Students who require correction from inappropriate behaviours respond better when they are given the opportunity to respond to your directions. It's easier to correct students if you follow five rules:
- Stop talking as soon as you feel a stress level has been reached.
- Don't expect a response immediately after you have corrected the student.
- Give the student time to think when you aren't talking. Say, "Think about what you would like to say before responding."
- Give the student a chance to respond by saying, "Can you think how you might have done it better?"
- Finally, before you give advice, ask if it is wanted. Say, "Would you like me to give you some suggestions?" or "Can I help you by offering some suggestions?"
You may recognize students early who have the potential to disrupt the class. There are ways to avoid problems by addressing the situation early.
- Speak to the student as early as possible outside the classroom situation.
- One-to-one, ask the student "why" he/she behaved as he/she did. Explain why the behaviour cannot be tolerated in a classroom situation.
- Suggest ways to help the student improve his/her conduct.
- Make a special effort to talk to the student before every class about something. Get to know them on a different basis other than tutor-student.
Remember
- It isn't the students you counsel and the students you discipline who will make your life difficult. It's the students you don't correct.
- The longer you wait, the harder it will be to change the student's behaviour.