“Classroom Management” Choose one of the 4 scenarios from the Implementation section of tInservice #8 Simple Ways to Defuse Anger (p. 39-40). Describe both an ineffective teacher’s response and an effective teacher’s response. Or, create a scenario of your own, maybe one that you’ve recently observed or that you’re currently handling, and describe both an ineffective teacher’s response & an effective teacher’s response.
I choose Example 1:
ReplyDeleteAn effective teacher would remind the student to complete her work. Give her a couple minutes to make a choice if she wants to make a better choice or if she still is refusing. If she still is refusing, I would plan ignore her for a couple minutes. I would begin to praise students around her that are working hard on their work. If she still is refusing, I would go have a conversation with her. I would give her a first then statement: “You need to start your work or you can complete it during _____.” If she does not start to work on her work then, I would hold her accountable and make her complete it during a time that is desired to her.
An ineffective teacher would give the student too many reminders in a short span of time. In doing that, the student gets more irritated and upset with all the reminders that she is getting from the teacher. Also, the student is getting a lot of attention from the teacher and it starts to disrupt the peers around her. The ineffective teacher would also be not talking in a calm tone of voice which can make student more angry and upset.
I am choosing example 2: when a student is visibly frustrated while taking her test.
ReplyDeleteAn ineffective teacher would scream back to her "Yes you will." She would end up engaging in a power struggle and fueling the frustration fire.
An effective teacher could calmly go up to her and ask her if everything is alright and that she seems frustrated. The teacher can ask the student why she is finding it so hard and ask for ways to help her. The teacher can offer time with the student to study and retake the test. An effective teacher will remain calm and concerned for the student.
I chose Example 3 from the implementation section. In this scenario, an ineffective teacher response would be raising their voice at an already upset parent. Responding with frustration or anger can quickly escalate the situation and make the parent feel dismissed or unheard. A more effective response would be to calmly invite the parent into the classroom or another appropriate space and have the principal present if needed. I would acknowledge and validate the parent’s feelings and ask if they would be open to having a calm conversation about the concern. By staying calm, listening carefully, and creating a respectful space for discussion, the situation is more likely to de-escalate and lead to a productive solution.
ReplyDeleteFrom a high school School Counselor perspective, I often see situations where a student becomes frustrated or angry in a classroom setting and comes to the Counseling Office. For example, imagine a student who becomes upset after receiving a low grade on an assignment and begins arguing with the teacher during class. An ineffective teacher response would be reacting emotionally or defensively. The teacher might raise their voice, tell the student they are being disrespectful, and insist that the student sit down and stop talking immediately. This approach often escalates the situation because the student may feel embarrassed, unheard, or challenged in front of peers, which can increase their anger rather than calm it.
ReplyDeleteAn effective teacher response would focus on remaining calm and helping the student regain control of their emotions. Instead of responding with frustration, the teacher might speak in a calm tone and acknowledge the student’s feelings by saying something like, “I can see that you’re frustrated” and ask to talk about it after class. This approach would help to deescalate the situation, validate the student’s emotions and also set a clear boundary that the discussion should happen privately. It would also give the student a chance to calm down and feel respected rather than confronted.
From a School Counselor perspective, this type of response is important because the adult is modeling emotional regulation and problem solving for students. When teachers stay calm and respectful during difficult moments, students are more likely to feel supported and learn healthier ways to manage their own frustration, as they see the example. This can also create an environment where students know that mistakes or conflicts can be addressed constructively rather than becoming disciplinary or resulting in anger and frustration.
Based on example number one:
ReplyDeleteIneffective Response : what I like to call the “ruler to desk method”. Reminding the student multiple times in a row to complete their work. Crouching over them and yelling.
Effective: Remind them to complete their work/ stay on task. Give them a few minutes to process this and make their own decision. Remind again a few minutes later. Applaud the students who are doing what they are supposed to do. Speak to the student that is refusing, privately in the hallway.
“Classroom Management” Choose one of the 4 scenarios from the Implementation section of tInservice #8 Simple Ways to Defuse Anger (p. 39-40). Describe both an ineffective teacher’s response and an effective teacher’s response. Or, create a scenario of your own, maybe one that you’ve recently observed or that you’re currently handling, and describe both an ineffective teacher’s response & an effective teacher’s response.
