I have a child in my class (10 years old, fifth grade) who is already giving me a run for my money on the 2nd day of school. It is all sorts of crazy - attention seeking behaviors (loud belching, making strange noises with her throat, shouting out, weird, random shout-outs when I am talking.) The kids are extremely put off by her, but they are also...See MoreI have a child in my class (10 years old, fifth grade) who is already giving me a run for my money on the 2nd day of school. It is all sorts of crazy - attention seeking behaviors (loud belching, making strange noises with her throat, shouting out, weird, random shout-outs when I am talking.) The kids are extremely put off by her, but they are also 5th graders, and, therefore, immature and laugh sometimes when she performs these odd antics. I know that adds fuel to the fire, so I let them know we don't laugh when people are inappropriate (they stop - I can tell that the rest of the class will come around). We worked on our class norms as a class, have been illustrating and spending time to get the students really invested in the 'raise responsibility' method of discipline (levels of behavior), and the class is really receptive. Except for this girl. After we got to the point where we had discussed the expectations for behavior and the consequences for misbehavior (and gone through all of the "if it is making it hard for someone else to learn, it needs to stop), this girl started in again, and I said "We need you to stop; you are disrupting the class's learning" She deflected (it's so and so's fault!) and argued, and I said "You need to move to (cool down spot) for a few minutes." I waited, and she decided to power struggle. Since I will not power struggle in front of the class, I said "I can see you are choosing to not move, so we will talk about this later" -- that has ALWAYS worked for power struggle kids in the past. This kid sat quietly for a minute or two (the ultimate goal), then started being disruptive again. Without saying another word to her, I moved her desk away from her group, and gave the kids around her the clear eye-contact message to NOT engage her. They did not. When it was time for lunch, I sent the rest of the class to lunch and asked her to stay so we could talk, 'As I had promised we would" She waited for the class to leave, then shut down and refused to talk. She then became verbally combative and began yelling. "I didn't do anything, youre picking on me!" I told her I could not talk if she was going to yell. I waited. I asked her if she understood our class expectations. She yelled and said "I didn't do anything." I waited again. I then came back and explained the expectations. She yelled "I didn't do anything." I waited again. I stated the expectations again "In our school, we follow directions and allow others to learn" She again yelled "I didn't do anything. I hate you, I don't want to be in your class. I'm going to recess and I don't care what you say!" At that point I got ahold of the office and asked them to send help. The principal came and had me sit and attempt to conference with the child (as I had already been doing), but when she continued to yell, the principal told me to go to lunch. It was day 2, and already, I lost my ENTIRE lunch dealing with a disruptive student. I can foresee a long year ahead. The child is fine as long as she is allowed to do what she wants in the classroom. The minute she is given directions - or even choices - she becomes disruptive. Once she crosses the line, she will not accept the classroom discipline plan that has basically been agreen upon by all the students in the class (including her). From what I understand by past teachers, this girl and her older brother have "held every class hostage" that they have been in on a regular basis, and there is little to no support from home. My principal wants me to "handle" these disruptions in class. I have been teaching for over 10 years and have always handled disruption in class using a discipline plan that very much follows love and logic - I do not get into arguments with kids, I will not engage in power struggles - I give a direction, if they choose to up the ante, I let them (and the class) know that we will deal with it later (when the audience is gone!) Typically just being held back a few minutes from recess gets these kids talking and coming around....but this kid refuses to accept any responsibility and will not go through the process without shutting down and yelling. I can foresee a LONG year ahead if this doesn't stop. I've never had a child be so combative in the first few days of school in the upper grades. (I once had a little one in 2nd grade go rogue on the first day of school, but he and I came to an understanding by day 3 and he was fairly OK the rest of the year!). Any suggestions? I won't get much help from my administration in this manner, and I KNOW I won't get help from this child's home.
Our Finest Hour - A silent mentoring program - by Todd Bloomer
Todd's school is mentoring students in a very different way. "The key to our program is that the student is not told they are part of a mentor program." Click below to read all about it...
[excerpt] Approaching issues of classroom management and discipline is much more than what teachers do when children break rules and misbehave. Rather than simply reacting to problems, we need to establish an ongoing social curriculum, we need to encourage children to participate in community, we need to teach self-control, and most importantly, we need to accept the potential of children to learn these things and the potential of teachers to teach them.
