Sunday, February 3, 2013
13.2
A student's interruption of the class is not wholly unwelcome. Disruptive behavior can be frustrating, but instead of initially attempting to correct the behavior I would try to harness that extra energy and vocalization. Like in all discussion-based classrooms, an English class requires students to vocalize their thoughts and opinions, and to even spur some healthy and constructive arguments. So if a student shows himself to be bold enough to speak out of turn, he may in fact be the best candidate to lead a class discussion or participate in a debate. By asking "Would you like to add that to the discussion?" or "Can that pertain to the lecture?", even if what the student is saying is completely off topic, it will draw his or her attention back to the topic at hand. He may be the sort student that needs to be heard to feel accomplished in a learning environment. Assuming the student does not dazzle me with some well-thought-out material pertaining to the subject, my next act would be to approach him privately. In discussing the misbehavior away from his peers, the student can be more willing to explain his behavior and react appropriately. If there is some deep-seeded issue that is drawing his attention elsewhere or causing the urge to disrupt the class, he can feel more comfortable sharing it in private. However, if my student still chooses to continue disrupting his learning and that of his classmates, of would approach his parents. Oftentimes, parents are more aware of what is causing the misbehavior than a teacher who has just met her students for the first time. As a new teacher, I would seek the aid of parents to address any issues that their child may have that would cause such behavior. If the student's behavior continued or worsened, I would request a meeting with him and his parents. Sometimes, in a situation of flat-out refusal to follow the rules, a student is either distracted by non-academic factors or seeking attention from loved ones. The most difficult part comes in making the behavioral intervention caring and approachable and not abrasive or intimidating.
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Chelsea, I like your corrective response by asking the student if what he is discussing with his neighbor is relevant to what is being taught. In high school, I noticed a lot of teachers would do this, even though they knew that the student was not discussing anything that was relevant to the topic at hand. I like this response because the student usually does not want to face embarrassment, therefore, he can produce a response that is somewhat relevant to the topic which can consequently lead to discussion and bring this student back into focus.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through other students' responses to this question, I was pleasantly surprised to read something different. I really like your interpretation of "disruptive" behavior and I think your ideas would benefit the student and the classroom setting. I thought your idea about allowing this particular student to be in charge of a group discussion as an innovative way to deal with disruptive behavior. I agree with your view of involving the parents for support if the problem persisted.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea that many students will open up to a teacher when in a private discussion, and that this method may be a good solution to behavior issues. I have actually used this technique a number of times in the classroom, and it does work, especially with children who are having issues with an outside situation that they bring into the classroom with them. It always helps a child to have someone who is willing to listen to them, as for some kids, the adults in their life may not always have the time to provide a great deal of attention. I find that most of the students I have worked with that have less than stellar behavior seem surprised and excited to be able to have a one-on-one conversation with an adult and will generally disclose their issues almost immediately.
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