Hurricanes can be very interesting because of their unpredictable predictability. If you are interested, you can see a wave forming off the coast of Africa and watch its evolution into a storm or into a depression or even a dissipation. Often, you are informed that it may or may not develop into a storm, which may or may not affect the United States. Weather people will instruct you to keep watching for further updates. If you watch the updates, you will be informed to watch for yet more updates because of the unpredictability. At a certain point in the track, you are advised to get your hurricane plan in place. Further along, you are awaiting the hurricane watches and warnings to be effective in your area. Then, begins the tracking of the cone of error. Are you in the cone? Are you outside the cone? Who has water? How long are the gas lines? Did you find a store with batteries? Put up shutters. Evacuate. Get to a shelter. The list goes on.
Keeping your eye on the storms, you will note that the storm track has a fair amount of uncertainty which extends throughout the entire process. Each storm has its own personality, if you will. Some are large, some are small in area. Others are potent. Some move rapidly, while others drag along. Some show little danger of being a problem initially, and then become something devastating. No matter the storm, the effect on communities is great.
Not to minimize the effect of a storm or the seriousness of a storm in any way, shape or form (having lived through many both this year and previously-I know the challenges and aggravation and danger posed by each one, so I am not diminishing the experience of anyone facing the after effects of any of the most recent storms), I'd like to draw an analogy between a hurricane and the class climate.
Classroom management can become the reason a teacher despairs of the profession, dreads heading to school on a daily basis or develops management plan #79 for the year. One student can create such a ripple effect that the entire flow of the classroom can be disrupted in much the same way a hurricane can have a ripple effect on a community. Some students are the tropical wave developing off the west coast of Africa. The teacher can see the storm coming his/her way and may determine to develop a strategy for this student. At times, this can be very effective. "Sally, I notice that each time I call on another student to give an answer, you seem to make an unkind remark under your breath and laugh with nearby students. Are you having difficulty understanding what we are discussing in class? How can I help you so you can properly show respect to your classmates?" When a private conversation with a student works, it is amazing. Yay! The wave is not developing into a storm that will wreak havoc in my classroom! At other times, you may find that your class is in the cone of error. A student may seem to be heading straight for the center of the attention of your classroom. You have objectives, you have activities, you have engaging lessons, and yet a student seems bound and determined to run your classroom, and possibly ruin your carefully crafted plans. This could arguably be one of the most frustrating aspects of teaching. A hurricane student comes by and leaves destruction in his/her wake. How do we react to such a storm?
When you see the hurricane student stirring up negative behaviors, the teacher has a few options. It is up to the teacher to determine a "hurricane plan". There is not a singular solution for all problematic behaviors. There are principles that fit each solution.
- Treat students respectfully, even if they are disrespectful. This allows you to remain calm and professional. If you don't feel calm and professional, pretend you are calm and professional. It prevents you from ending up on YouTube with a video entitled, "Teacher Loses it With Student" with 2 kajillion views as people gawk at you throwing a desk at a difficult student as you call him names you didn't even know you knew.
- Separate the behavior from the student. This is really part of being respectful, but deserves its own bullet point. Discuss the behavior as though it is something apart from the student. Example: Hurricane student is kicking foot under desk and knocks over another student's belongings. "I noticed that Billy's books were knocked over. I'm wondering if you saw that too? Why don't we move your desk a little further away so that doesn't happen as you move your foot?" Sometimes a simple phrasing of the event, rather than a "I saw you kick over those books and you did it on purpose" can help to diffuse the situation while solving the issue.
- Remain firm and fair. At times a Hurricane may really not have done what another student says she has done. Always give the Hurricane a fair hearing. Don't permit interruptions or yelling. "I want to hear you, but I'm sorry, I can not and will not hear yelling. When you are ready to speak politely, we can continue."
- Stay on the lesson plan. Do not allow the hurricane to steer your class learning off course. There comes a point when the hurricane needs to be redirected. "I want to hear you and solve this issue. Would you kindly sit quietly and allow our class to get on track. Then I will have a few minutes to listen to you properly." Whenever you can, keep the learning going and then loop back to solve the situation with the hurricane student.
- Reward the hurricane when they self correct. Verbal praise goes a long way to help affirm redirection. I have given students a personal signal (nonverbal) when I see them going off course. If they self correct from the nonverbal personal signal, I always reward them with a smile and a nod, and later a personal quiet word of praise.
There are as many techniques as there are situations. I'd love to hear some examples from your classrooms, and I'd be delighted to post them up.
By the way, I borrowed this picture from abcnews.com
First published 9-26-17
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