Comments on: Stop Defiance in Your Classroom in 4 Simple Steps

By: Kesha

Kesha — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 13:01:54 +0000

In reply to Becca. Happens more often than many would think. You can find these students everywhere! Admin can be legitimately busy. Parents may not be accessible or may be unable to manage the behavior themselves. Sometimes peers can provide helpful pressure!

By: Kesha

Kesha — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 12:57:15 +0000

In reply to Gia. YES! Got to give them an out!

By: Kesha

Kesha — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 12:56:15 +0000

In reply to Victoria.

I have found that both versions are true. It is important to have the documentation that you have attempted to work with the parent and admin– even if they don’t support you as you had hoped. Some other things to try: For the mouthy, definant ones trying to assemble a team of adversarial classmates– “Speak and run, go have fun!” I tell them what to do and assume compliance–moving on before they respond. I make sure that the next thing the class is doing is engaging, fun or crazy so it is easier to choose paying attention to the lesson and give less attention to the student.

By: Gia

Gia — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 23:52:21 +0000

I agree with removing the student’s audience, then giving the student a choice: “You can do this work now, or you can ___. I’ll give you two minutes to choose.” Then follow through. I rarely involve admin, unless a student is being physically harmful, so my choices are usually, “Do the work now, or do it at recess/any free time in class” (send out to playground with a clipboard, inform teacher on duty to not let the student play till it’s done) , or “Find a seat now, or I’ll choose one for you.”, etc. At times it’s been effective to offer a different choice for work completion: “Do you want to do the work at your desk, or ___ (on the rug, empty table, etc.). Still lets the student know they need to do the work, but it gives them a choice, or an “out” of a situation they’ve gotten themselves into. I always email/call the parent to inform them of what happened, and at the very least, that documents that I’m doing the best I can to help this student make good choices. Even in the most frustrating situations, I try not to think of my students as “idiot kids”…after all, I became a teacher so I could make a difference in kids’ lives.

By: Dale H. Sawyers

Dale H. Sawyers — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 19:37:57 +0000

In reply to Victoria. You are spot on!!!!!!! My admin only made excuses for these idiot kids and their enabling parents. . . I failed them ALL and moved to a district with 600K homes and parents who actually care.

By: Rachel Renee Balkema

Rachel Renee Balkema — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 00:21:20 +0000

In reply to Ann. I have about 8 in one of my rooms that don't care- and frequently derail the class and refuse to leave. I have to ignore them just to get through the day.

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 19 Jan 2019 01:12:53 +0000

In my experience, it’s an unspoken expectation that the teacher handle these situations. Administration, nor parents step up to the plate more than once or twice..

By: Darlena Gelles

Darlena Gelles — Sat, 29 Sep 2018 12:09:43 +0000

In reply to Ann. wow just wow

By: Linda Kardamis

Linda Kardamis — Mon, 07 May 2018 21:24:22 +0000

In reply to Becca. That's a tough situation. Definitely do the best that you can, but I can't tell you whether to switch schools or not. I'd encourage you to pray about it. Sometimes we are called to stay, sometimes we are called to go elsewhere.

By: Becca

Becca — Sun, 06 May 2018 21:31:51 +0000

What do you do when the admin nor parents are of help with a defiant? Find a new school or work through it with your suggestions above eg. playing catch with them etc?