Feeling Stuck? 5 New Teacher Tips on Getting Through Negative Situations
January 18, 2010 by admin
Filed under Teaching Tips
Confronting new classroom situations is part of every teacher’s job. The challenge is of course, how to cope with the tension in the most effective way.
I received this email last week from a teacher who feels stuck.
“I teach a combo 7th-8th grade elective and the behavior is getting worse.There are a few students who are disrespectful and they make disrespectful comments in the most subtle ways. I have tried talking with kids, pointing out positives, but they still make their comments, working
with students, and eliciting the help of the stronger performing kids with the lower ones. I even had a kid hold a conference with the AP back in March and he was given a choice of whether to stay or go. He stayed, yet he continues to make comments about how he hates the class. Nothing has seemed to work.”
Does this classroom management situation sound similar to something you are experiencing or recently experienced?
A lot of teachers are experiencing burnout at this time of year. Coping with negative situations is part of this burnout. Here are a few things to help you toughen it out so you can end the school year with a smile on your face.
1.Listen to your students.Try these four creative classroom management steps to listening better and see if you can have a better dialogue with your student. This really works!
2. Make up your mind to start fresh next year. Perhaps it’s too late in the school year to make any real significant influence with classroom management issues you’ve been struggling with all along.Sometimes, teachers get a bad mix of students who feed off each other negative energy.Don’t blame yourself for issues you felt you didn’t succeed with. Make up your mind to start fresh next year.
3. Control your thoughts and feelings.The way we respond to difficult classroom management situations with our thoughts and feelings can determine our reality.Just smile and repeat the following mantra: “I know I can do this… I know I can do this…”. Read the Law of Attraction by Esther Hicks for your summer reading list.
4. Neutralize negative classroom management situations. By that I mean, responding from a positive place. Negative students and their comments are not personal. Spend 3 minutes a day over a couple of weeks speaking personally to the main trouble maker(s).Say anything positive you can think of such as, “Nice shoes” or “What’s your favorite movie/book?” Comments like these show you are paying attention to the student. You’d be surprised at how it magically creates a relationship and can change the dynamics. Try it!
5. Do something good for yourself. Happier teachers make more relaxed students. Do yoga, write your novel, read a good book, get a massage, work in your garden – do anything that lifts your spirits and puts you in a calmer state of mind. This is not an option but a requirement!
And if you are a writer like me, you’ll want to take advantage of Suzanne Lieurance’s Morning Nudge so you can plan your precious weekly writing time without feeling stuck.
Remember, you can work it!
