Sunday, June 14, 2009

Connecting with resistant students


We watched several clips from the documentary "The First Year," which showed Los Angeles teacher Nate Monley's efforts to connect with one of his most resistant students, Juan. Juan, like many students in Chicago and elsewhere, was dealing with a number of outside-school issues that made it difficult for him to focus and behave appropriately in the classroom. In your experience in schools, what are some of the strategies you have seen (or tried yourself) that are effective in terms of connecting with and engaging the most resistant students?

15 comments:

  1. In my experience with the Chicago Public Schools I have encounter a couple of behavioral situations. The children somewhat like Juan having a difficult time in school concentrating or just plain acting out. With some of this student assigning them tasks that they can do to help the teacher helped some. It did not always help because someday's the child would just not interact with any task. Some needed just needed a talk and lot of praise. Some needed guidance and understanding and maybe just someone just to hear them out. We as future educators sometimes have to put ourselves in this young children shoes. This things will not always work for some situations but I think it is worth the try.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have also encountered in my career students that had behavioral problems. Most of them if not all, ended up in the special education room because they were so disruptive to other students, that the teachers could not conduct lessons. Out of the students that I encountered,about ninety percent of them did not belong in special ed. Ninety percent of behavioral students were too intelligent to be in special ed, but misplaced, due to their disruptive behavior. After closer examination of these students, and after some time spent with them, I found out that the basis for their behavior was not related to school issues, but based on something that took place outside school. I can not talk for other teachers who worked with them, and I don't know what methods they used to help those students, but I know that there are few things that teacher can do to help their students.
    First of all, it is very important to understand that any misbehavior of a students' is their cry for help. There are some instances where students will walk to the teacher and say " I want to talk to you about something that bothers me", but only after teachers earn their full trust. More often than not, they will act up to get attention. If teachers would be their students age, they would probably tell the teachers about their worries. But because we are older than them, they realize the age difference, and acting up is a way of saying "look, I have a problem and I need someone's help". In addition,just like Veronica said, we have to "put ourselves in their shoes" and to think like them to understand what is going on in their lives. To do that, it is important for teachers to know their students' situation outside the school. Next thing to do, would be to bring up their self esteem by assigning jobs, responsibilities, and tasks. Most often they know how to, and are capable of doing things, but actually, by holding responsibility in the class, they can restore their self esteem and it would be easier for teacher to reach out to those students that misbehave. If teachers do all these things, the students will know that someone actually cares about them.
    I personally have a way to get to misbehaving students. I always think of them as my own kids, and I am trying to understand what they think when they act up. As adults we have to understand that power struggle is also a wrong approach. They know very well who is at power, and they do not need to be reminded off the hierarchy. Sometimes is also good to let the children alone for a while. Nothing works after first time, and we need to give the student chance to adapt to the fact that there is someone who is not giving up on them. Life was not cream and peaches for me, and I can personally relate to many of the stories that students can tell about themselves, but true connection and affection is very helpful in establishing good student-teacher relationship. One example of engaging one student do his work is, when I told him that if he does not work, and turn in his assignments, I would lose my job because I work here to help students like him. He did his work because he did not want me to be fired.

