What should you do as a teacher if your students give you attitude?

Question

I have a difficult time being strict. When i yell at my students i feel that i'm not a good teacher and i'm being unfair. How should i reaact to students who are stubborn and rude? And in general, how can i make my student love me and admire me as their teacher?

Answer 1

Students from public schools come from all walks of life. As a teacher, you do not have control over the behavioral choices of your students. Yet, you can control the way YOU react to their behavior. If your students are rude, you must remain calm, professional and always in control of your feelings and language. You do not have to like what they say to you and you must never become the focus of the issue. When you become angry, your student's behavior no longer become the issue. The new issue is YOU and how YOU reacted to their maladaptive behaviors. Rude children typically turn around and tell their parents that you were rude to them. Your pricipal calls you into his/her office the next day and guess what? You're in trouble for screaming at a little kid. Don't let this happen to you. Always remain calm, cool and in control. Let kids be kids. Yet, give them the appropriate consequences for their behavioral choices. It is simple.
In addition, you must have a strong research-based discipline plan that you and your school principal can live with. I highly suggest that you pick up some books that deal with "behavioral analysis" and cooperative classroom discipline.
Oh, I almost forgot. You need to get over your need to be liked. You are a teacher. You are not their peer. Being liked is a "want" and not a need. Your job is to be professional and fair. That's it. If you continue to want to be liked, seek therapy. This is due to some sort of insecurity or feeling of inadequacy. Don't take my words personally, I'm not trying to insult you. That's just the way it is. :)

Answer 2

Stop yelling. Instead, become quiet, like a cat. Use your body language to let the kids know that you are pissed. This sounds crazy, but it works. Learn the teacher stare and use it. If you don't know what that is already, go up to a scary-*** kid that intimidates YOU (NOT one in your class) and tell him to give you a look that he would use to intimidate someone. Learn that look. Practice it in front of your mirror. Use it at school and at the same time, put your hands on your hips, and say, DON"T YELL, the kid's name loudly, example "Joseph, that's enough!"

For the rude students, there must be CONSEQUENCES and more consequences. Call parents, right there in class if you must. Have the parents sit in the class with the kids. Keep them afterschool or at recess/nutrition/even for a short while at lunch (not more than 10 mins.) Kids will keep messing with you until you stop letting them. Lastly, I am going to completely break out of teacher mode and say this--for now, **** loving and admiring you. They have to respect you first, then they can love and admire you. My kids look at me as a big sis (I'm only 25, so I don't think that they can quite see me as a mom,) but they don't mess with me, because they know that if they cross me, I will make them feel like ****, without even saying a word.

Answer 3

First of all, stop yelling. It doesn't work. Second, quit worrying about whether they like you or even if they think you are fair. Just because something isn't fair, doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. As long as what you do is legal, morally right and in the best interest of the student, that is all you should worry about. As hard as it sounds, sometimes the best way to handle rude kids is to ignore it or comeback with humor. One thing that does not work with most kids today is to get mad. If you work in most schools public schools, you have to expect it. The Ohio teacher of the year surprised me with his response to that which was basically, ignore it, don't get into an argument about it with them. If you have support from parents, which many teachers don't have, contacting them might help. Most administrators are going to tell you to deal with it.

Learning to be consistent with your discipline is probably the hardest part of teaching. You have to find a discipline system that works for you, whether it is behavior cards, tokens, rewards, find something and stick with it. Talk to veteran teachers in your building for help. Most are very happy to help.

Answer 4

You have to realize that if your students respect you and you treat them fairly with definite consequences, they will like you more in the long run. I always try to get to know my students as individuals by paying attention to their likes, dislikes, and extra-curricular activities. Also, learn to listen when students are talking to each other in the classroom because it can alert you to problems. Talk to rude students directly and give them a choice, but let them know there are consequences, then follow through with the consequences. Talk to student alone-after class or outside if possible because they love to feed off the energy of peer. If the private talks don't help, call parents, next send them out immediately to the dean or just out of the room.

Answer 5

Be just, not fair. Don't make them guess about you. Make them earn your attention when they want it, and dread it when they don't. I do what my grandmother did. I punish violaters harshly. I praise success loudly. I let everyone know that the only things they are getting away with are the things I am letting them get by with because I don't feel like dealing with the problem, but will if it begins to escalate or get on my nerves watch out.

Walk softly and carry a big stick. Make sure you separate emotion from rule enforcement. An when people do get on your nerves make sure they know that too. Make them recognize the difference between the teacher in the room and the adult in the room.

I teach alternative school students. I am straight with them about what to expect and when. I deal with kids who are about to become adults, but do not know how to follow the adult rules of respect. I tell them that I am here for 2 reasons. One to enforce the school rules and policies, and two to teach my subject. I do not get people in trouble, they get themselves in trouble when they get caught. So, my class motto, Be good or be good at it. Because, I will bust you for misbehaving and being stupid enough to get caught. I also tell my students that I treat them the way I see them act not what their records or others say. I crack on them jokingly. I stay away from that touchy feel stuff all school boards tell teachers to do and I keep it real. How real. I let them know that I am grown man and not some kid and if they don't want me to deal with them as such, then they do not need to step up to that plate. I know everyones name within a week. I learn how to identify them all over the school and say hello, wave, or wink everytime I see a student in my class. I talk about things I find interesting that they may be doing, and I am sincere.

Keys for me keep it real, be sincere, be just, be predictable to a degree, and be honest. Don't take any crap. These are a few things. Consider studying Choice Theory and reality therapy for dealing with tough people. E-mail me if you want more.

Answer 6

If your students give you attitude for being strict, then the reverse is also true. You need to bring two spanish dancers to give a performance to them. This may loosen them up and you too. Play reverse roles for a while.

Some reverse strategies that work:-

Ask for their advice instead of giving them. Be silent, do not react

Give them practical. Tell them to act our as a teacher and you sit down at their seat.

More later. Bye. Keep in touch.

Answer 7

It doesn't do any good to be the loudest one in the classroom. You need to be consistent. You can't punish the one's that always talk out of turn and let your good students slide when they do the same. That is showing favortism. The studets will call you out on it. If you are fair and firm, the students will respect you in the end. They know what is expected of them.

Answer 8

You can't make anyone love and respect you. You have to earn it just like they have to earn it from you. Try watching movies like the Principal and Dangerous Minds. It might sound hoakey but it could give you a start. Fall back on your studying of child development and try to find answers from teachers who seem to possess the "gift". There are always one or two of those around.

Answer 9

AS a teacher, you have to set certain rules in the classroom to help you with discipline problem. For me, i set up our rules first meeting we have. Use simple rules that everybody can remember. My simple rule is only one... that is RESPECT.... and in my class this should be followed. You have to be consistent also with regards to this rule as a teacher. Say, you have to respect their opinion, their religion, race, color, etc. You have to follow this everytime and remind your students to follow this as well. For my teaching career, i am always famous because of this rule in the school campus. If you want to be their friend.... have time with them. Be a teacher inside the classroom but be their freind outside. In that way, they will love you... i hope.... good luck!!!!

Answer 10

you should send trouble makers to the office to show them who is boss, but to show ur students what a cool teacher you are then make it fun, my mother told me she had a teacher once that was a history teacher and when they learned about war war 2 and 1 the teacher would set bombs under the desk and out of no where u would hear boom! and it would be funny and scare the student who was at the desk.