Chapter 3

I was glad to hear that disruptive students bothered some students as much as it bothers us teachers! This said, it only proves to me more that it is important that teachers try to figure out ways to “handle” disruptive students. Also, students know when teachers are nervous or frightened and they will definitely take advantage of this. Teachers should admit when they are wrong and should not try to act like they are always right or else students will want to give them trouble. Classroom expectations must be explained to the students or else there may be misunderstandings or the students could argue that you were not clear on the rules of the classroom. When a student is disruptive, it’s important to try to figure out why the student is behaving this way (feels bored, unnoticed, etc..). This way, the teacher can more easily find a way to avoid disturbances from this student.
I feel like I have an advantage when it comes to “dealing” with disruptive students. My fiancé was one of these students when we were kids. He talked back to teachers, did not do his homework, was late to class, etc. From what he tells me, he felt that the teachers expected him to fail and so he did not feel motivated to work. He felt as if the teachers treated him as an inferior. He also had a very rough family life, which also more than likely affected his behavior. By knowing a person who personally went through this, I may be able to help find out why students are behaving the ways they are and also may be able to find a way to either correct or control these behaviors.