How to Deal with Challenging Behavior from Primary Students

How to deal with challenging behavior from primary students

Through observations and personal experiences I've gathered what I'm sure most teachers have already learned, some children can be difficult. While this range of difficulty can span across many different areas I do believe that it can all be controlled and deterred if done correctly. Situations that I've witnessed have led me to believe that dis-spite the child or the behavior they choose to display, there is a remedy to resolve all challenging behaviors. So, how do you deal with children who constantly disrupt activities and lessons by being loud and disruptive, 'being dramatic', physically and verbally abusive towards peers, and is plain out mean? Well, it honestly depends on the child and their situation, but there are a few points that many have seemed to find a consensus on that I intend to explore a little. I do however want to make it clear that I cannot say that I agree with all of the opinions stated ( truth be told I agree with all but one), I do understand the validity of them all in different situations that could appear.

Through my observations I've noted that many students' behaviors are challenging by means of aggression but through 'theatrics'. Many students seem to have a flair for drama, which really isn't appropriate during most lessons so it becomes disruptive. It is not my belief that these children are doing so as a 'call for attention' but that it is an innate sense of their being, its apart of their personalities. It is however my belief that by ignoring such antics whenever they may arise through a 'blind eye and a deaf ear' students will learn that it is inappropriate/unappreciated and such acts will diminish until times that are deemed appropriate for such behavior.

Does 'time out' really work anymore? Is it effective? Although time out is meant as a means of reflection ( one that I personally think works!) it can be hard for it to be used at it's full capacity/effectiveness within a classroom full of children (all of whom at times are partaking in different activities). I've observed that it can be 'adjusted to'; instead of students utilizing the time to reflect their actions, they simply watch their peers and 'plot' their next move. It seems the once overly effective time out may need a twist like providing a behavioral learning center where the student's visibility is blocked from his peers and is instead faced with materials that promote pro social behavior through books, video's, music, games and other materials of the like as a reminder of how things should change 'after' time out. The promotion of 'Pro social Behavior' with classroom has been quite effective (as noted within many resources) with deterring challenging/aggressive behavior from students. The focus of helping children learn to care, share, and assist each other and all behaviors alike are referred to as pro social behaviors. By being a good role model, providing positive feedback and reinforcement of such behaviors through provided opportunities (community service, literature,etc.) and conducting activities on multicultural principles that are unbiased, and by overall generally promoting the self esteems and images of individual students, all parents and teachers would be able to meet their goals.

I'm sure many of us have heard of or at least read about the kindergarten teacher in Tennessee who locks her students within a closet as a form of punishment/ time out. I personally think that it is absurd! Unfortunately, it appears that other than the parents of the little girl who was locked within the classroom, I am the only one who has conveyed such feelings. How could any school official knowingly allow such acts to take place on school grounds? Was there no where else to issue an effective time out or was there a lack of interest put forth in the gesture other than to intimidate students into compliance? It seems to me that members of the school in question, parents of the students, and community members alike should take more of an interest in what goes on within their educational institutions and the personnel that is choose to take care of the future.

A child's behavioral patterns are comprised of what is learned within different settings (school, home, extra curricular activities,etc.) These influences determine a child's behavior. Many assert that physical punishment is inappropriate by ALL MEANS; I don't. I agree that physical punishment (id abusive/overly aggressive) can be detrimental to any child, but I don't agree that the 'spanking' of any child, a light tap on the hand or buttocks, to assert “NO” is inappropriate in any form. Despite my own convictions, oppositions against 'spanking' make many valid points, many of which I agree with, if not all;

• Physical punishment is ineffective because it doesn't promote an alternative way of behavioral
• It actually models the aggression inferring that it's OK to use aggressive acts/behavior
• physical punishment can become an 'emotionally charged' situation where the aggressor is overly aggressive an can hit the child in a vulnerable place.

These kind of situations can ruin any relationship, parent-child/ teacher-student, for their sense of security is now gone. To prevent such situations when a case arises where all parties become 'excited' it is better to take personal time outs for all parties involved. As such all parties have time to assess the situation at a calmer level. This also models to students the steps that can be taken rather than turning to aggression.