Can you train a cat not to do things??  

My kitty won't stay off the dining room table or the coffee table! This really upsets me because she knocks things off (including glasses filled with water, pop etc) and spills them, or she ruins papers that are up there or simply takes off with an ear ring or something and then it is lost forever!

I always yell at her and push her off the table or swat her butt if she doesn't jump off before I can, but my boyfriend says that she's never going to learn because I'm not always home to yell at her, so when I'm gone she'll continue to jump up there anyway... is there anything I can do to get her to stop???