Helping children learn to take better care of themselves, of each other, and of their classroom is not a waste of instructional time. It’s the most enduring task that teachers do... [Click below to read the article.]
On 6/03/11, Bob Reap (Teachers.Net) wrote: > Welcome to the Disruptive Students Chatboard. This chatboard > is for teacher discussions of dealing with disruptive students, > challenging classes, and other topics related to disruptive students. > > Bookmark this resource and contribute often!
I am currently reading "The First Days of School" (Wong & Wong). The DVD shows what I think are excellent procedures for dealing with problems. When students enter class late the automatically take and fill out a detention slip, etc. Great idea, but how do you keep track of who came in late when you are teaching? Are you supposed to walk around teaching with a clipboard? thanks
On 6/06/11, VET wrote: > Thanks, Bob. This could be such a valuable resource for teachers. > > On 6/03/11, Bob Reap (Teachers.Net) wrote: >> Welcome to the Disruptive Students Chatboard. This chatboard >> is for teacher discussions of dealing with disruptive students, >> challenging classes, and other topics related to disruptive > students. >> >> Bookmark this resource and contribute often!
On 6/04/11, sportsmama wrote: > On 6/04/11, caniseetoo wrote: >> What does the nurse say? Seems to me that he/she should be >> involved in the "discouragement" aspect of getting the child >> on a different track. You've tried the parents and you've >> tried in your room. Talk to the nurse to develop a plan. >> Maybe they just need to check in there in the morning? > > I was wondering the same thing about the nurse. Can you two come > up with a behavior intervention plan that will satisfy his need > to see her and still be in the classroom? Consider seeing her as > a "reward" if he does X things in Y minutes. Start with a small > number of things he must accomplish in minimal amount of time > then gradually increase both - accomplishments and time between > visits. Perhaps you can get it to a point where the nurse comes > to see him once a day then gradually increase the amount of time > between his/her visits as well.
> I was wondering the same thing about the nurse. Can you two come > up with a behavior intervention plan that will satisfy his need > to see her and still be in the classroom? Consider seeing her as > a "reward" if he does X things in Y minutes. Start with a small > number of things he must accomplish in minimal amount of time > then gradually increase both - accomplishments and time between > visits. Perhaps you can get it to a point where the nurse comes > to see him once a day then gradually increase the amount of time > between his/her visits as well.
I talked to him, privately, ab...See MoreEver have the student who waits until the bell rings and THEN he jumps up to sharpen his pencil, which took forever and i can't talk over the noise, and grab paper? He is a sweet kid and he does well in the class. He is polite in every way except this annoying habit which, I found out, he does in ever class.
I talked to him, privately, about the issue. He apologized and said he loved the class and doesn't know "why he does it."
I reminded him to sharpen his pencil and get paper when he walked in the door, but I was often approached by other students. Other students picked up on this and told him to sharpen his pencil and get paper when he walked in the door. He did and his pencil tip would 'break.'
I prepared a folder with a velcro tabbed mechanical pencil and paper. It was on a shelf by his desk and all he had to do was pick it up. So when I the bell rang, he would get up and pick up his folder. This actually worked for several weeks and he was happy. Then it disappeared, but I created another.
For some reason, he just HAS to get up and do something when the bell rings.
