Fresh Starts for Tough Students

[mrsbuttinski]

Even though your toughest students are just kids at the mercy of emotions they don't understand or can't control, it can be hard for a teacher to stay calm and not take these ongoing behavioral problems personally. My advice: it's time to hit the reset button!...


www.edutopia.org/blog/fresh-starts-hard-to-like-students-allen-mendler

[mirandah]

Great article. We've been dealing with this a lot lately. DS's teacher is retiring this year and she is totally checked out. His ASD teacher is checked out as well- DS regularly complains about every pullout he has so her tactic is to threaten more services if he can't stay on task. I continue to remind them that humor and light heartedness will get them a lot further than threats and admonishments. I do disagree with one aspect of the article- instead of them blowing rainbows up MY butt (which is what they try to do during IEP meetings) I wish they would show more encouragement to DS, and more constructive advice to me. But I get it- they are worn down. You totally have to reset. I say this with experience in scouts too. Good lord- we had our Bear Carnival last night. DS, my rule boy, was an angel- but a few of my NTs- yikes. I made one of them line leader and make sure to congratulate and smile more often. The article says to treat the misbehaving kids like you treat your star students. So true. DH came home and was ranting about what a brat one of them is- he doesn't get it, which makes me sad because I'm sure lots of adults don't get it!!