How to Manage Difficult Kids in the Classroom

We have known all along that teaching a difficult kid is tough. Every teacher encounters at least one each semester. And the plight that follows is sure to drive them to tears, if not handled efficiently from the beginning.And Mike was coughing up excerpts of how to tackle the onslaught of this terror on his first day as a teacher. The English teacher position was quite respectable and he was all loaded up with ammunition to make it perfect. He even had the perfect opening line for the tough kids:“I know that this is not the place you want to be in right now. But I am determined to make this a place where you feel comfortable in. And I thank you in advance for helping me be the better teacher I have always wanted to be.”I would really like to say that things miraculously turned out to be in Mike's favor after that, but the reality is a bit on the grim side. That speech did its bit in triggering the kids' curiosity, but Mike had to work his way through difficult times to make the cut.It isn't an easy job, you know.But wait. We need to slow down a little bit here.Before we plunge into the sea of the tough kid terror, think, what exactly defines a difficult kid?

Who is a Difficult Kid?

When a new term begins, you would get to see a kid or two sitting at a corner, or at the back:

• blatantly refusing to participate in the lessons
• with no intention of obeying your instructions
• determined to give you a hard time
• terrorizing other students with their presence

Yes, sounds like a nightmare, but your student nonetheless. Such kids could be combative, sensitive, challenging, and prone to a number of temperamental changes, leaving you at a loss.

Is There Any Justification for Their Behavior?

Before sticking a label on a kid just like that, you would also need to consider that this behavior does not stem from the sheer interest in disrupting a classroom cycle. There's more to it than what meets the eye.It could be anything ranging from family problems, parenting issues, or a difficult childhood, to simply the nature of the kid that drives them to be difficult.In fact, this topic dug up so much curiosity that Dr. William Jenson, Ph.D., educational psychologist, researcher, and author decided to do some research on this. And that didn't bring up good news. It was found that tough kids make up about 3% of the population, hiking up your chances of encountering at least one in every class.It is not always the environment that is responsible for such a disposition. Sometimes, genetics is to blame. In a certain neurological study in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, it was found that people sometimes, exhibit a disparity in connectivity between parts of a brain that are responsible for conscience, empathy, and impulse control. This difference is mostly driven by genetics.So, the ingredients of being a difficult kid might already be hardwired into the kid from birth. And family responses may aggravate the situation and not create it from the ground up.

How to Deal with Difficult Kids in the Classroom?

No matter how much justification you come across for their behavior, getting those kids to behave is not a walk in the park.It's the tone, the way they snarl at you when you look at them, it just gets under your skin. Every day you find yourself trying to settle the situation mano-a-mano, put a stop to it once and for all. But it just doesn't make the cut. Their defiant and oppositional behavior just keeps rising with every passing day.But here's the thing. In the quest of outwitting them, you are actually making things worse. The following tips will put the ball in your court.This isn't the way you should end up dealing with the difficult kids.

1. Accept Them for Who They Are

 Just like every kid isn't equally intelligent, they are not equally compliant either. They are a part of your classroom and as unpleasant as it might seem, there's absolutely nothing you can do about it. However, what you can do is, not fixate on them.There is no system that can mold every kid into the ideal person you want them to be. Therefore, accept them for who they are.

• Talk to them
• Encourage them to talk about their feelings
• Try to understand their emotions
• Do not be quick to judge
• Avoid power struggles in the classroom

Watch how the teachers implement effective ways to avoid power struggles with difficult kids.

2. Treat Every Kid Equally

 Managing difficult kids happen to take up a lot of time in the classroom. And you tend to ignore minor misbehaviors coming from other students in the class. You think, “Who are we kidding? They are not behaving even half as bad as Richard at the back. I'll let this one slip.”That, right there, is a toxic boomerang. It acts like fuel to the difficult mindsets of the tough kids. As soon as you let an innocuous misconduct slide, they immediately feel isolated and judged.

• It antagonizes them
• It ends up labeling them

They take a look around and utter, “Right back at you!” under their breaths. Treating kids differently, reinforces their negative attitude and makes the whole situation worse than you ever imagined.Right here is your second trade secret: design a classroom management approach that caters to all kids equally. Clog any disparity with a firm hand and do not miss out on addressing any misbehavior, no matter how trivial it is.

