Tips For Teachers......
Control
We all have a need for a sense of control, yet in school and lessons children are regimented and expected to do as they are told. In reaction to this, they may well fight back in both overt and subtle ways. The classroom may thus descend into a battle of wills as the teacher and the class fight for control.Paradoxically, this fight-back is often a testing of boundaries and the children will be comfortable when those boundaries are fixed and certain. For the teacher, this means setting rigid standards and not flexing. If you give an inch, they may well try to take a mile. This does not mean they should be silent and upright all the time. It does mean that you need to decide on the fixed rules and principles that will work both for and can be made to work with your classes.
Identity
We also have a need for a sense of identity, which is something that is of profound concern for children as they grow and discover 'who they are'. In early years, they are finding themselves as a separate entity. In later years, they are pushing away as they strive for adulthood.Children get a lot of their sense of identity from their peers and being 'one of the gang' can be very important.
For teachers, a good rule is first to always acknowledge the person and their identity, although how they behave may not be acceptable. You do not have bad children - you just have bad behavior.