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True Blue · Joined: 12 Nov 2014 Posts: 71

I no longer teach little kids but when I did I was not allowed to single kids out for any punishment since it might make them "lose face". In January I will be teaching at a primary school again. So I want to prepare for this dilemma again. Most Chinese kids are well-behaved but there are always one or two that cause problems. How do you guys deal with this? Thanks.

jm21 · Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 406

Why focus on punishing bad behavior? How about rewarding good behavior?

True Blue · Joined: 12 Nov 2014 Posts: 71

buravirgil · Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 2:11 am Post subject:

I've seen it poorly applied, but assertive discipline informed my development in the early 90s. With some effort, its spirit and principles can find more casual expression than long lists of rules or inflexible phrasings, but to do so requires a comprehensive and consolidating processing of its directives. Its promotion faces the challenge of proffering a prescription in explicit and detailed terms for new teachers that is the product of a very experienced teacher (and her husband) relating years of practice with the most challenging of behavioral "deficits" (behaviorally/cognitively disabled students).

jm21 · Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 406

nashboroguy · Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 1:30 pm Post subject: Ask

The first thing you should do is ask if the school has a discipline policy. If they do, ask for it in writing. If they do not, ask the fellow Chinese teachers, especially the head teachers of your classes, for their advice and suggestions If you have a teaching assistant, they should be able to help too. Here are some things I do in the class:

1. Just shut your mouth and stand there. Soon, they will realize that the teacher is not talking and wonder what is happening.

2. Simply go to the disruptive student and place a hand on their shoulder, Give it a small tap of acknowledgement.

3. Make sure every student has a book and a notebook. If a student has nothing to in front of them, what else will they do? They become disruptive.

4. Get the trouble students engaged in the activities and questioning. The more you get them engaged, the less time they will have to be disruptive.

5. report the trouble makers to the head teacher of the class. If that does not fix the problem, report them to the administration. And, finally to the headmaster of the school. If all that fails, you are up a creek without a paddle. It shows there is no support for you at that school. It is time to put the life jacket on and jump ship.

6. One final note...if the students figure out what buttons to push to rile you up, they will use it to their advantage. Be careful not to be too much of a disciplinarian. But, you must maintain classroom management. I tell my kids on day one...This is my time, not your time. I expect their complete attention. Do I get it? Not all the time. But, I have a respect that has been built with the kids.

7. Finally, you can always assign work assignments for the kids either during class or as homework. If they keep getting additional homework, then they might not act up in class. As for the losing face thing...screw that. If the kids are disrupting your class, they are making YOU lose face. Better them than you. You are the adult.

litterascriptor · Joined: 17 Jan 2013 Posts: 360

CHINOISE · Joined: 09 Dec 2012 Posts: 62

I feel like my most fundamental values as an educator are being compromised by teaching here.

I've used all the different methods of disciplining in China and found that they often don't work here. China is a different beast, and on several occasions this year, I had to strike children in order to get their respect and attention.

And believe me, when you strike a boy hard enough, the rest of the students take notice.

While that seems harsh. I've seen a Chinese teacher slam a kid's skulls against a concrete wall. It was difficult to stand by silently and watch that, and I've spent a lot of time thinking about how I would feel if it was my son. Then I think about how I would feel if I were any of the parents of the other 15 kids in class whose money, time and child's education is being disregarded, so one spoiled jerk can continue putting on a show month after month.

That being said, I would encourage new teachers to push their Chinese counter parts to speak to the most disruptive kids in Chinese outside of class. Especially if you feel like you're starting to get really angry.

I usually carry violent or non-compliant children to the front desk and push them off on the receptionist and yell at the kid while all the parents outside watch. That yields some improvement and sets an example of what the limits are for students disrupting class without resorting to physical punishment

dongbei united · Joined: 28 Feb 2014 Posts: 47

For children, the teacher needs more tolerance. If one student is disrupting 39 other students then I would have groups of 5-10. Then you have 6 or so groups and one of them has this "bad" student. It's easier to manage than trying to discipline from "afar". One kid sees another act out and it's monkey see monkey do time. Eliminate that by having them work in groups.

Rewarding good groups indirectly makes each student more responsible. Is it a bribe? One of the worst things my teachers did was not point out to me the right way to do things. As a student, you don't know if you are doing well or not without some comparison.

I was told to never compare students, but how can a student know what to work on? One form of encouragement I give is that I am not using Chinese, but they are using English to speak with me. Then, they recognize English as a second language and know they are doing something "more difficult" than the teacher. With some students, you say the word in Chinese after they have tried and are frustrated. They laugh at your pronunciation and then continue.