After our last seminar meeting, it seemed to me that we all are feeling a little wary about how to deal with "problem" students. I have observed this done several ways during my internships, but have not yet seen a way that effectively addresses the student. For example, we have a boy that constantly cuts up in class and is never on task, he is failing all classes, etc. I was called into a room the other day, in which sat 5 of his teachers, his mother, and me, all complaining and lecturing to this kid about his behavior. The teachers took turns bitching at him, with his mother intermittantly complaining about how awful he is at home. I watched this kid, who is a complete show-off in class and thinks he is hot stuff, break down and cry! All of these authority figures were just going to town on him and he had no idea what to do or say- I felt so bad for him. This definatly got the message to him, and his behavior has improved. However, I'm not sure that embarassing him and belittling him and literally ganging up on him was the right thing to do either. Regardless, It made me think of Kat's story and I wonder if it would help to get a conference with Kat, several of the teachers, an administrator, and his parents, and put him in a room full of authority figures and see if the overall effect would make a difference in his behavior. Again, in punishment there is such a fine line between damaging a kid's self-esteem and "teaching" him a lesson about life and how to act properly. A better method might be to provide rewards for when he behaves, so that he is motivated to achieve rather than ridiculed and punished when he doesn't.
At my school, I have several students who try to test the boundaries of what they can get away with. Admittedly, I used to let them get away with too much. However, as I grow into my role as disciplinarian, they are settling into a routine and structure that is highly productive. My advice then is to create structure, have acceptable AND unacceptable behaviors respectively prasied or punished. MOST students will fall into line, finding structure beneficial. Those that don't will never be "happy" with any solution you try. They simply will be unable to co-exist with you in the classroom and will most likely need to be removed into a different environment.
Man, after listening to my peers, I realize how lucky I really am. I have a few 10th graders with too much energy and mischievousness, but all in all I don't really have any discpline problems at all. I entirely attribute this to my cooperating teacher and her previous expectations of behavior. Pretty much with these class, I can get away with calling parents, and not having to write disciplinary notes. My 10th grade World Cultures is honors, and that can make a huge difference. The other classes are CP, but because of the nature of the classes (psychology and media lit) they are mature students. I know I deserve no credit, because when I was teaching at Spring Valley as a long term sub for 6 weeks, the previous teacher had established NO discipline, and I could not establish any. I was writing d-notes every other day. But this semester I have more than enough on my plate, and I thank my lucky stars that I don't have to deal with problem children
I havea reality check since entering my high school teaching experience. I do teach lower level students adn in one particular class, half the students came from an alternative middle school and the others have IEPs. They have no respect for authority whether it be me, my teacher, or even the administrator. It is hard to deal with day in and day out. I have sat in many parent conferences in which the students cried, but the behavior still has not changed. I even tried detention at lunch and then assigning them work detail on Saturdays But still no change. I even have students who would do anything to come to detention. How do you reach these kids? In one class I have found they just don't care. Their test averages prove it. On an open notebook test their average was a 59 because they did not want to do the lab practical. My second class, the same material different students, their average was a 78. How do I reach all those problem students that don't care. My teacher tells me not to take it personally, but I want them to learn and care about science at least a little but.
Luckily, I only have a few problem students, but the ones I do have … In my German I class, there is a big difference in ability levels. I have some kids that complete a worksheet before I am done giving the instructions. There are 4 who don’t even get the instructions, no matter how slowly there are explained. Those students require one on one instruction, which I rarely have time for. The slow students are the ones who cause the problems. They will get up during class and walk around, completely ignoring me telling them to sit down. They have been written up a couple of times but don’t seem to care. They receive a free lunch, so their families money situation is not ideal and more than likely there are other problems. My cooperating teacher is at the end of her wits as well. Any suggestions?
Today I referred three students for failing to serve lunch detention. Somehow, I think this is NOT effective as a deterrent for talking during the announcements! Any suggestions?
My problem students reside in my 3rd block class right after lunch. They're not bad, just unruly and loud. I've tried talking to them one-on-one, but all those lectures just fall on deaf ears. I really believe there needs to be something to discipline them that will instil the fear of 'God' in them. I would appreciate any suggestions. I am too quick to trust them with any responsiblity. I've found that it is not the wisest thing to do.
By Andrew Higginbotham (Usc_higinbotham) on Friday, October 5, 2001 - 09:54 pm:
By Laura Eckard (Usc_eckard) on Saturday, October 13, 2001 - 05:09 pm:
By Jennifer McLeod (Usc_mcleod) on Wednesday, October 31, 2001 - 08:12 pm:
By Gabriele Haulmark (Usc_haulmark) on Saturday, November 10, 2001 - 07:40 pm:
By Andrew Higginbotham (Usc_higinbotham) on Tuesday, November 20, 2001 - 09:02 pm:
By John Cooper (Usc_cooper) on Wednesday, November 28, 2001 - 10:59 am: