From time to time, we all have one of THOSE classes. You have tried everything, but nothing seems to get through to these kids. If this sounds like what you are going through, I understand and have been in the same place. I went home questioning my career choice on a daily basis. I decided that I would have to do something different or start looking for another job. These are my top 5 tips to tame your difficult class:
Tip 1: Don't Argue - Some students just love to argue. It wastes tons of time, and they love to get in the last word. Be firm. Simply say, "I hear what you are saying, but I am not going to argue with you. This is what I expect _________ (let them know what you want them to do or say)." Don't say anything else. Continue doing what you were doing before the student started to argue. The student may continue to try to argue, but just ignore them and continue with the rest of the class. This will usually make the behavior stop since you are taking away the fun of having someone to argue with.
Tip 2: Talk to the misbehaving student in private- Send the student to the hall or a buddy room. This helps in two ways: 1. It removes the child from the situation. 2. The child does not have to "save face" or be embarrassed by getting in trouble. It also helps to wait for a few minutes, giving both teacher and student time to calm down and process the situation.
Tip 3: Form Relationships - My most important advice is to form relationships with your students, especially with those difficult classes. Find out what they like to do for fun, hobbies, what they did over the weekend etc. I also try to find the most difficult student and make a special attempt to talk to them and find out more about them. Forming those connections early will help your year go more smoothly. Just think about what would happen if your most difficult student liked you or maybe even looked up to you.
Tip 4: Keep Yourself Under Control - Don't let your students see you lose your cool. Model good self control even under difficult circumstances. If you let your students get to you, you may lose some, if not all, of the respect that your students have for you. You are the adult in the situation, so be professional and stay in control at all times.
Tip 5: Give Some Responsibility - Give the student or students some responsibility. Start out small (pass out papers), if the student does a good job, give them a little bit more responsibility. This shows students that you trust them to do a job and that they are a valuable part of the classroom.
These are just a few of the tips that I have used in the past. Overall, building relationships with your students will make the greatest difference. Take time at the beginning of the year to get to know your students. Time spent in the beginning will save time later when you don't have to deal with as many behavior problems.
These steps will not only improve behavior, but positively impact academic performance!
