Answers:
I agree with Jenne K, it is very important to find out why the child is misbehaving. Behavior modifications have a better chance of working when they are tailor made for specific problems. You will notice in the classroom that some modifications work for one student, but not another--that is because reasons for their behaviors are different.
My most effective method for modifying a students behavior is PROXIMITY. Walk around the room while you are speaking to the class and stop next to the child. The closer you are to the student, the more attention he/she is getting, which will lead to a decrease in the behaviors. This way, you can help a child to modify the negative behaviors without embarassment or punishment. You may also consider moving the student closer to where you spend the most time.
You shouldn't warn them all the time. Warnings don't get you anywhere, and your students will consider you a "softy" and that they can get away with anything. You should give out a detention when it's fair and you should make sure that the student knows that YOU are the teacher, and not them. But, don't be so overpowering, because you do want your students to have fun too.
Be authoritive and create rules and consequences from the first day of school. Do not be lenient, the moment they start to misbehave, tell them not to, and do not let bad behavior continue and escalate. Students should not get away with disrupting other classmates' learning. If the students know that you can get them into trouble, they will respect you and behave. But remember, that when you are having a good class, let them know that they are doing well and you appreciate their attention and participation. Kids like to know they are appreciated.
There's a great book out called "Setting :Limits in the Classroom". My teacher friends swear by it!
They can be redirected, relocated, or failing those, removed. If I have any trouble with kids, I immediately go straight to their parents--that usually does the trick.
Kids believe that a teacher will follow a stepwise disciplinary model that will allow them to get away with all sorts of crap BEFORE their parents will ever hear about their behavior. You know, "parent contact" is step four, and I'm only up to step two--so I'm safe. That sort of reasoning. I disabuse them of that from day one.
I'm not a "mean teacher"--but trust me, this approach works, and other students appreciate the results as well.
Have a trap door under their desks and a remote control button in an undisclosed place. Let's see how disruptive they can be from the BASEMENT, shall we? (You have to put an overstuffed mattress beneath the trap door or risk being sued.)
No, seriously, depending on the age of the children, an explanation that the unruly ones are hindering the serious ones from learning can be effective if you do it right. I've seen it work before, but I've seen it fail before too.
The main problem is that too many people are expecting the school officials and teachers to raise their kids for them these days.
Personally, I have always ***dreamed*** of shock collars on a small handful of chronically disruptive students. [I teach 15 to 17 year olds.] But, in real world terms, if I know that the student is not advanced and bored or behind in need of tutoring, I've asked for the parent and assistant principal to sit in on an afterschool chat. Usually, I start the chat with the child outside. In this time, I can create rapport with the parent and let her know that we are their for the sake of her child. I'm teaching...and your kid isn't learning.
Report them to the Heedy !
It is important that you attempt to understand your student. What is the function of the behavior? Does it say, "I’m bored" or "I'm nervous", etc. Behavior says what the mouth is not safe or brave enough to say.
I worked with SED middle school kids for years and in a class of 12 there, with 8 who were "disruptive".
I spoke to each respectfully, used humor, and found those "teachable moments". Major breakthroughs happened concurrently as these students learned to trust me and as I embraced their unique families. Many times these disruptions were just a bait and switch game to avoid difficult subjects, emotions, or to mask learning disabilities.
Sometimes disruptions could be morphed into fun opportunities. I had one student who loved to interrupt math with jokes, so we added a time for all students to share jokes and requested appropriate and on-topic jokes as transition anxiety binders. We eventually created a book of jokes and puns (a fun language arts project). I also hooked this student up with a math mentor.
I would provide proximity, being close to some students helps them remain on-task. I would ask them to partner with another student for help. I would offer time for behavior change, having students sit away until they can join class without disruptions, and enforced that time away must be made up during detention. Occasionally, I would ask a disruptive student to teach the lesson or give them a leadership responsibility.
