Calling a student out in front of their peers can be unavoidable at times. But this can be tricky when youâre dealing with middle and high school students. Even though you donât mean to, it can sometimes do more harm than good. Sure, calling out a student might stop their behavior short-term, but it could also make things a lot harder to work with that student in the future. Hereâs my personal list of dos and donâts when it comes to middle and high school classroom management. Trust me, Iâve learned from my own trial-and-error, so I hope this helps those of you working with this age group.
1. Do remember how important it is for adolescents to fit in.
Fitting in = basic survival. Being mocked or criticized in front of their classmates is often the worst thing that can happen to a teen.
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2. Donât seek to motivate students by embarrassing them.
It wonât have any long-term effect on their behavior, and it will make them less likely to trust you.
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3. Do keep the end goal in mind.
For me, the ultimate goal is always to form relationships with students so that they will eventually become equal partners in their education.
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4. Donât take it personally.
Itâs natural to feel slighted by a disruptive or disrespectful student, but try to remember that itâs not about you. Adolescence is a time of testing boundaries and if you can keep your cool, youâre more likely to be able to forge a trusting relationship with your students.
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5. Do keep brain function in mind.
When teens are in the midst of feeling strong emotions like shame and embarrassment, they are functionally incapable of listening critically and problem-solving. If you ratchet up their fear or anger, youâve lost the ability to have them learn from the incident.
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6. Donât make it personal.
Teens are generally very self-critical. The worse they feel about themselves, the more self-absorbed they become. This can start a spiral that lands them in isolation or frustration they canât see a way out of.
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7. Do acknowledge a studentâs positive attributes.
Focusing on what they are doing well helps them see other ways they can contribute and helps reinforce the message that you want to see them succeed.
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8. Donât hold grudges.
Barraging a student with a litany of their past transgressions will only make them feel as though youâve determined that they are a âbad kidâ and beyond redemption.
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9. Do ask lots of questions.
What are they struggling with? Where could they use more support? What are their favorite books, movies, music, sports?
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10. Donât have all the answers.
Part of working with adolescents means letting them know that we think theyâre capable of coming up with solutions.
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11. Do try to talk one-on-one and hold them accountable.
Remember that blame is often more about finding fault with someone than it is about helping them understand where their responsibility lies and how to do better next time.
Teachers, what would you add to the list?
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