I checked out the blog by John T. Spencer that I linked yesterday and found some great posts. This post in particular titled "A Sustainable Start: Rethinking Why Students Misbehave." John T. Spencer starts school brainstorming with his students asking them why kids misbehave in class. This discussion leads to figuring out ways students and teachers can respond to these issues.
"1. Students want to move around: Students can fix this by asking the teacher for a chance to get up and stretch. Teachers can fix this by incorporating more movement into the class.
2. Students are afraid: It might be external- the system, the teacher, bullying from fellow students. Or it might be internal- laziness, fear of failure, restlessness, anxiety. Students can be honest with teacher about fear and teachers can guide them with empathy and compassion. There aren't any formulas for this, either. It takes time to develop the relationship of trust required to handle fear.
3. Students feel powerless: This might be the result of unreasonable teacher expectations or simply a student's lingering insecurities. However, sometimes the strangest behavior occurs when a child feels powerless. I've noticed that students who feel powerless can engage in sabotage, a power struggle, apathy or aggression toward others. The key here is finding a way to challenge students within a framework where they are free to make mistakes.
4. Students want to talk: Students can deal with this by showing self-control duing silent times (silent reading, for example) and remembering the need for silence. Teachers can deal with this by ensuring that students are talking at least half the time.
5. Students feel relationally isolated: This could be peer-based and it could be between the teacher and the student. However, sometimes students get the sense that they are outcasts, that they don't belong and that they are losers. Sadly, I've been the one who has caused this through insensitive words. If a teacher provides a safe place and builds a relationship, eventually this student might feel like he or she has a place.
6. A failure of communication: Sometimes this is a lack of vocabulary or simply a lack of paying attention. Sometimes teachers and students are speaking from a different interpretation of an idea, event or perspective. Either way, failure to communicate can lead to some huge riffs in the relationships. The best idea for both students and teachers is to trust the other person's intentions and to engage in meaningful conversation about the miscommunication. If both sides are humble, true communication will often occur.
7. Students don't feel free: Perhaps the rules are too restrictive. Maybe the lessons don't allow for enough autonomy. Students can respectfully ask for more freedom and teachers can respond with lessons that require more student autonomy.
8. Students are bored: Students sometimes need to ask the teacher why this particular stubject is relevant or advocate for a different learning opportunity. Teachers need to remember to craft lessons that are engaging, interesting and meaningful.
9. Students are confused: Students need to ask specific questions rather than saying, "I'm confused." Teachers need to ensure that the lesson fits the needs of students and that directions have been clear and explicit.
10. Students are human: Sometimes they have rough days. Sometimes they rebel for reasons they can't articulate. We're all broken. We all screw up. Students can be open to teachers ahead of time about what's going on and teachers can keep that in mind as they interact with the class."
The last point really rings a bell with me. This is one thing that I need to be constantly reminded of. Students have rough days just like I have rough days and they can screw up just like I can screw up.
He goes through a list of questions to ask students and yourself before, in the moment, and afterward. These questions spark the brainstorming process of how to come up with these misbehaviors and reasons for misbehaviors. I really enjoyed this post.
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