I was utterly disturbed by a recent news bulletin, disclosing the harsh reality facing today’s youth. Their uncontrollable temperaments appear to have reached an all-time high, as a reporter stood before a charred school reduced to rubble and debris; an act meticulously perpetrated by the devious mind of a mid-schooler. The school, located in Itea, a coastal Greek town renowned for its tourism and majestic Aegean views, was burned to a crisp; even more appalling was the fact that school equipment had been vandalized or stolen; rendering the act all the more atrocious.
It has become painfully evident that students’ behaviours are escalating to unprecedented heights. Rage-baiting – the provocation of teachers in class with the ultimate goal of publicly humiliating them – has become a staple content on social media platforms. Many colleagues have been deterred from teaching altogether due to students’ increasingly provocative and uncontrollable stances, showing blatant disregard for both educators and school premises alike.
Thankfully, the extreme act of school arson is not the norm. Behaviour escalation in educational settings, however, certainly is. Provocative attitudes have become more frequent than ever before, with classroom confrontations amongst teachers and students turning into viral sensational material for content creators, degrading the educators’ worth in the eyes of their learners.
Which brings us to the matter of addressing behaviour escalation in the educational setting. Is it actually manageable? Or should we pursue new endeavours in a completely different field of occupation? Fear not, my disgruntled colleagues! No matter how bleak the matter might seem, it is not as dire as one may assume. Let us first examine the causes of today’s rebellious attitudes before alleviating anxieties.
Societal pressures and tensions have triggered abnormal behaviours across all age groups. Financial concerns, unrealistic beauty standards, disrespectful stances – both from individuals and organized initiatives – are just a few contributing factors. Have you ever considered what our students endure just to ‘fit in’? Looking back, I myself would be challenged on a daily basis due to my gender identity and seclusive, mostly introverted nature. My peers would so often humiliate or even show me contempt. All this angst and frustration would build up inside of me rendering my participation minimal; terrified to even speak in class. My teachers would simply dismiss my passivity as indifference, favouring extroverted students who would participate more fondly – the popular ones who, quite frankly, were my tormentors.
Failing to provide a safe space to learn and flourish is solely the educators’ fault. Bullying should not be tolerated in any form, whatsoever. As an educator myself, I would be remiss not to emphasise that my students who remain silent are either terrorized or even threatened to remain silent; to have their voices drowned. When mistakenly handled by the teacher, their fear will lead to a sudden outburst – one which could be misinterpreted as disrespect when it is actually fear that drives their behavioural misconduct.
Peer presence can prove to be a detriment to a student’s learning journey. A young person’s pride might be diminished if corrected publicly in front of their classmates. A simple correction on our behalf may be acknowledged as a reprimand, prompting the student to wrongfully reciprocate; their actions escalating into a full-fledged assault. Hormones and insecurities are never to be taken lightly; this I can attest to. Accepting a public challenge is a recipe for disaster. There is no way an educator would win such a confrontation. On the contrary, students will lose all respect for us after witnessing their classmate being reprimanded in their presence and watching their beloved teacher completely lose control.
Acknowledging a students’ frustration – not agreeing with them mind you – is a better approach: “I can see you’re upset. We’ll talk after the lesson,” defusing and in turn delaying the confrontation will deescalate tense emotions. Never give in to a public confrontation as we risk igniting a power struggle. When the behaviour is addressed privately, you would be surprised as to how things turn around. Most cases lead to an apology, even a confession of what is troubling them, most of the times asking for our help. If it is a personal matter, it’s best to inform the legal guardian. If it is a matter of peer pressure or bullying, it is most certainly our responsibility to intervene. In any case, our immediate concern during a heated outburst is to restore the learning conditions, not enforce compliance.
But what about the so-called ‘problematic’ ones? The ‘nasty’ students who are beyond redemption? Okay, first things first: never, ever label a student. It’s both unprofessional and inhumane. A troubled individual, be it a young learner or a teenager who is rendered undisciplined, deserves our immediate attention. There are a multitude of factors which prompt such inappropriate behaviours.
“It is the responsibility of the educator to maintain control of the classroom throughout the lesson, no excuses accepted, whatsoever,” my professor would declare during one of his lectures. Now, don’t get me wrong: it actually is our responsibility to address and/or deflate all situations. What educators falsely assume is that we are called upon to rehabilitate or even reshape our students’ mentality. That, in no case, should be attempted. So, the question remains: “Where do we draw the line?”
An educator’s responsibility is to maintain order and instil knowledge. Offering emotional support or even minding students’ perspective is not. No matter how harsh this may seem – and yes, this is coming from a teacher who has always seen her students as her own children – it is blunt reality. We do not have the right, and in many cases the knowledge, to properly assess the psyche of a student. Depression, bouts of anger, frustration, and even tantrums can not only be mishandled, but such actions can be acknowledged as a violation of our authority within the confines of the classroom; issues beyond our field of practice. Addressing them, sometimes successfully thanks to decades of experience, is, however, not advisable, as the risk for misinterpretation is quite high. To put it simply: you can get into trouble for genuinely wanting to help them.
So, are we going to abandon them? Are we but passive educators who do not care about the well-being of our learners? Of course, not. Concern for our students must be exhibited through our actions. Documenting all incidents, informing management, and adhering to the school protocol, with the ultimate goal of addressing serious concerns best handled by professionals with experience i.e. psychologists or social workers, is the way to go. These actions alone, though indirect, have the potential to ameliorate precarious tensions and attitudes that would otherwise escalate to unknown heights. That is the obligation of an educator who must deal with otherwise unmanageable, yet concerning matters best addressed by specialists.
Disrespect, disengagement, and indifference are familiar challenges within our profession. “You always tell me to be quiet!”, “I’m not the only one doing it!”, “It’s not fair! You like Maria better than me!” are but a few examples of the whiplash we have received during our careers. Perhaps most troubling is complete disengagement of students who view our lessons as a waste of their time; their parents ‘forcing’ them to attend class as they begrudgingly comply.
It is in these trying times we must discover what motivates them and what gives purpose to their attendance; inspire them to reach their true potential and take command of their learning process. This is not an easy feat, mind you; however, most students will, in turn, reciprocate and make a genuine attempt to follow your lead when they feel you are truly invested in their learning.
Classroom management and behaviour de-escalation cannot be fully addressed within the confines of a single article. If, however, this reflection has shifted your perspective even slightly, then we are one step closer to supporting our students in class; even if they resist us. Just remember, you have the power to help them, they do not yet have the power to help themselves.
Katherine Reilly 