By Nina Parrish
We all have students who test our limits. Most kids can be uncooperative at times, especially if they’re tired, hungry, or feeling overwhelmed. For certain age groups, like 2- to 3-year-olds and teenagers, noncooperative behavior is a normal part of development.
So how does a teacher handle a student who openly defies rules, purposely tries to irritate the teacher, or has a pattern of hostile behavior toward authority? Here are some suggestions to help you avoid problems or to manage them when they arise.
REMAIN CALM
As a new teacher, I quickly determined that showing anger was counterproductive with students who were oppositional. It made the behavior worse as they were often amused or encouraged by upsetting an adult.
Even when you’re upset or frustrated, it’s important not to allow the child to see your emotional response. Keep a positive tone to your voice, and adopt neutral body language by keeping your hands by your sides. Be cautious about approaching the student or entering their personal space as this might escalate the situation.
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY
Learning to use “I statements” helped me immensely in working with students with difficult behavior. When a student is noncompliant, often our first impulse as teachers is to point out the behavior by using a statement that begins with “You” and gives a command. For example, “You never listen and follow directions. Don’t get out of your seat again!”
Rephrasing this as an “I statement” is much more effective. For example, “I would like for all of my students to sit down, listen, and follow directions so that they know what to do next.”
REINFORCE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR
Switch your focus from recognizing negative behavior to seeking out demonstrations of positive behavior. Look for and reward even small steps toward flexibility, compliance, and cooperation.
When a student shows improvement, give it attention. I found positive notes home to be especially effective. I sent postcards to my students who demonstrated improvement in their behavior. A parent once told me that not only was this the first positive note the student had received, but he was so proud of it that he kept it on the refrigerator to look at every day. Don’t underestimate the power of positive words in shaping behavior.
DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE BEHAVIOR
Behaviors help students obtain something desirable or escape something undesirable. Learning to think of behavior as feedback or a form of communication helped me to work more effectively as a teacher with students who display problem behaviors.
Ask yourself:
When does this behavior happen or not happen?
What happens before and after the behavior?
Who is the audience?
Are there factors outside of the student’s control that might be causing or contributing to the behaviors? (For example, has the student experienced trauma? Does he or she come from a household with housing or food instability?)
What alternative behavior would be more acceptable than the one being displayed?
Understanding the cause of the behavior will help in establishing a plan to address the challenges.
MAKE A PLAN
Once a behavior is identified and assessed, a plan may be developed to prevent it from continuing. A BIP outlines steps a teacher will take when a problem behavior occurs.
A BIP should teach the student more productive behaviors and strategies, reward positive and appropriate behaviors, and outline who is responsible for each intervention.
Perhaps changes can be made in the environment, like moving the student’s seat, or instructional methodology changes could be made, like shortening or modifying an assignment to match the student’s capability for independent work. Teachers could also consider altering routines if there are times when the behavior is likely to occur.
We all have the capacity to learn, change, and grow. When given the right tools and environment, students with problematic behavior can learn more productive strategies that will help them have positive and effective interactions with others.
Source: Edutopia
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