by Saturnino P. Calansi Ed.D
Controlling your emotion is an important part in dealing with disruptive children and angry parents. Avoid the urge to get involved in a verbal battle with them.
Instead, take the problem-solving approach, and stay calm. Wherever possible, speak to the student privately away from their fellow peers, as there may be more personal problems such as family issues that are causing the disruptive behavior.
As school head, we are very much aware of the hardships of our teachers in dealing with hardheaded students especially in controlling their behaviors. And then comes the possibility of difficult parents who would sometimes be unreasonable in dealing with the situation when their children need the most of their attention.
Although this may be hard to do at times, try not to take the child’s disruptive behavior personally. Remember that the child does not know you as a person, and is reacting the only way that they know how- childishly.
Controlling your emotions is an important part of dealing with disruptive children who probably do not want to listen to an adult who is trying to reason with them. Instead, take the problem-solving approach, and stay calm. Wherever possible, speak to the student privately away from their fellow peers, as there may be more personal problems such as family issues that are causing the disruptive behavior.
Focus working on solving the original problem, this will involve future disturbances from the same cause. And usually, if the root of the problem is discovered and resolved, then the student may offer an apology. Even if they don’t, but their behavior improves, then this is still good as they are back on the right track.
Positive reinforcement is also a great behavior management tool to have up your sleeve. Praise and reinforce the good behavior that you want in your class, and ignore the inappropriate behavior you wish to dispel. But remember to specify why this behavior is good and how it can help them and their fellow classmates. Praise regularly, but be honest.**
