Students' challenging classroom behaviour remains problematic in some primary schools, causing daily disruptions. In South Africa, alternatives for managing student behaviour have proven ineffective, leaving teachers to grapple in classrooms. To gain insights into "what teachers are doing to curtail the problem," fifteen teachers were interviewed for qualitative data. Thematic analysis revealed some conventional, yet affectionate ways teachers are trying. Social cognitive theory explicated how reinforcement and self-regulation influence behaviour. Education departments should include value-based character education in the curriculum to shape students' characters and provide responsive alternatives to support teachers to respond decisively to students' misbehaviour in diverse contexts.