Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tanklor1]

I've got a student in grade 5 who is very rude/cocky and continues to talk during class irregardless of what's being taught. I'd say that it was my class alone but he acted out today while my co-teacher and I were teaching a class.

I'm nor certain on how to approach this student. The normal punishment techniques aren't working. Besides I don't wan to be continuously punishing the poor bastard. So, I'm looking for ideas on how to turn the tide and help him enjoy the class.

I'm taking that the material is just too easy for him which would explain his cocky attitude.

But for now I just want to get through a class without punishing him.

Any ideas would be great.

[newyorker]

I found what works on occasion is that you make him teacher's helper. Get him to work with you as your assistant, make him feel special instead of the outcast. Sometimes the kids really take this responsibility seriously. Sometimes not, it depends on the kid, depends on the class.

[Perceptioncheck]

I had a very, very cocky young man in one of my classes and quite frankly, he made teaching a nightmare. If he wasn't yabbering away, it either meant he was out of his seat, throwing things or getting in (playful) fisticuffs with other students. I mean, he wasn't a bad kid. He just had the attention span of the common house fly.

Everything I said rolled right off him. I'd love to say "Hey, finally I sussed it out and did X, and then all my problems just melted away!" but nothing's ever that easy in real life, right? Giving him positive feedback had as little effect as punishing. If I isolated him, he would just throw notes or talk even louder.

In the end, all I could do was keep him close to me. I put him right up the front of the classroom and right next to the alpha keen-as-beans girl in the class. If I had little jobs that needed doing - clearing the blackboard, fixing the computer, collecting homework - I'd allocate them to him but only if I could keep one eye on him. If I told him off, I let him know I wasn't holding a grudge afterwards. I also let him know that I knew he was bright, and expected more than just mediocrity from him. And I think it helped that I genuinely liked the kid too. They can tell.

He was never ever going to be perfect in class, but we made it through the year and I like to think he learned something. Er, hope that helps a little.

[gossipgirlxoxo]

1) If you think he knows all the answers, call on him all the time. Keep him on his toes so he doesn't have time to slack off. If you think he'll play along good naturedly, make a joke of it by calling on him for EVERYTHING for a while. You can even pretend to be thinking about who to pick - but it's always him of course. Try to give him some positive attention for doing well. Don't be mean about it, be really happy and positive and even overly-nice. A lot of praise can sometimes turn a bad attitude around.

2) Put them into teams and let his team discipline him internally.

3) Let him be a hero for doing something positive - for example, "This question has a reward of ... " (5x points, or getting out 5 minutes early, or no homework - whatever you have in your control). Then call on ... why HIM of course. When he earns the reward for everyone he'll be encouraged to keep doing well.

4) Give him responsibility. Assign him a task for every class no matter how unneccessary the job might be. Ask him to time things, count things, take points, pick things out of a hat, write things on the board - anything that will keep him busy and make him personally responsible for a contribution.

5)Keep your class as active as possible. Leave the fun stuff for last and keep reminding them that they will need the information you are giving them if they want to succeed at the more fun task that comes later. Always include that something fun at the end - be it a quiz, a game, a puzzle, or just throw a dice and see how many points they have earned for the day etc. Keep that carrot dangling to hold the attention of those who wouldn't otherwise be motivated. If you can keep most of the students interested, your boy may come around.

6) Write a chart on the board that says: Helpful / Unhelpful. Everytime he says something helpful put a mark under helpful, and everytime he says something unhelpful make an appropriate mark. Sometimes kids don't realize how bad they are behaving until you show them something tangible. You can also make a deal with your guy for some kind of reward or privilege if the helpful column is longer than the unhelpful column.

All of the above has worked for me at some stage - good luck! I feel your pain.

[southernman]

Everyones got really good advice. Another one that you've no doubt tried but with a twist.

Is to send him outside, play a cool game that the children love, involving lots of laughter and a bit of noise and bring him back inside when the games almost over (everyone just ignored him, thats the part which really bummed him out)

This 4th grader was constantley talking, walking around trying to be the class clown. His attitude and behaviour has been heaps better since then. I think he just doesn't want to miss out on the fun, plus attention seekers hate to be ignored

[Mr. Kalgukshi]

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