Teacher praise is an evidence-based strategy shown to increase appropriate prosocial behavior and decrease disruptive behavior, particularly with elementary school age students. In this article, we provide direction and recommendations for using positive feedback with middle and high school students. A review of the research literature, guidelines for implementation, and online resources are presented, along with a case study example designed to apply the implementation guidelines in a secondary school setting.

The quality of the relationship that develops between a student and teacher has been connected to pivotal instructional and behavioral outcomes for students. The student–teacher relationship can specifically be harnessed to reduce minor behavioral infractions. However, it is an element of the learning environment that is often overlooked. This article outlines the importance of the student–teacher relationship and provides specific strategies gleaned from the existing literature that teachers could implement in their daily instruction to improve the quality of their relationships with students.

Students with disruptive behavior problems can contribute to loss of instruction time in the classroom and may cause irritation for peers. However, peers can serve as powerful change agents in the classroom. Promoting positive peer interactions is especially important for students with emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD). One effective approach to promote prosocial behaviors and support students with EBD is positive peer reporting. The use of positive peer reporting decreases negative interactions among peers by increasing prosocial behaviors. This column reviews the literature about this strategy, discusses the ways in which it can be adapted to best fit the needs of students, and provides guidance and recommendations for how to implement these approaches in an applied setting.

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