3. Treat Them With Respect

 Dr. Allen Mendler is a renowned author, speaker and educator. Two years back Mr. Spriggs asked him to be a part of his conference with the most difficult student of his class, Jon. This is what Mr. Spriggs told him.“Jon, I just want to tell you that I am really glad you're in my class. I know that it is not your favorite place to be, but I'm trying hard to make sure I'm the right teacher for you. I've tried many different ways to teach you, but so far they haven't worked very well. I'll keep trying so that you learn. That is what is most important to me. I want to thank you for being a part of my class. You are forcing me to be a better teacher, and that is good for me. If you can help me understand what I might be able to do that would make you want to be a better student, I would really appreciate knowing that.”Surprised at this, Jon hesitantly co-operated. He came up with a few ideas that Mr. Spriggs could implement to help him out!Do you see what happened here?As soon as Mr. Spriggs annulled any scope of rebuke and ushered in respect into the confrontation, a fresh batch of dignity came into play. And Jon immediately responded to that.The trick is to make them feel valued. When they know that they matter, they will listen, participate in class and if you are lucky, they might even come up with some ideas to make the lessons more fruitful.

4. Appreciate Them

A simple, “You did really well today. I'm proud of you” can make things a lot better between you and the tough kids in your class. A little appreciation for work well done shows that you care. Little things like this can work wonders in your favor. Do not resort to ridicule or blaming students.Try this little experiment.Think: who is the best-behaved kid in your class? Who is the most motivated student in your class? Now that a few names are cropping up in your mind, ask yourself this: how do you treat them? How do you acknowledge their work? Now think: how do you act towards the worst-behaved kid in your class?Do you see a contrast staring you in the face? This is exactly what you need to eliminate.While you are at it, remember never to bestow a false praise on anyone. It works in a negative way.

5. Clear the Air at the Beginning of the Term

 “Good morning class, my name is Sarah Lucas. I will teach you Math for this term and I am going to dedicate this class to knowing each and everyone of you. I'm from Georgia, I have a dog named Rufus and I like collecting post its”, she was our Math teacher in the seventh grade and we absolutely adored her. “Would you like to join in?”, a warm smile from her followed and we were all telling her our names and two things about us.The only way to do this is by letting them know that you are thereShe talked with each and every one of us like we were adults and told us about the lesson strategies she had in mind. But she didn't forget to add, “If any of you feel that I'm missing something or going about it wrong, I'm open to suggestions. So, what do you say? Shall we start?”In the delightful class on the first day that we so enjoyed, she accomplished five things:

• She acquainted herself with all of us.
• She made us feel like responsible adults.
• She earned our respect.
• She made a mental note of the how to deal with each and every one of us.
• And she set clear goals and discussed the strategies of how to achieve those.

In other words, she arrived with an open mind and she cleared the air. And we were instantly hooked.You can do this too. It starts with introducing yourself to your students on the first day. Once you get that right, the rest will follow suit.

6. Give Them a Chance

We know how difficult kids can get. And we respect the patience that you have been exercising with them. But think, could they be burying some troubles deep within that causes them to react this way? Could they have something to say too?If you think about it enough, you would realize that the answer is in the affirmative.

• Let them know that you do not despise them; it is the behavior that you don't like.
• Talk to them separately, explain what you think they are doing wrong and suggest some corrective measures.
• Listen to them attentively and give them enough room to clarify their problems.
• Find out if you can relate to them. Look for a common ground — it could be anything from the genre of music or the interest in a similar sport. And build on that.

Sometimes a little bit of empathy is all it takes. And do not give up.Wondering how you can improve your relationship with the difficult students in class?This video has some effective inputs.

7. Practice Disengagement

Float the fact that their misconduct and its consequences are their responsibility. As soon as they understand that their misbehavior is going to bring them face to face with consequences, which only they would have to handle by themselves, chances are they will quit. Nobody want to be alone in facing up challenges, neither would they.

The mere prospect would make them scuttle for cover. As soon as they realize that breaking rules is completely on them, they will start listening to you and will be on their best behavior.

Sometimes you might need a bit of extra help. Involving the parents for this would also be a good idea. These strategies are tried and tested and they have been found to work on most students. However, depending on the student, it could take a little more or a little less for you to bring them under control. No matter what the situation, keep your cool, trust your instincts and never ever argue. And do not take it personally.

Have you encountered such a situation in your teaching profession? What strategies have you been employing to deal with difficult kids? Share those with us in the comments section below.