Teaching is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world! I absolutely love being an educator and could not picture myself doing anything else. However, not every day is fun, and amazing. Some days are TOUGH. I have been put in MANY difficult situations that no one prepared me for and that some people may not even believe. These kids are going through more than we could ever imagine, and many of them do not have the coping skills, or ability to express their emotions properly.
1. Destruction
As I stated above, I have had many students who do not understand how to express their feelings. The only way they know how is through anger. If they do not get their way, or if something is difficult they tend to throw a good old temper tantrum. This could range from them flailing on the floor, kicking & screaming, to throwing objects and destroying a classroom. First things first; STAY CALM. During these situations, yelling and losing your cool will do nothing but make it worse. When a student starts to throw objects or destroy a room, the most important thing is keeping the other students SAFE. When the incident arises, escort the rest of your class to the hallway or another classroom. There are 2 options you can chose from. 1. Stay in the hallway with the rest of your class, close the door and let the student get out their anger while you call an administrator, or another teacher for assistance. 2. Send your class to a neighboring classroom so you can stay in the room with the student that is struggling and try to help calm them down. It is up to you which one you choose, but these are the 2 options that have worked best for me!
2. Sleeping
Many of my kiddos do not have a consistent schedule in their home lives. They are going through a lot, and their minds are constantly in fight or flight mode. Many of them come in exhausted from the night before. Exhaustion can cause them to be emotionally fragile, have mood swings, or have high tempers. None of these are ideal in a classroom. If one of my students fall asleep, I will not wake them. I know this sounds crazy, and some people may have different opinions. I don't know how much sleep they got the night before, and forcing them to stay awake is not the solution. Let them get a little nap in so they can be successful and happy the rest of day!
3. FOOD
Many of my kiddos do not receive the daily amount of nutrition that they need. Most of them rely on the meals they receive at school as their only time to eat. For my kindergartners, I always have a 10 minute snack time close to the end of the day so they can fill their bellies before they go home for the rest of the night. I also let them take home any non-perishable items left over from breakfast or lunch that will not go bad. Some of them know they do not have food at home so they want to take home a few items every day so they have something to eat for dinner. In past years, I have ordered groceries off Kroger Click List for a few families as well. The food gets sent right to their doorstep and they are always exceptionally grateful!
4. Vandalism
I have been in multiple situations where my walls, or belongings have been vandalized by a student. Many times when a student acts out, they are typically seeking some type of attention. Whether it is good or bad. During my first year of teaching, my walls got vandalized by a student. During dismissal, she went back into the classroom, and wrote SEX in permanent marker all over the classroom walls, and dumped out BOTH trash cans and threw trash ALL over the room. (lesson learned...ALWAYS lock your classroom door when you are not in it). I always try to use these situations as learning experiences for the students. Teach them a lesson, give a consequence, without them realizing that you are mad or upset. If they see your frustration then they have won! STAND your ground! Incorporating a "Graffiti Wall" is a great idea to let students "express themselves" through writing, without destroying the classroom!
5. RUNNERS
Every year I have what I like to call a "runner". This is a specific student(s) who; when they get angry, frustrated, or upset, RUN out of the classroom. This is their way of trying to escape the situation, or environment they do not want to be in. Typically, I stand in the doorway of the classroom and IMMEDIATELY call another adult to find the student in the hallway. Obviously, you can not leave the rest of your class unattended to go chase another child. I usually call an administrator, behavior specialist, or another teacher that I know is on their plan period to help me assist me in locating the child. Always give a consequence, and have a conversation with the student on how important it is to stay in the classroom so that you know they are safe. (Even if it means having this conversation DAILY)
6. Abusive Language & Actions
You may be surprised but kindergartners do not have the best language, and have an interesting way of showing their love for you. Most of the time, they do not understand what they are saying or doing. They are just repeating words and actions they have heard and seen at home. The best way I have learned to handle inappropriate language or actions is to ALWAYS give a consequence when it happens. Move their clip, take something away, etc. Never let it go unnoticed. Also, let the parents know of the child's choices so they can hopefully choose their words and actions more wisely at home.
Sorry to break it to you but, misbehavior's are unavoidable. When dealing with these behaviors, it is CRUCIAL to have a system in place! The students should know your expectations and know what the consequences are for their choices. If you say something, you MUST FOLLOW THROUGH! If you do not follow through on a threat or consequence, they will not take you seriously and take advantage of you from that point on. (Trust me, I know from experience). See my Behavior Management System and Consequences I use in my classroom HERE.
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