    ReplyDelete
  3. In my experienced working with the Chicago Public Schools I have come across with students like Juan. Last year when I was working in a 7th grade classroom there was several student that really needed some help. First, some of the students didn’t like the 7th grade teacher. I remember one student that will do bad things to irritate the teacher. After, talking to him and found out that the student had problems at home. Furthermore, not only did he had problems at home but was actually hanging around with the bad crowd. He was actually getting picked on and he wouldn’t say anything to anyone. After talking to him and getting close to him by him trusting me his behavior was getting much better. I encouraged him to do well in school. Sometimes I would take him for a walk inside the school and if he needed to vent then he would do it while we just walked. It is very important that teachers now a days should be aware of the students behavior before it gets worse. Although, punishing the student sometimes might not work we, as educators should always try different strategies to get close to a student.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I thought that the little boy in this video was clearly screaming for some one on one attention. I know that the teacher was a first year teacher and his attempts were not the best. But the best thing was that he kept trying and did not give up on this little boy. I think that this is what teaching is all about. Not giving up or leaving behind any of your students. There was one comment made by this teacher that I did not like at all. Towards the end of the video, when they are sitting in the Restaurant the little boy says "I'm gonna be real tough" and the teachers say "where? in Jail?" I thought this comment was real out of place. Maybe it was not meant the way it was said, but I didn’t like.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Some good commentary here. I especailly like the idea of trying to see things through your students' eyes or, as Anna puts it, asking yourself, "What if this were my child?" Sadira, the teacher didn't say "in jail" -- he said the name of the middle school where Juan would be attending the following year. Juan was saying that he was going to be the toughest kid at that school.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Working in a preschool classroom there has been kids that can't sit still, misbehave and talk out of turn. This is very normal in a preschool environment,but there are a few who do these things every single day. For those kids we give them "special" jobs to do. It helps to give them some type of structure to keep them occupied. We would assign them a job, for example of being a line monitor and it makes them feel important and needed. It keeps them busy and not wandering around trying to start trouble. I've seen in the older grades, the student that's resistance is sat at a table with a student who is a great role model in the room. The teachers are hopeful that some of that positiveness that the other student has would rub off on the student that is being resistant in the classroom. I think it's worth a try, but it doesn't solve the problem completely. I think the best solution is giving resistant children jobs and responsibilities in the classroom, it boosts their self-confidence and it shows them that the teacher cares.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Working with 7th and 8th grade special education student who are sometimes classified as having a behavior disorder, I have had the opportunity to learn how to deal with the toughest kids. One way that I found was helpful is to always show respect to a child. When you show respect they will give you respect. I have also been there for my students when they have needed me. I think that a student will open up to you when they fell comfortable, you do not have to push them to talk to you just let them know that your there for them. Another way is to be supportive of them no matter what situation they are in rather it is a good or bad one. Also remember that we all make mistakes and that if something happens between you and a child you must learn to brush it off and start the next day fresh. Some teachers hols grudges on student after they have misbehaved or have been disrespectful, I have always started the next day fresh. I remember that I had a student who I worked with since he was in 5th grade. I had a good rapport with that student, but one day he was upset and called me the B word. It was so funny because he was sent down to the disciplinarian and he kept asking to see me. The disciplinarian asked him why he wanted to see me if he had been so disrespectful,she finally got it out of him that he wanted to apologize. The disciplinarian was shocked because this was an African American child who always wanted to be a tough guy, but the respect he had for me was stronger and he was just having a bad day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I often ask students why they tag the streets, they usually answer “because it’s boring around here”

    I would often wonder why kids joined gangs, I suddenly realized walking down the street when six guys came up to me and asked me “Where you going?”

    As I saw some of the 8th grade students crying as they graduated last week, I remembered what it felt like to leave something, that felt so secure.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow lots of great comments! That video was a big eye opener and sadly very real. So far in the 10 years I've worked for C.P.S I have not encountered such a big behavior problem as Juan. Partly because I've worked with Preschoolers for the past 10 years. Well thats not to say that everything has been fine and dandy. I would have to agree with Julissa when she saids you need to respect the students and with Anna and Veronica when they say you need to put yourself in their shoes. I say that because when I have encountered behavioral problems in my Pre-k class I have been able to get a hold of the out of control behavior by being respectful to the childs feels by trying to understand were he/she is coming from. Giving that child a little more attention and having them busy. Being that I'm in a Pre-k class it's alot easier to change that behavior by gaining that childs trust. Usually all they want is some attention. Someone to listen to them and someone they can vent to a place were they can feel safe.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have connceted with many students who have had personal and family problems. I have pulled them aside and made time to listen to them and try to find out what their situations had been. I tried to include them in after school activities that I conduct. I also try and talk with their teachers and family as well. I've gone through the extremes of trying to relate to them outside of school. I think to be effective with these kinds of students, one must take time aside after school or outside of school, to get to know these students. Students can see right through a person, if that person is not genuine. It must come from the heart and it must be consistent, in order to be effective with thesse students. It's the small things that make a difference and what these students will remember, that count.

