Virtual Teacher

In the classroom, the three most common types of commands that teachers give are the initiating command, the terminating command, and the mixed command. With an initiating command , we start behavior; with the terminating command , we end behavior. A mixed command , on the other hand, includes elements of both an initiating and a terminating command. I like to call this third kind of command the “stop… and…” command, because it generally resembles that sentence pattern. “Rebecca and Frankie, distribute the protractors and graph paper” and “When we get to the library make sure that you sit within your reading group” are examples of initiating commands. Examples of terminating and mixed commands follow. Terminating Commands ·         Hector, you and Ryan stop talking! ·         Camille, stop daydreaming! ·         Gregory, stop pushing in line! ·    ...

1)     Adopt a middle ground. Be firm in enforcing rules, but do it in a way that you balance it with warmth, praise, understanding, fairness, responsiveness, and acceptance of the troubled student’s needs. 2)     Increase your tolerance for angry feelings and acting-out behaviors by identifying positive attributes in the feelings or behavior; for example, independence, leadership qualities, or strong character. 3)     Change your teaching style from stationary to circulating so that you can walk by the troubled, anger-prone, or acting-out student every five-to-six minutes. 4)     Use proximity control , such as walking towards the student, putting one hand on the child’s shoulder or desk, and/or   (without saying a word) removing any object that is distracting the child. 5)     Model calmness, gentleness, and respect. Address children using “Thank you,” “I’m sorry,” or “I apologize.” Teachers...

Anger-prone students may exhibit some, most, or all of the characteristics listed next. 1. Anger-prone students have habitual anger outbursts that seem out of proportion to the situation. 2. Habitually angry children think negatively most of the time about themselves, other people, or situations. 3. When dealing with difficult events, troubled and anger-prone students display catastrophic thinking , a thinking pattern that assumes that the worst thing that can happen is what is going to happen. 4. Anger can be identity or role-congruent for these children; that is, feeling angry all the time matches their self-image (e.g., “I cannot help myself. That’s the way I am”). Their perception of being an angry individual becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy , validated by frequent outbursts of anger and acting-out behaviors. 5. Troubled and anger-prone students show low frustration tolerance , and they demand that what they want or need is satisfied immediately. 6. Anger-prone stude...

This is the second part of three articles. There is no single explanation why some students feel habitual and recurrent anger, exhibiting more aggressive behaviors than other students show. Some of it might depend on the child’s earlier experiences in life. Students who show a tendency to angry and aggressive behaviors in school seem to be responding to a worldview, their idea of how the world functions, that validates the belief that they are living in a hostile and negative world. If the child has had negative experiences earlier in life, experiences that are now part of the child’s memories, a particular incident may trigger anger associated with the student’s memories and thoughts. For example, if another child accidentally steps on the child, the troubled and anger-prone child will be inclined to perceive the intrusion as a hostile and intentional act because this interpretation matches and validates his or her worldview. Anger becomes an automatic response to everyday events...

An attention deficit problem is defined as a significant difficulty in focusing and maintaining attention in the classroom. The main symptoms are lack of concentration, difficulty paying attention, unable to focus, difficulty remaining on task, and impulsivity; all behaviors that lead to learning problems, and may lead also to behavior problems in the classroom. There are predominantly two types: the inattentive type or ADD and the hyperactive-impulsive type or ADHD.   Children vary in the range of symptoms they show, and some exhibit a combination of both inattentive types. Attention deficits are more common in boys than in girls.   Generally, ADD children are easily distracted, and they show difficulty listening and following directions, focusing, sustaining attention, and remaining on task, among others. These children are described by teachers and parents as “spacey” and disorganized, with a strong tendency to misplace their school materials. However, in the classroom, ...