On 6/04/11, Martha wrote: > As an intermediate step can you give him something quieter to do > when the bell rings? Say he's already prepared with the pencil > and paper, but when the bell rings his job is to do ______ that > will be less disruptive. Or allow him to get his folder after > the bell rings so he satisfies that need to jump up without > having to do the noisy pencil sharpening. > > On 6/04/11, Jo wrote: >> Pavlov's dogs. The bell is a signal. >> >> I think it is just a terrible habit he is in and until ALL of >> his teachers do exectly the same thing, it will continue. >> Breaking a habit is tough work, particularly when everyone >> allowed it to continue for so long. >> >> >> On 6/04/11, muse wrote: >>> Ever have the student who waits until the bell rings and >>> THEN he jumps up to sharpen his pencil, which took forever >>> and i can't talk over the noise, and grab paper? He is a >>> sweet kid and he does well in the class. He is polite in >>> every way except this annoying habit which, I found out, he >>> does in ever class. >>> >>> I talked to him, privately, about the issue. He apologized >>> and said he loved the class and doesn't know "why he does >>> it." >>> >>> I reminded him to sharpen his pencil and get paper when he >>> walked in the door, but I was often approached by other >>> students. Other students picked up on this and told him to >>> sharpen his pencil and get paper when he walked in the >>> door. He did and his pencil tip would 'break.' >>> >>> I prepared a folder with a velcro tabbed mechanical pencil >>> and paper. It was on a shelf by his desk and all he had to >>> do was pick it up. So when I the bell rang, he would get >>> up and pick up his folder. This actually worked for >>> several weeks and he was happy. Then it disappeared, but I >>> created another. >>> >>> For some reason, he just HAS to get up and do something >>> when the bell rings. >>> >>>
Joyce NationI agree that the bell ringing is a stimulant and as such you need to be able to have something for the student to do that is quiet. Things like passing out morning papers, have a color sheet for them. These things I have tried and they seem to work. On 6/04/11, Martha wrote: > As an intermediate step can you give him something quieter to do >...See MoreI agree that the bell ringing is a stimulant and as such you need to be able to have something for the student to do that is quiet. Things like passing out morning papers, have a color sheet for them. These things I have tried and they seem to work. On 6/04/11, Martha wrote: > As an intermediate step can you give him something quieter to do > when the bell rings? Say he's already prepared with the pencil > and paper, but when the bell rings his job is to do ______ that > will be less disruptive. Or allow him to get his folder after > the bell rings so he satisfies that need to jump up without > having to do the noisy pencil sharpening. > > On 6/04/11, Jo wrote: >> Pavlov's dogs. The bell is a signal. >> >> I think it is just a terrible habit he is in and until ALL of >> his teachers do exectly the same thing, it will continue. >> Breaking a habit is tough work, particularly when everyone >> allowed it to continue for so long. >> >> >> On 6/04/11, muse wrote: >>> Ever have the student who waits until the bell rings and >>> THEN he jumps up to sharpen his pencil, which took forever >>> and i can't talk over the noise, and grab paper? He is a >>> sweet kid and he does well in the class. He is polite in >>> every way except this annoying habit which, I found out, he >>> does in ever class. >>> >>> I talked to him, privately, about the issue. He apologized >>> and said he loved the class and doesn't know "why he does >>> it." >>> >>> I reminded him to sharpen his pencil and get paper when he >>> walked in the door, but I was often approached by other >>> students. Other students picked up on this and told him to >>> sharpen his pencil and get paper when he walked in the >>> door. He did and his pencil tip would 'break.' >>> >>> I prepared a folder with a velcro tabbed mechanical pencil >>> and paper. It was on a shelf by his desk and all he had to >>> do was pick it up. So when I the bell rang, he would get >>> up and pick up his folder. This actually worked for >>> several weeks and he was happy. Then it disappeared, but I >>> created another. >>> >>> For some reason, he just HAS to get up and do something >>> when the bell rings. >>> >>>
On 6/04/11, Gipsom wrote: > The beginning of the year should focus on classroom > expections. One of the first lessons should be on > classroom managements. Let the students be a part of > planning the classrooms rules. Once the rules are > established display them so the students can see them. > Teach the rules to the students. Then role play the rules > so the students will know what is expected of them. Most > important you(teacher) apply the rules every day.
If habits have developed that are not conducive to learning (we can not anticipate everything), I feel we need to remember that the only way to stop a habit is to replace it with something else. Many posters have given excellent suggestions for doing just that.
Student behavior can be challenging. This article contains sample behavior strategies to manage “disruptive behaviors.”
Understanding human behavior is a complex issue that is well beyond the scope of this article. Individuals with proper training in assessment and analysis should complete behavior assessments. One of the methods more commonly used in the school system to help assess “disruptive” student behavior is the Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA).
Student behavior can be challenging. This article contains sample behavior strategies to manage “disruptive behaviors.”
Understanding human behavior is a complex issue that is well beyond the scope of this article. Individuals with proper training in assessment and analysis should complete behavior assessments. One of the methods more commonly used in the school system to help assess “disruptive” student behavior is the Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA).
You will see some QUICK ACTION once they have a summons or query about the matter from a lawyer. Believe it!!
On 3/25/13, richard wrote:
> My 3 year old got hit in the classroom by ano...See More