    ReplyDelete
  11. As I think about Juan and the teacher in this documentary. I am reminded of a student that I worked with for two years who had a mental and physical disability. This child was diagnosed with Apert Syndrome. Apert Syndrome is a condition involving abnormal growth of the skull and the face, as well as fused fingers and toes. This was the first time I have ever worked with a student with this level of disability. My position was to work one on one with the student and also help with translation being that he was Hispanic. I was new to the school, the staff, and the student. At first the teachers did not want this child in the classroom due to his disabilities. There were many discussions as to why this child was in the regular education class and how were they going to put him back in the special education department. In observing this child I realized that he knew he was different but yet wanted to be like every other child. He longed to be understood and accepted. Some of the behaviors that he displayed in the classroom were yelling at the teachers, spitting, he would sometimes hit his head against the floor or the person nearest to him.
    Needless to say we struggled with this child in the classroom. It accord to me that as his one on one aid I needed to make connections with him. I meet with the teacher and the other aid in the classroom and requested that whatever was done in the classroom with the student we would demonstrate a team effect with support for one another and consistency with the child. I ask that they would give me the place of being his one on one aid. This allowed me to build a relationship with the student and his parents. I began to learn more about the child his family and their love for him, the expectations they had and how they would support the school in meeting their goals. There was constant dialogue between parents and teachers. Much, to my surprise with much sweat and tears, heartache, genuine concern, tough love, consistency, trail and error, and TEAM WORK
    this amazing child grew in his capacity to learn. This child was an example to me and the teachers that when we put our heart and soul into the lives of others there is no greater reward.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I agree with you Javier, students can see right through us and they can tell if we're genuine or not. Watching this documentary reminded me of a student that I met this year in February. I started working one on one with a Spanish speaking student who was cognitiveley delayed and physically impaired. There was a student like Juan in my student's Algebra class. I knew this student's name on the first day. The teacher was constantly telling him, "Francisco porfavor, sientate. Francisco pon atencio. Francisco, silencio". In other words, he was telling him to sit down, to pay attention and to stay quiet. Francisco never listened. I observed him for a week and I asked myself, "how can I help this student to focus and help the teacher to teach his lesson"? I wanted to try to get to the core of the problem.

    The following week, I started taking extra paper and pencils. I also started to pick up three calculators, one for my student, one for myself and one for Francisco. That Monday, Francisco walked in late to class and repeated the same behavioral problems from the previous week. He sat down and said, "teacher I don't have no pencil and paper can I go to my locker? Teacher I'm talking to you". The teacher ignored him and before Franciso could repeat himself again, I got up from my desk, walked over to him, handed him paper, a pencil and a calculator. He stared at his supplies in shock and looked over at me and thanked me. I provided supplies for Francisco for several days and then little by little he started going to class prepared. He was motivated and participated in class. The Algebra teacher thanked me everyday for helping him with Francisco. Francisco moved his desk close to my student and me and within time he started opening up. He told me about his problems at home and how he was in the process of joining a gang. Everything started to make more sense to me about his behavior. All he wanted was a little attention from someone showing him that he/she cared.

    Francisco is definitely a student that I will never forget. He has made teaching very rewarding for me. We developed a student-teacher relationship, and he knows that I will always be there to listen and give him advice.

