This article will examine the behavior of children in an elementary school classroom from the perspective of an educational professional. Specifically, how to change the aggressive behavior of kids who speak out of turn in class. It will examine the effect that behavior-specific praise has on aggressive behavior. We will also examine multiple forms of differential reinforcement regarding how to transform a boy who acts out for attention into a boy who understands that his behavior is unnecessary. Differences between girls and boys in a primary school classroom will also be taken into consideration. Through this process the teacher, the child and the rest of the class will benefit. This document will begin with ideas for general classroom management and then narrow down specific recommendations for individual cases. Children's Behavior in an Elementary School Classroom “Interventions that simply target individual children in the classroom may not effectively resolve a classroom behavior problem” (Parsonson, p.16). There are many different factors that come into play when observing a child misbehaving. Kids who misbehave in class don't always have a specific reason for their behavior. Exactly why they speak or behave is ambiguous: the antecedent signals are not always clear. As a teacher, you need to be aware of this, understand that there are numerous reasons behind a child, and try to find out what works best for each individual child to modify negative behavior while encouraging alternative behavior. Behavior-specific praise and multiple forms of differential reinforcement can be used to break the child's habits. Case Study This article will include a fictional case study about a nine-year-old boy named Austin. Austin frequentl...... middle of paper...... sroom Behavior Management Strategies." Kairaranga. No. 1, 16-23. Retrieved October 21, 2013, from EBSCOHost.com.Price, Christopher D. ( 2011 ) "Boys Only: One Co-educational Primary School's Experience of a Classroom for Boys", Australian Journal of Teacher Education: Vol 36: Iss 9, Article 6. Retrieved October 21, 2013, from EBSCOHost.com.Umbreit J., Lane , K. L. and Dejud, C. (2004) Improving classroom behavior by changing task difficulty. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions: Vol: 6, Iss. 13-20. Why kids don't like reading: Gender differences in reading achievement." (2009, Canadian Council on Learning, 1-8 Retrieved October 21, 2013, from EBSCOHost.com. Irwin, R). (2013, October-November). Lesson conducted by Redeemer University College, Hamilton, ON.