Classroom Management Tips – Four Ways to Deal with a Defiant Student



Posted: Thursday, January 14, 2010

by
Behaviour Needs

1. Offer support Often pupils are defiant because they are afraid of failure - adjust the work, offer help, ask them what's bothering them. Offering support is totally non-confrontational and is one of the best ways to deal with a student who is trying to escalate a situation.

2. Remind them of past successes and capabilities

"Think back to yesterday when you managed to...."

"Do you remember how please several members of staff were the other day when you...?"

3. Ask for their advice

Asking them for help grabs the attention of their ego, catching them completely off guard. Remind them that you are there to help them, that their success is why you do your job and ask them for their help in how to bring that about. "I need your advice. I want to help you - what is going to make this easier for you?"

4. Go through stepped sanctions as per school behaviour policy e.g.

Give them a clear, fair warning and remind them of consequences

"Chris this is the third and final time I'm going to ask you to sit down. What happens if you don't follow instructions? Is that what you want?"

Rob Plevin is the author of Magic Classroom Management and the originator of the Needs-Focused Approach to behaviour management - a step-by-step, easy-to-follow system for preventing and dealing with behaviour problems. Rob delivers training in the UK and overseas to teachers, parents, youth workers, lecturers and social workers. A full schedule of courses and speaking events can be seen on his website at www.behaviourneeds.com
This Article has been viewed 339 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.