Part II: Dealing with Habitually Disruptive Students

Talk to the student and see what is occurring in the student's life that is causing this problematic behavior. Sometimes, you will discover that the student has a parent serving in the armed forces in Iraq or some other life changing event is occurring in the student's life.

Other times, you will discover that the student is in desperate need of attention and is acting out at school as there has been a recent addition to the family or the student's mother has remarried. So, the student feels the need to get attention at school, which as his behavior is being reported to the parent, the student is getting negative attention at home as well.

In these situations, the student may be open to talking about this problem with you, the teacher, or if the teacher is uncomfortable hearing the personal life of this student, a teacher should send the student to his/her counselor so that the student can get the attention that he or she needs.

Generally, if a student is misbehaving, there is a deeper reason that accounts for the problematic behavior.

Teachers are not fond of those students who disrupt class, but some students do not know any better, so just face the facts that these students are young and are still learning.

Find something interesting out about the student who habitually disrupts class. If he is into four-wheeler riding, ask him to show you a picture of his four-wheeler.

Sometimes, something as easy as showing an interest in your students will eliminate problematic behavior as the student realizes that you actually care about his or her performance.

It is a good possibility that in these cases, the students are you dealing with have problematic or dysfunctional home lives, so it may be unlikely that you will get a parent or guardian to attend a teacher/parent conference. In these cases, arrange a conference with a principal and the student, so that maybe the administrator can pull some information out of the student. Even let the student pick what administrator he or she would like to meet with as if the student has a good relationship with one of the principals, he or she may be more comfortable discussing his problematic behavior.

With this particular student who has a difficult time behaving in class, reward him or her on those days when the student was the perfect angel in class. Give the student a drop grade or a homework pass or some meaningful incentive that encourages the good, respectful behavior.