Intimidation in the Classroom - Who is in charge?

When I first began teaching, I was horrified by the numbers of students who would yell out, challenge authority, or (worst of all) verbally abuse their teachers and each other. When I talked to my "non-teacher" friends, I think they believed it was something that happens in 'bad' schools - how lucky they were that that kind of behavior goes on "somewhere else".

I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to talk with teachers from around the country. Participating in the Fulbright to Japan probably allowed me to learn more about the American education system than the Japanese schools, and more recently, consulting for College Board has offered many opportunities to have real-world discussions on the topic. I've discovered that the problem is rampant.

The National Center for Education Statistics released their 'Indicators of School Crime and Safety' report last year. Among the laundry list of bad behaviors, it says that, "19 percent of public schools reported weekly student acts of disrespect for teachers, 13 percent reported student verbal abuse of teachers, 3 percent reported student racial tensions, and 3 percent reported widespread disorder in classrooms."

How funny. I'm sure it would be nearly impossible to get a clear picture of the real numbers, but in my best estimations, those statistics are VERY low. "Acts of disrespect" are going on all of the time, every day. The more I speak with teachers about the issue, the more I understand teacher burnout and indifference. We could send home a Harry Wong video for teachers to study. I'm sure THAT would solve the problem.

All I can say is that classroom management has GOT to be in place for learning to take place. Chaos breeds confusion, and nobody wins in such an environment. Teachers who allow themselves to be intimidated must learn to control a classroom. Kids smell fear, and they will run you over if you allow them. Teachers who scream - well, they're ignored. Yelling becomes white noise to a kid who hears it every day.

So, let's talk turkey! What do you do when a kid is (as many of the participants in my workshops have said) "all up in your face"? Obviously, if I had THE answer, this would be an easy problem to fix. However, I have found some answers that might help make life easier.

To begin with, it's important to have STRUCTURE. Students must follow a procedure: complete a bellringer activity, copy the word of the day, or have materials posted that should be on the desk that day. Kids should know what to expect, daily. I encourage teachers to stand at the door, say "Good Morning.", and make positive affirmations about anything and everything you can find, "Cool hat John!" or "Megan, where did you get those shoes?" It takes time, and yes, they will look at you funny at the beginning of the year; however, kids (especially inner city kids) are willing to give you respect if they sense you care about them.

When the door closes and class begins, begin promptly and make good eye contact. Kids should sense that it's time for business. I cannot stress to you the value of your voice. When a kid is challenging you, do exactly the opposite of what nature is probably begging you to do. LOWER your voice, remain calm, and respond to the student in a firm, controlled tone. I can think of a thousand times when I didn't follow my own rule, and almost every single time, I ended up in a power struggle. The problem with power struggles: you lose time, peace, and the respect of the other students.

Now, don't get me wrong. Patrick Swayze in Roadhouse may have summed it up best, "Be nice-until it's time not to be nice". This isn't about beating kids up. It's about taking care of the situation fairly, quickly, and with as little disruption to the rest of the class as possible. If you've kept your voice low the other 99% of the time, you can use voice level to make an impression (try to keep it short and to the point), "I need you to sit - immediately!" If that takes care of the situation, make SURE you follow-up before that student leaves the class that day. Ask him/her to stay for a minute when you dismiss the rest of the class. "I was not happy with the way you behaved today. Is this going to be an ongoing problem, or do you think you can get it under control?"

Try not to LECTURE! Going on and on about disrespect and bad behavior will only result in more time being wasted. Never, NEVER allow a disrespectful student to be the center of attention - you're giving him/her exactly what he/she wants.

Classroom management is EXHAUSTING, and in the end, all of your best efforts may not work. The kid you are SURE you have reached may come to class in a bad mood and tell you he doesn't give a ________ what you think. That's just what you wanted to hear, huh? This may sound mean, and trust me, I don't intend it that way. Classroom mangement isn't about "saving" kids. It's about creating an environment where learning can take place. You can't take the defiance and disrespect personally. You just can't. Like I said: no easy answers.