ReplyDeleteExample # 3-
I actually have this happen every once in a while in PE where students start yelling at each other.
Ineffective: An ineffective teacher would join in on the yelling and try to yell over the students to get their attention. The teacher would continue to be angry with the students and yell at them for their behavior.
Effective: An effective teacher will calmly walk over. Possibly step in between the students and calmly ask, "what is the matter? Are you both feeling okay? Please let me help you solve this issue, but we all need to lower our voices so that we can understand each other." In this situation it is important for the teacher to remain calm and to not raise their voice to escalate the situation even further.
Example 2: A student visibly frustrated rips up her her test.
ReplyDeleteAn ineffective teacher would scream at the student, give the student another test, or send the student straight to the office. This teacher would be adding fuel to the student's flame and make the situation worse. The student would become even angrier, not do the test, and possibily be embarrassed now too.
An effective teacher would walk quietly over to the student. Asking if they need a break to get some water and calm down. This teacher would do it quietly so the rest of the class could not hear what is being said. The teacher would give the student a few minutes, then come back and ask if they had a specific question, did not understand the directions, or need help getting started.
“Classroom Management” Choose one of the 4 scenarios from the Implementation section of tInservice #8 Simple Ways to Defuse Anger (p. 39-40). Describe both an ineffective teacher’s response and an effective teacher’s response. Or, create a scenario of your own, maybe one that you’ve recently observed or that you’re currently handling, and describe both an ineffective teacher’s response & an effective teacher’s response.
ReplyDeleteI selected example number two about a student becoming visibly frustrated and rips up her test.
An ineffective teach would respond harshly and emotionally. The would say things in a load and angry tone like, "What is wrong with you?", and "That was smart?" This approach would only escalate and embarrass the student. It would not be uncommon for the student to shutdown more or respond with more inappropriately, such as storming out or throwing their pencil, etc.
An effective teacher would remain calm and walk over to the student. As privately as possible the teacher would say something like, "I can tell you are upset, please take some time to relax we will chat after class to come up with a better time for you to take the test or if you prefer we can see if you can relax in the counseling office if you need to get our of the classroom". After the test, the teacher can find out what is bothering the student, work out a way to manage the situation, and make plans for taking the test. The student is more likely to respond better to this approach as they will feel supported and cared about.
I would choose scenario #2.
ReplyDeleteAn ineffective teacher would show visible frustration (a loud sigh, an eye roll, etc...), give the student too many reminders, and then finally either raise their voice in frustration or loudly reprimand in front of the class. They would show a lack of consistency, and a lack of control by allowing the student to "push their buttons" or "get to them."
An effective teacher would walk up to the student quietly and say, "I noticed your paper ripped, and I know that will make it difficult for you to complete your work. Here is a new copy!" If the behavior happened again, the teacher would give a few minutes of ignoring the behavior, and then quietly give the student a choice of completing the assignment at that time, or at another time that would make the student disappointed to miss. They would, of course, do this in the way the book describes, by making it sound like they are the ones giving up their time rather than the student missing something desired.
I chose example number 2 - A becoming frustrated during a test.
ReplyDeleteAn ineffective teacher during this scenario would not handle the situation calmly. They would most likely yell at the student in front of the entire class most likely embarrassing and escalating the situation even more. The teacher would also most likely just send the student out of class to the office or hallway without discussion, which is ineffective because it just allows the student to get what they are asking for; not taking the test.
An effective teacher would remain calm with the student during this time. They should quietly go over to the student and calmly ask questions to help deescalate the issues as much as possible. Questions such as, "is everything ok?" or "something seems to be bothering, is there anything I can do?" I would probably calmly ask the student into the hallway if they aren't responding to my calmness to have a quiet conversation and see what we can do to solve this issue. I have learned in my time as a teacher that remaining calm but direct with students helps resolve conflict the best! By using these strategies it allows the student to feel like they are able to express their feelings and allows them to feel like they are controlling the scenario, where in fact the effective teacher is in control.