they’re less likely to push back when you ask them to follow the rules. This could be as simple as offering choices: “Would you like to work on this problem with a partner or independently?” Giving students options makes them feel like they have a voice, and they’re more likely to be cooperative.

Stay calm. Remember that your students are still learning to manage their emotions. As an adult, you need to be the one to remain calm and deescalate the situation.

Don’t forget self-care and stress management. Whatever this means for you — a screen-free afternoon at home, a walk in nature, an energetic exercise class — schedule self-care to help manage stress. This will allow you to bring your A-game when issues arise.

Final Word

The key to avoiding many dreaded power struggles is more about finesse than brute force. Whether you’re in the classroom or not, keeping these tips in mind will help you maintain control and keep the drama to a minimum.

Read More 

(Yep, there's a lot, and it's all good!)

• Weinstein, Brad. 2019. Hacking School Discipline: 9 Ways to Create a Culture of Empathy and Responsibility Using Restorative Justice. Times 10 Publications.
• Benson, Jeffrey. 2024. Hacking School Discipline Together: 10 Ways to Create a Culture of Empathy and Responsibility Using Schoolwide Restorative Justice. Times 10 Publications.
• “Classroom Management: How to Deal with Student Defiance.” X10 Publications blog. February 16, 2025. 
• Roberts, Mike. 2017. Hacking Classroom Management: 10 Ideas to Help You Become the Type of Teacher They Make Movies About. Times 10 Publications.
• “Who Handles What? Staff Roles in Managing Student Behavior.” Educator’s Edge, Times 10 Publications. January 30, 2025.
• ‌Wysocki, Sarah. “Using Curiosity as a Way to Defuse Power Struggles.” Edutopia. February 23, 2023.