    ReplyDelete
  13. During the few years that I have worked at my school, I haven't come across too many students like Juan. One students that does come to mind is a kindergartener from this past year. On a good day (which was rare) he was very polite, did his work, and followed intsructions from his teacher. Most other days, he was angry, sad, mean, rude or simply put - defiant. He would make rude comments to his classmates and a few times to the teacher. There were days that he didn't want to do his work or go to certain centers. Some days you could hear rage in his voice while other days he looked sad and tearful. I asked his teacher about him and I found out there were many issues at home. Mom and dad were divorced, he didn't see his dad that often. Mom had quite a few issues of her own that I think were affecting the mother/son relationship. It made me realize why this little boy was acting the way he was. His teacher would often give him one on one time to work on some activities. On occasion I would pull him with my kids, which he enjoyed. I think his teacher was extremely patient with him and was able to establish a relationship as the year progressed. I was talking to his teacher yesterday and she said what made her keep her patience with him was that she knew it wasn't his fault. Deep down he is a wonderful, sweet, six year old boy who is surrounded by so many problems.

    Like Juan, this kindergartener had problems at home. I think they both lack attention and act the way they do as a cry for that attention. As teachers we need to be aware that a student's misbehavior may be their only form of receiving the attention they desperately crave. We need to remember that somethings aren't their fault and we can't give up on them.

    ReplyDelete
  14. In my experience working with 5th and 6th special ed students, there were behavioral issues most of the day. Unfortunately,in my case, the teacher I worked with didn't get the chance to get to know her students as children. She made it very clear to them that she was there to teach and not to get personal with anyone. That particular attitude always disturbed me because just like in the documentary, Juan was screaming out for attention and understanding from someone, a lot of our students screamed out for attention as well.

    There were two students, in particular, that I decided to step out of my boundaries and help out. I couldn't have that same attitude as her, and it was killing me inside to see these children misbehave due to lack of attention. One of the students, Jorge, his mom had suddenly died of a heart attack. This was a child that was struck with tragedy, and so his bad behavior just escalated. How can you not get personal with this child who just lost his mother? I decided to have morning and afternoon check-in's with him, just to see where he was at emotionally that day. Some days a lot was said, but there were other days that he didn't say a word. Also, I gave him leadership roles. He would help me out by assisting other students with reading and math. I would always encourage him and remind him that he was my leader, and needed to set an example for the lower grades. At the end, he would always look for me to talk to or just to play a prank on. Overall, his behavior improved, but of course he still mourns the loss of his mom.

    The second student I stepped out of my "role" was with Marilu. She was a 6th grader that was loud, obnoxious, and unfocused most of the day. I think with her, she could not relate to her teacher in many ways; culture, language, customs, and so on. I feel that in me she found that connection. Her situation at home was somewhat similar to mine. Her mom is a single mom, and so am I. She was struggling to understand why her mom worked so much. And I think I provided her a different outlook on her situation. Also, it didn't help that she was on a 2nd grade reading level. Again, just like Jorge, I decide to do something about it. I worked with her every morning with the "SLANT" program. Marilu also needed a lot of praise and encouragement, which I made sure I provided for her. We met every Friday to catch up on things at home. We built a nice relationship on that, and so now I also have contact with her mom.

    With CPS, I'm still not sure about the legalities of getting too close to a student. But I feel that children need to feel connected to their teachers not only academically, but personally. How is a child expected to focus, behave, and learn when he/she is having personal issues? In my eyes, it doesn't make sense. It's hard for adults to do it, imagine how hard it is for children to be able to separate all the different aspects of life; family, friends, school...

    ReplyDelete
  15. Close to the end of the year we got a new student. This student had a lot of issues at home. He had a lot of anger against his mom because she was dating and wasn't giving him the attention he wanted. Therefore, the student would take out all his anger on his classmates and at his teachers. He would steal from his classmates, hit them, bite them, and call them names. He would also insult us and used bad language. We tried using many strategies on him, we used the green light, yellow light, and red light and it did not work for him. In addition, we used a personal sticker chart and that just worked for couple of weeks. One day, he just came up to us and told us that he didn't care for the stickers. He didn't attend school a lot and mom always had exuses for his absences. It came to the point were he wanted to hurt himself. At this point the social worker and DCFS got involved in the case. We as teachers tried as much as we could to help him out. We listioned to him and tries as much possible to make him feel special. But sometimes you just need more support from the staff.
    -Lilia

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.