This
is the third column addressing how to manage difficult but reoccurring
management problems with students in classrooms and other places in
school.
Class Clowning: All the students in the class know this
student. Not every class has one. This is probably a smart student with a sense
of humor who has established some identity based on their behavior in other
classes. An out of control classroom
clown is someone who makes jokes at the expense of others. They make fun of
student questions or answers. This needs
to be stopped immediately. Stop the
behavior in class and tell the student after class that you do not appreciate
and will not allow making fun of student questions or answers. Make the consequences serious and enforce the
expectations. This is “soft
bullying.” The student with humor has
become the student who hurts people’s feelings.
These “jokes” can also be directed toward the teacher. Even so, make the corrections as quickly as
possible.
Bullying: Bullies know when and how to bully outside the
surveillance of teachers and administrators.
So, teachers must present themselves as safe harbors from bullies and
bullying. Tell your students that if they feel they are being bullied or
observe bullying, they can and should come to you with the problem. The information age has introduced an
entirely new form of bullying that is borderline undetectable and uncontrollable
if it is not reported. You must be
someone students can trust to talk to about what they see and hear at school.
School Fights: Fights are frightening. Girl fights seem to start faster than boy
fights. But, they are no less
consequential. If you are in the hall,
you can hear one start. Move
quickly. Yell. Tell some students to go get a teacher or
administrative help. Separate kids as
best you can. Get kids near you to help
if they will. Your presence and voice
will often stun fighting students into stopping. Once it’s stopped, and help has arrived, try
to find out what and who started it.
Don’t be afraid to use this as a teachable moment in the classroom. Setting examples and teaching students about how
to react to these situations can create a safer environment.
Recess/Gym/Band/Sports: There is no
substitute for surveillance and proximity.
If you are engaged with the students in their games, you have an even
better chance of controlling things.
Stand where you can see the places hardest to see. If you get caught up talking with colleagues,
you will lose sight of the troublemakers. Taking the time to observe a
difficult student in gym, band practice, or during an after school sport, gives
you something to talk about with them besides schoolwork. They will see you and appreciate the fact
that you took time to enjoy what they enjoy.
Dr.
Douglas Brooks is a Professor in the School of Education, Health and Society at
Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He teaches undergraduate and graduate
courses in classroom management. He is the Director of Partners In Learning at http://performancepyramid.muohio.edu
Sean Brooks is a Health Education teacher at Punta Gorda Middle School in Punta Gorda, Florida. He advises the Conflict/Violence Prevention Focus Group for participating PGMS students. Sean is also an Associate with Partners In Learning. http://pgm.ccps.k12.fl.us/staff/brookss/