HOW TO HANDLE OVER-ACTIVE STUDENTS
Jill Black
Every teacher meets a hard-to-handle pupil now and then. But Mrs. Nicholson had a class full. She calmed them with a 10-point plan.
Mrs. Nicholson calmed a class of problem youngsters, won their love andrespect, and started them toward a steady and stable growth. She accomplished this by a 10-point plan:
1. PRAYER. Mrs. Nicholson kept a class notebook list of items for prayer. She prayed regularly for each student.
2. LOVE. Knowing that love is expressed in understanding and appreciation, she harnessed the energies of intelligent, but bored, troublemakers by bringing them into discussions and keeping their minds and hands occupied with constructive projects.
3. PREPARATION. Early in the week she started studying for next Sunday’s lesson. She always had more than enough material so that she could avoid troublesome lulls.
4. RESEARCH. She searched for current scientific data, knowing the pupils are impressed with new facts and how they affect their lives. She included photos and statistical evidence on the effects of tobacco, alcohol, and narcotics.
5. VARIETY. Crayon talks, object lessons, flannelgraphs, flash cards, and other aids were used to help make the lesson clear. She aimed to make each lesson different.
6. ACTIVITY. She gave each student something to do. One set up the flannelboard, another took the offering, a third was elected secretary. These gave each a feeling of being needed and knitted the class together.
7. SPECIAL PROJECTS. Once a month the students took a special collection to buy special items or equipment for their classroom. Like the other activities, this encouraged group feeling and helped the students appreciate “their” classroom.
8. PARTIES AND CONTESTS. This wise teacher found that parties and contests worked wonders to keep morale high. She recognized pupils who brought the most visitors, did more work than was assigned, or excelled in some other way. Her frequent parties encouraged newcomers to attend class regularly,
helped the group become better acquainted, and enabled the students to get to know her as a sincere friend.
9. CONTACTS. Through personal visits, phone calls, and post cards, Mrs. Nicholson let each absentee know he/she was missed.
10. CONTROL. The students knew that there could be no nonsense in class. rs. Nicholson kept the activities moving at a fast pace so that there was little opportunity for misbehavior. If necessary, however, she shifted the students seating arrangements. But usually a glance at an offender quickly quelled any outburst of mischief.
So successful were Mrs. Nicholson’s methods with this once hard-to-handle class, that the members, now out of high school, are still in Sunday School.
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION. . .A POUND OF CURE
You can prevent discipline challenges in your class or department by eliminating the causes. Sometimes the teacher inadvertently causes a problem. Test yourself on the checklist below and make improvements and changes where necessary.
CHECK YOUR PERSONALITY AND ATTITUDES
* Shockproof and calm under stress
* Fair in treatment of each pupil
* Alert to every situation
* Know the worth of each pupil
* Enthusiastic about the lesson
CHECK YOUR METHODS AND MATERIALS
* Graded to meet student needs and interests
* Varied to catch attention
* Timed to stay within coverage attention span (10-20 minutes)
* Visualized to use the eye gate
* Pupil-centered for participation
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION. . .A POUND OF CURE
CHECK YOUR MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
* Prepared to teach the lesson
* Orderly in set up of materials, equipment, program
* Foresighted in giving clear directions
* Consistent in use of veto
* Democratic in letting students help make rules
After all your efforts to eliminate causes, if there is a problem, prescribe a cure.
PUPIL PLAYING WITH AN OBJECT
1. Quietly, pleasantly, and firmly remove the article causing disturbance.
2. Place it where the pupil can get it back after class.
GIGGLING AND TALKING
1. For a mild disturbance, continue the lesson, but catch the eye of the offender and quietly signal for him to stop talking and pay attention.
2. If necessary, stop talking briefly to catch attention.
3. Pleasantly suggest a better time for conversation than during class.
4. Give one minute to finish all conversation, timing by your watch.
5. Lower your voice; don’t shout over interference.
6. If a humorous situation occurs, laugh with the pupils. Then firmly but pleasantly bring the class back to order.
CLOWNING FOR ATTENTION
1. Give the offender the type of responsibilities which will allow him to receive recognition in the right way.
2. When the offender is not present in class, find a tactful way to suggest that the pupils ignore his behavior when he tries to make them laugh.
3. Find a reasonable and acceptable way to change the seat of the offender.
ROWDINESS AND INSUBORDINATION
1. Talk to the offender quietly and challenge him to better behavior.
2. Build confidence by showing that you have faith in the offender.
3. Never scold, ridicule, or shame – either privately or publicly.
4. When appropriate, give the offender a choice of corrective: “either…or”.
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION. . .A POUND OF CURE
5. Withhold a privilege temporarily.
6. Have the offender correct what he did wrong.
7. Be sure correction is certain, immediate, consistent.
8. Don’t punish the whole group for the offense of one.
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