When the room has other plans, having a calm next move can help.

Steady the Room: When the Room Has Other Plans is a practical 28-page classroom behaviour guide for post-primary and secondary teachers. It brings together 181 classroom situations, with suggested responses and numbered next steps to help you respond calmly and plan a proportionate follow-up.

From talking during instructions and off-task phone use to repeated refusal and difficult peer interactions, the guide offers practical starting points while keeping learning, dignity and individual support needs in view.

Situations are organised into four tiers:

• Everyday disruption
• Persistent and challenging situations
• Serious incidents
• Immediate danger and serious allegations
  Each tier uses a clear Situation / Response / Next Steps table. A linked situation finder and PDF bookmarks help you locate relevant pages quickly. Higher-risk entries direct you towards your school’s designated support, emergency and safeguarding routes.

What’s included:

• 181 classroom situations with suggested wording and numbered next steps.
• One Calm Next Move: a short guide to noticing, responding and following through.
• How to Buy a Moment: five practical moves for pausing a heightened classroom exchange.
• After the Moment: reminders for private follow-up, restoring learning and recording facts.
• Teacher reflection sheet: explore instructions, tone, timing, support and earlier intervention.
• Student reflection sheet: hear the student’s perspective and agree a useful next step.
• Brief examples, optional tick-box starting points and writing space on both reflection sheets.
• Links to official Irish guidance.
  Useful for student teachers, newly qualified teachers, experienced classroom teachers and mentors seeking concrete wording and manageable next steps.

Developed for the Irish post-primary context. Use alongside your school’s Code of Behaviour, safeguarding procedures and emergency plan, adapting responses to the situation and students’ access needs. The tiers support professional judgement; they are not an automatic sanction schedule.

Format: One printable PDF containing 28 pages, with landscape response tables and portrait guidance and reflection pages. Complete reflection sheets by hand or consult the guide on screen.