November 2, 2008

The Behavioral Problem


I have a student who is very very very bright and is a very quick learner, but he has a serious behavior problem and it's starting to effect the other students in the class.


He comes in in the morning and he begins his drama. He always bothers the other children during breakfast and I literally have to sit between him and anyone else.


In class, he continuously calls other students mean names, gets out of his seat without raising his hand, walks around the room disturbing other students. He's taken things so far that he runs out of the classroom and runs and slides and jumps all throughout the halls.


He has a crisis managment paraprofessional who is working with him to keep him focused and help him with his behavior, but he rarely listens to her and he has her running behind him all day.


Ofcourse, I've tried a numerous amount of behavior modifications to keep him in line and nothing is working--he's getting worse--fighting with students now, breaking school property, and disprespecting higher authority.


The only way he listens is when I get very very mad and yell at him, take everything away and not let him participate in fun activities. Yea, this works, but who wants to do this all day? And when he gets really mad about things, he doesn't care how mad I am, what he loses, and what he isn't a part of.


His mom claims he's not like this at home, but I beg to differ. If I was a parent I'd be very embarrassed about my childs behavior. She went to get him reevaluated and they are contemplating medication. I hate to say this, but he really needs some!


I don't know what to do. He is my student and I have to teach him. I have to protect the other students and I have to prevent his horrible behavior from influencing the other students.


Here's the question: How would you handle this student?

4 comments:

Vee said...

JB, you're good...I dont even like chilren so I probably would have quit by now. I'm not sure I would know how to handle this student. You hate to put them on mediciation but when he is disrupting the learning process for everyone else, something has to be done.

Wendy said...

Hi Jenelly

This is a hard one. There is obviously something going on with this child. I too find it hard to believe that his outrageous behavior is limited to school time and at home he is an angel. This child is acting out for a reason. You only mentioned his mother so I wonder if there is a father in the home that you could speak to as well. If he does need medication that's one thing but if he is acting up because he is missing something at home then that's another. Talk with his parents, maybe counseling is in order. I appauld your genuine interest in this child but utimately something must change in order for you to effectively teach the other children. Hang in there baby.

Anonymous said...

1)Create a good Behavior Intervention Plan and stick with it.- Reinforce the tiniest positive behaviors, ignore any negative behaviors that could possibly be ignored and invoke SAVE regulations for the those that cannot (speak with your Union rep)
2) As tedious as it may seem-keep detailed anecdotals and share them with the social worker and guidance counselor- if lack of medication is keeping this child from receiving an adequate education - the family needs to know that are looking at educational neglect charges.
3) Consider filing a "Type III" If your room is not an appropriate placement even with a crisis intervention para- then someone needs to find an appropriate placement.
Be kind and tactful- but don't give up.
Been there

lyre said...

Anonymous gave great tactics. If they work, gret, you'll be a hero. if not, at least, the kids out so the others can learn.
Some kids need placement and parents fight it tooth and nail. It might be true that he doesnt act like that at home, because she gives him one on one attention. some kids crave and need it.
As the professional, with this kid, I hate to say it, but it's all about the documentation and communication with guidance and your union.
time of day, what was going on, the structure of your lesson as it relates to his ability level. His behavior, his work habits, what sets him off. All this has to be documented for administration to be able to do anything. Sorry jenel. But if you succeed you will feel....TIRED.
Congratulations by the way!

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