An interesting advice was given by the Principal in our school and this is 'We must turn the negative into positive'.

If you see a child misbehaving and refused to sit quietly and read, you should not tell him, “Behave yourself” or “Sit still and read”. Instead you should praise the other child who is behaving well, reading quietly. For example, “Oh look at how beautifully Alex is sitting quietly reading his book”.

Immediately you will see changes in the child who was misbehaving. He will follow what Alex does. This is because everyone, kids and adults alike, wants to be appreciated and praised. 

I understood what you were saying, Kay.  I try to pick my battles as well.

I like the advice your pricipal is giving you, Nazreen, that is a suttle way of getting many kids to behave.  We used that tactic often in our group home because we felt the kids had enough negativity in their lives.

I would add, if there is a child that it won't work with, to take them aside and praise them for the little efforts you see them make even if they aren't following the rules completely.  I was one of those kids that the subtle hints did not work on and instead I would feel discouraged because I could never behave the way “jane” did.  When my 2nd grade teacher took me aside and told me she appreciated that I had been quiet when the children around me were talking (I hadn't even noticed I had done a good thing), it really motivated me to be aware of my behaviors (and obviously made an imapact on me, because I remember it to this day!  ha!!).