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| Dealing with the Aggressive Student |
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"Teachers and administrators can no longer use the disciplinary techniques that they used twenty years ago. Paddling and suspending or expelling students are not effective methods for stemming the tide of violence. School staff must change their ways of dealing with students if schools are to once again be safe havens for children." from Techniques for Managing Verbally and Physically Aggressive Students by Beverley H. Johns and Valerie G. Carr.
Sixteen Tips for Dealing with Aggressive Behavior
(from Techniques for Managing Verbally and Physically Aggressive Students
by Beverley H. Johns and Valerie G. Carr)
1. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
2. Teacher tension can often agitate crisis behavior.
3. Always remain calm.
4. Lower your voice.
5. Slow your rate of speech.
6. Arrange the environment to minimize risks.
7. Stand 1 1/2 to 3 feet from a student who is acting out - give the student space.
8. Be aware of your body stance.
9. Dress in a manner that minimizes risk of injury.
10. Remind misbehaving students of the consequences of their behavior.
11. Allow verbal venting.
12. Ignore irrelevant comments; redirect the student back to the problem at hand.
13. Provide choices.
14. Set limits.
15. Use physical restraint techniques as a last resort.
16. Once the student is calm, use the incident to teach alternative, appropriate ways to deal with aggression.
TIPS FROM A TEACHER
I have utilized many of the above tips with success. A human tendency when faced with aggression is to lash out. This does not work with an aggressive student. In my opinion, the moment a student causes you to raise your voice or lose control, the student has "won." As the adult and the authority figure, you must maintain composure at all times.