I would encourage my student to come up with a solution. Student solutions have included, sitting away from peers, moving seats, wearing ipods, squeezing a fidget toy, journaling, art time, 1:1 time with teacher, appointment with counselor, food, and a day off (no work). One student had his grandfather sit at the back of the class. Rarely, I would have to call the school resource officer when a kid was out of control.
One student said, "Thanks for the popcorn and orange. It is hard to hate on a full belly." I was reminded that most of my students failed to eat breakfast and ate little food with nutritional value.
When attempting to decipher the meaning of disruptive behavior, I was often confronted with the dismal, depressing, hopeless lives my students lived. Homelessness, gangs, domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness, and POVERTY were the baseline of most of my disruptive students. I had to set realistic expectations for myself about these students too.
I used the IEP process to broker support and a working plan. I attempted to create rapport with the supports of each student (whether parent, foster parent, therapist, or pastor). I ask a lot of questions.
I learned that hurt people, hurt people, and tried to offer healing instead. Disruptive students are too familiar with power imbalances in our society and are often the dumping grounds for an entire family’s angst. I attempt to be an ally and offer help.
Depends upon the age. Elementary kids are generally more compliant to requests and are terrified of "getting in trouble" with the office/parents. For older kids, this is a treat and is seen as cool amongst peers.
http://www.behavioradvisor.com/...
Fantastic site if you have not already seen it!
i'm not a teacher but i have studied the tactics my teachers use on the class.
- detention after school
- warn them that if even one person causes some kinda ruckus, the whole class will have to suffer by staying after school for half-an-hour. if they do dare to ignore this dire warning, then put your warning into action! believe me, it works in my class because the trouble-maker always gets beat up after we're released -winks-
-play the "three strikes and your out" game.
- make the miscreants write an essay or report as punishment.
-call the parents in, so that the trouble makers get the message.
if your classroom is set up to do this, you could walk over by the student while you are speaking and poke him/her..not hard. poke him on the shoulder a couple of times without disrupting your speech. You give him/her the attention they are seeking without calling major attention to it. You can take that student aside and talk to him/her try to get them to cooperate. If that doesn't work you can send a note home with the student that reads like this. (I have a ton of these printed and ready to go.it's amazing how wonderful they work.)
Dear Mom and Dad,
I am really sorry to have to give you this note but I have been misbaving in my ________ class. Ms. _________ has asked me several times not to talk during class but I just can't resist. Can you please talk to me tonight and help me understand why this is important and how I can adjust my behavior appropriately?
_____________________ (parent signature)
Make them sign for the note, proving you gave them one--give them a day or so to bring it back signed--if they don't bring it back within the time specified, they get silent lunch until they bring it back.
If THIS doesn't work, I would try calling the parents. For me, last resort is sending them to the office. DOCUMENT everythign you do....
I asked my wife's mother. High School teacher for 25 years.
1. If the student is Asian, they are never disruptive.
2. If the student is white, some have an occasional bad day. She would ask them politely to calm down. Of which they would.
3. If the student is hispanic, middle eastern, etc., they would be too scared to cause problems.
4. If the student is African-american, NEVER tell them to be quiet, NEVER ask them why they do not have their books, their homework, why they have no belt, cannot pull their pants up, why they talk profanity and ebonics, etc, etc.
Ignore them!!
Why? Because anything said, they file a grievance against you and you end up in the Dean's office fighting for your job.
The only relief is knowing, by the 9th grade, they will drop out!!
Make sure your rules and consequences are clear and always FOLLOW THROUGH. Otherwise you seem like a pushover. Developing rules together helps to get the other students on your side. If the disruptive one is getting negative feedback from the other students, there's no fun in it anymore.
There are lots of great rules, tips, and advice here. The best thing is to get to the root of the problem. Figure out why the kid is so disruptive (need for attention, not understanding, boredom), and use an approach that addresses that.
Oh, never get sucked into a back and forth argument with a student during class. To quote a great mentor: "Arguing with a student is like mud wrestling with a pig: you both get dirty, and the pig loves it!"
Be aggressive and hardcore. let them know who's the adult(boss) and who's the child(student)!
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