DISCIPLINE 101: HOW TO DEAL WITH MISBEHAVIORS IN THE CLASSROOM
The author is Teacher
IMELDA G. SARMIENTO
Teaching is indeed a purposeful vocation of shaping the minds, touching the hearts and transforming the lives of students. But along the way while taking the path of teaching, teachers would always meet some hurdles or even loopholes along the way. One of the major problems teachers face in the classroom in a daily basis is “Classroom Discipline”. Effective teachers discipline with encouragement and kind words much more often than rebukes or reprimands. The goal is to help students feel good about themselves and their behavior in the classroom.
Interruption and misbehaviour are key concepts to consider in developing disciplinary plans to be implemented in the classroom. As an adviser or subject teacher, it is just a must to conceptualize and eventually materialize disciplinary rules and grounds that can be of help to minimize classroom disturbance and eventually give way for effective and efficient delivery of subject matter.
There are ways to lean our attention to misbehaving students and how to deal with them. Make sure students understand that it’s their misbehavior you dislike, not them. It is just right that it is the misbehaviour you acknowledge not the students. You let students realize that it is the action that is offensive not him.
Use positive strategies when dealing with the misbehaving students. One such strategy is addressing specific behaviors with precise language that describes what needs to be done. In addition, try to seat the student near to you or a helpful student, praise the student liberally but sincerely, give the student choices to promote self-worth and feelings of control, be firm and consistent about your rules, and express displeasure with the student’s behavior without criticizing the student. In such manners, students are then to realize that is just not right to disrupt classroom flow. This will not also affect the emotional state of the misbehaving student.
It is as well recommended to give the misbehaving student a chance to respond positively by explaining not only what he or she is doing wrong, but also what he or she can do to correct it. It is an effective way to open lines to learners in terms of possible problems personally or at home. Try to remain courteous in the face of hostility or anger. Showing students that you care about them and their problems will help you earn their respect and establish rapport. Be an attentive listener. Encourage students to talk out feelings and concerns and help them clarify their comments by restating them.
It is also good to treat all students respectfully and politely. Be consistent in what you let them say and do. Be careful not to favor certain students for this destroys possible border lines of trust among the students.
In most cases, teachers get stressed of providing possible solutions about misbehaving students. This is one of the most challenging parts of teaching- discipline. Yet, this becomes fulfilling if the teacher is able to establish among the students the value of proper decorum inside the classroom. — oOo— I at Betis High School