how to handle the power seeking student...

[Adam Waxler]

Here's an article I wrote about how teachers can handle those students who are causing classroom management problems because they are "power seekers".  You know the ones who always have to get the last word in...the ones that can make a teacher's blood boil 

Here it is:
http://www.teaching-tips-machine.com/power_seeking_students.htm

Hope you find it helpful...

--Adam

[Francis]

Hello.

I had a look at your suggestions and agree. Sometimes, though, I can't resist this little ruse with a pupil who insists on having the last word:

Alright, then, Fred, if you want to have the last word, that's OK by me.

I have shown them I know what they are up to and managed to get in the last word myself. The rest of the class often find this quite amusing.!!

Regards,
Francis

www.kaizenteacher.com

[Adam Waxler]

I know what you mean 

[Gary Jensen]

I would agree with you if there is only one student seeking power. I inherited a section of seventh graders, after a teacher just up and quit in January. The demographics are 80% Hispanic, many of them the parents are illegal, they give one phone number and upon calling the parents the number is no longer in service, and may take days to a week to catchup with the parents, if at all, might be a friend or grandparent that one eventually sees. The boys are strutting their feathers to attract the female students in the class. The school is an under performing one, and seem to desire the bodies on the school grounds rather than allowing others to learn. Any ideas, I believe I have tried them all.

[Adam Waxler]

Gary,

Is this a school-wide problem? Or is it specific to that one class?

[Gary Jensen]

Adam,

The school has the students divided up with two mediocre classes the first two hours, the fourth hour has most of the speed students, and the last hour has the elite students, and are called the prealgebra
class. The worst is this last class, and they are in the final class of core classes during the day, and it seems that they expect special treatment, that they do not need to do their assignments, or feel like they have the option of doing them at anytime. I would say that the last hour of the day is the one that is the real problem. I believe that starting at the beginning of the year the problems would not have been so great.

Gary

[Adam Waxler]

I would say that the last hour of the day is the one that is the real problem.

This is fairly common...the last class is usually the toughest...teachers are tired and students are wound up.

I believe that starting at the beginning of the year the problems would not have been so great.

Yes, there is no doubt that starting in the middle of the year makes classroom management much tougher.

However, there are solutions...as for behavior in class I believe the trick is to make sure to teach the procedures. And remember, teaching is NOT just telling.  I would pick out the top five procedures you want them to follow then tell them the procedure, then model the procedure, and then have them practice the procedure.  Here are a few posts (including a video) from my blog on this topic: http://teaching-tips-machine.com/blog/?s=teaching+procedures&submit=Search

As for completing the classwork...you should try using a strategy called the "monitor map"...here are a couple of recent posts on the forum about this strategy:

http://www.teaching-tips-machine.com/forum/index.php?topic=437.0

http://www.teaching-tips-machine.com/forum/index.php?topic=72.0

Hope that helps...

[Katb81]

OK, this was a good article, and ... I have done that.  But what about those students who DON'T CARE???

I have found that most kids who act up in class are the ones whose phones are "TEMPORARY OUT OF SERVICE."  These also are the ones who when you put them on Parent Return, it seems like they take an extra day or two before they return with a parent or "someone" who can speak for them. 

In my experience, I have gone through this; the child comes back to class; acts good for a while, then.... it starts all over again.  WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Also, how does a teacher get his/her classes to understand from DAY 1 that he/she means business about rules? 

What do I do about the new students who come into the class.... like a week after DAY 1 or even a month and disrupts what I have put into place? 

How do I get THESE kids to understand my rules and to understand that I mean what I say?

Also, what about the REPEATERS who were in your class LAST YEAR?

PLEAAAAAASSSSSSSEEEEEEE HELLLLLLLP!
Thanks
Katherine

[Adam Waxler]

But what about those students who DON'T CARE???

Well...that's the challenge we have as teachers.  It is our job to try to get them to care and thisplays a huge role in classroom management.  One of the tricks to effectively manageing a classroom is to get the students involved in the lessons.  You need to spark their interest in the content from thebeginning of the lessons.  One of the things I like to do is use short video clips on the topic at the beginning of the lesson (rather than the end) to spark student interest and motivate students to "want" to learn.  I discuss this in more detail in my classroom management ecourse (http://www.classroom-management-tips.com).  Unitedstreaming is a great resource for video clips for any grade level and any subject area.

Also, how does a teacher get his/her classes to understand from DAY 1 that he/she means business about rules?

Stand by what you say.  Many students may want to test your rules...they want to know where the line is that they cannot cross so make sure you make those rules clear and follow through when students break those rules.  If you start to bend then they will smell fear  .  However, for me, classroom management is not so much about rules as it is about procedures. Teach the procedures you want the students to follow.  And, make sure you model the procedure AND havethe students actually practice the procedure.  I give the students a list of my top five procedures that everyone needs to follow in order for the class to run smoothly...we go through the list...I actually model each one for them and then I actually have the students practice each procedure.  Then, i make sure to revisit that periodically...for example, when I get a handful of new students...also at the beginning of each new quarter etc.  Basically whenever it's needed.  If a class happens to be having a "bad day" then I may stop what I an doing in the middle of the leeson to do a quick reteaching of the procedures they need to follow.

Also, what about the REPEATERS who were in your class LAST YEAR?

I guess this can work either way depending on whether or not you had a good relationship with that student.  If not you may want to pull the student aside and have a one on one talk...let the student know it is  anew year and he/she is starting off with a blank slate.  Remember, the student-teacher relationship plays a huge factor in whether or not you are successful...it is one of the most underrated aspects of teaching.

There are all sorts of classroom management "tricks" you can use, but my approach is to be PRO-active. Again, you can find out more in my classroom management ecourse.

Good luck,
Adam

[linkjy]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this site, but hopefully I can get the help I need.  I currently teach in an alternative school.  All of my students are behaving wonderfully, but I have a "power-seeker/attention-seeker."  I haven't exploded, but I have sent him out.  He pretended to shoot a gun at me.  I just couldn't accept this.   I stayed calm, and continued with the lesson after he was escorted to guidance.  We have been in school for four days, and he has made the last two miserable.  My lessons are engaging, and the students have expressed how much they are enjoying my class.  This student isn't malicious toward me in any other venue (i.e. hallway, homeroom, cafeteria) but seems to save it all for the end of the day.  When should I begin to see changes in his behavior for the better?  Are there any other methods I could use to soothe this unpredictably savage beast.

Thanks,
Linkyj

[sunita]

Adam...ya I can understand what you told but ....boys always create problem while teaching ...because they join different coaching classes and they already knew about the lesson ..as a result they dont want to pay attention too....simply they shout ...yes mam we know about this ...can u give some tips how to handle with such students?
sunita

[Adam Waxler]

With students who have already learned the material you may want to try a differentiated approach...

Take a look a at my blog: http://www.TeachingTipsMachine.com/blog for some recent posts on differentiated instruction.

--Adam