In my studies, I have been surprised to find that while current teaching theory is based on socio-constructivist theory, where students are active in their learning and not passive, behaviourist theory still resides within the psychologist's world of bad behaviour. My question is, how do we overcome this paradox? We're told the students should plan, learn, and assess their classes together, but that we should treat the 'naughty' ones like Pavlov and his dogs. That is, reinforce good behaviour with a smile and praise, and any bad behaviour by ignoring them. I guess it's more complicated than that, but I was really hoping for a modern secret to dealing with naughty children in the classroom when I chose to take this behaviour management class. I guess there isn't one.
Experience has shown me that there are ways to tell a child they're not meeting your expectations that they'll be more likely to listen to. Avoid shouting from across the classroom, or even from higher up than them. Instead, proximity and being at their eye level work better as you're less intimidating and they're not getting the attention from the whole class. Instructions on a more desired behaviour are helpful too. I was such a shouter when I first started teaching. Not just because I was at the end of my tether and had no other ideas, but also because teachers around me did the same and I was learning from them. I hated it, the students hated it, it wasn't a very nice atmosphere.
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