KEEP SCHOOLS SAFE

April 22, 2009

 

A THOUGHT ON MANAGING DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS

 

Might be worth a try, teachers, this idea of mine.  That is, of course, if disgruntled, unresponsive, antisocial and/or disruptive students have become a pain in the ass.  You might want to try this technique I stumbled across recently as I was presenting an Advanced De-Escalation Techniques program to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.

 

I call this strategy the Reverse Contract.  As with all techniques, the Reverse Contract (RC) works most of the time, but has little impact on some of the other students.  I have no empirical data on what type of people it works best on, but, it appears pretty damned effective.

 

The Reverse Contract

 

This is how the RC works.  After several classes where you observe the student to be unresponsive or even disruptive, ask the student to see you after class.  Naturally, you are going to ask him – in a nice way, of course – who stuck the Oak Tree-sized stick up his ass.  Ask artful questions, like:

• “What’s happening that has you so upset, Jon?”
• “Is there anything I did or said that has you so upset, Jon?”
• “Jon, please tell me if there is anything I can do or say to get you to go along with the program?”
• You are the teacher or the counselor, so why am I telling you what to say here?  The point is, however, if and when the Disruptive Student politely tells you to go pound sand, you have reached the point where you might want to try the RC,

 

In the RC, you forecast for the student what he or she will do next.  You hold a mirror up in front of him and influence him to try to prove you wrong.  Of course, do this in a non-challenging, non-confrontational manner:

 

“Jon, can I tell you what I expect from you?  Tomorrow, you are going to come to class late, or, if you are in a good mood, you will be on time, but you will be the last one to your seat.  When you get there, you will slump back in your seat, cross both arms across your chest and smirk and shake your head every time I say something.  When another student answers a question, you will either say something sarcastic or laugh derisively loud enough for everyone to hear.  When I call on you, you will give me that challenging look and say something like, ‘I ain’t got nothin’ Teach.”

 

I’m not trying to be mean here, Jon.  I understand that’s who you are right now.  And, believe me, Jon, that’s ok.  Really.  For whatever reason, that’s just who you are right now.  I just thought I would point that out—“

 

Then again, there is the Positive Future Contract where you predict the opposite of what the Disruptive Student always does and try to influence him or her to live up to positive expectations. 

 

What I have found with the RC is that the student, client, patient, inmate and/or parolee does his or her best to try to prove you wrong.  Who knows?  The next day the kid might show up early, change his or her posture, and answer questions  for once. 

Miracles do happen every once in a Blue Moon, you know.

 

Couldn’t hurt to try.  What do you think?

 

Until the next time—Stay Safe.

Hammer

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