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Troublesome Teen Critique
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| A high school teacher had a particularly challenging time with Mark in class one day. Each time Mark acted out, Teacher 'T' responded with the following consequences, respectively. Consider the merits and shortcomings of the measures taken by the teacher: |
| MISBEHAVIOR | CONSEQUENCE |
| 1) Talking during discussion | 1) Verbal reminder not to talk |
| 2) Derogatory comment to peer | 2) Sent in hall |
| 3) Shoving peer while beginning to run lap | 3) Told he’d be sent to office if kept misbehaving |
| 4) Did only partial lap | 4) Told to complete lap |
| 5) Knocked opponent over during soccer game | 5) Given warning about consequence if it occurred again |
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The following suggestions are given in the context of two primary assumptions, namely that management issues are best handled by (a) fostering student self-discipline, and (b) giving students more responsibility to solve problems the older they are. Giving students responsibility does not eliminate consequences. Rather, it employs students to help determine the consequence that best fits a given situation. Additional principles involving consequences may be consulted at the following link: Critique Step 1: A reminder was certainly a sensible first step. Giving the reminder nonverbally with a look or motion of the hand is even better. By handling the situation in a low profile manner, the student would be given a chance to essentially correct the problem himself. Step 2: Sending the student in the hall provided a "quick and dirty" way to remove the problem from class, but it did not solve the problem. The teacher needed to find out why the derogatory comment occurred and how the offending student intended to make restitution. Step 3: Since Teacher 'T' made an empty threat, rather than giving an actual consequence, the student did not take the teacher seriously. Shoving is a more seriouse offense than the earlier misbehaviors. This, combined with the fact that it was the third offense by the student, needed to result in a concrete consequence. One example could have been to subtract daily participation points from the offending student. A more severe alternative could have been to remove the student from class and require the time be made up at the teacher's convenience. Step 4: Now it is apparent that the student was determined to misbehave, regardless what occurred in class. Having to complete the lap was important because it made the student accountable for completing the same requirements as everyone else. However, instead of telling the student he must complete the lap he should have been given a choice to complete the lap (and other activities) for full credit in class, or complete them for half credit outside of class. By this tactic, Teacher 'T' would have only taken responsibility for what he could control. Step 5: Continued misbehavior of the student was inevitable, since no consequence occurred earlier. Again the behavior was serious, since a much smaller student was carelessly knocked down. Another empty threat obviously did not suffice. The student had to experience a consequence in order to take responsibility for his behavior. |
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