Keeping Calm: You Still Have the Power

This post is an unusually one because it is in response to the OKCPS Blogging Challenge. I think I might be the only administrator that is participating in the Blogging Challenge. Our assignment is to blog about any topic concerning education that we  aids us in our everyday work in education. As an administrator, I get to see a totally different side of education. I mostly deal with the political side of the profession, parent concerns, improving instruction within the school, and I deal with student discipline. During this blog I want to deal with student discipline and some techniques that I have learned over the years that aid me in dealing with student discipline.

Now, I have been in education for a 11 years now, and one of the first things that I ever learned was that in order to survive in education you must form good relationships. Not only with your fellow teachers, administration, parents, but mostly with students. Students are your customers and ultimately they are the ones that will matter the most. So, before I even administer discipline or try to discipline a student I must first get to know the students and build a rapport with the students. Students need to know that they can trust you and they need to know that even when you administer discipline that it is not from a place of hate or malice but from a place of love. Believe it or not students want boundaries and do not mind discipline, because most of the time they know that they have done wrong, they just want to know how far they are able to push the boundaries.

Secondly, when dealing with student discipline always do some investigating and find out what the root cause of the issue or behavior. Many times a student will act out because, a) they are having a bad day b) issues at home c) bad relationship with you as the teacher d) all of the above. As an educator we must take these factors into account, not saying that you won't still administer discipline, but it will help you understand and empathize with the student. Among the many things that I have learned in my years in education is that today's students deal with way more issues, be it adult issues, than I ever did while I was in school. As educators I believe that it is our duty to not only educate but to also guide our students through difficult times in their lives.

When you do have to administer discipline here are some tips that will surely aid you and not cause a major blow up:

1. Never embarrass a student or belittle a student in front of the rest of the class. This is the easiest way to damage a teacher/student relationship in a way that probably will not be able to be repaired. 
2. Many times pulling a student away from the rest of the class and speaking with that student will alleviate the problem that is going on. This is good because many times because the student will share things with you that he/she would not normally share with you in front of the class.  
3. Don't hold grudges. Now, I know as teachers we are human and many times a student will do things that get under our skin and get on our last nerve. As educated educators we must use every fiber within us to not hold grudges against the students and give them a clean slate every time that you deal with them. Remember "Foolish is found in the heart of a child." Our students are still growing and have not figured it out yet. 
4. Choose your battles wisely. Many times students will do things just to see if they can get a rise out of you, and they want your attention. So, choose your battles wisely and do let the students see you rattled. 
5. Lastly, KEEP YOUR COOL and do not yell or raise your voice. You might be reading this and think to yourself, yeah right. Believe me, it can be done. I rarely raise my voice because I realize that as the adult and the educator I still have all of the power and authority. The minute that I begin to raise my voice and yell, I have just given up that power and I let the student know what actions they can do to get me out of my element. When situations like this come and you feel yourself loosing control, breath, step away from the situation and regain composure.  

I hope this helps you in area of student discipline and classroom management.