Scenario
“The students complained when Katie took over in her group. She wanted to control her group, the activities, and Amy as well”.
Katie: The Dominate Child
We will all encounter a student in our class who wants to be the center of attention. Sometimes these students can be more draining than the ones who have recognized behaviour issues! In the case of Katie, the following is advice on how to approach her specific demands:
- Setting rules and routines from day 1 is essential in any classroom (Sterling 2009). This does not mean that the rules cannot change or added to. In the case of Katie, setting specific rules to follow could be beneficial, for example:
- Listen to others when they are speaking.
- Raise your hand before talking.
- Share the role of talking.
- REWARDS. Reward her when she is displaying positive behaviours or following the rules.
- Create class duties that last the day or even the week, and remind her that she only has her specific role to worry about. E.g. handing out books or spotting the ‘student of the day’.
- As with the conventions of cooperative learning, which Amy will be adhering to on a regular basis, Katie could be assigned different roles in group situations. This will make her stick to her specific job and prevent her taking over roles.
- For more information on dealing with challenging behaviours click on the link below:
How does this relate to the National Professional Standards for Teachers?
Professional Practice
Standard 4: Support and maintain supportive and safe learning environments
Focus: Support Student participation
Graduate: 4.1.1 Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities
Focus: Support Student participation
Graduate: 4.1.1 Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities