Assuming you’re following the SCM approach to transforming difficult students, there are two powerful ways you can encourage them along their journey.
But first, it’s important to note that if you stray from these two and instead let your emotions get the better of you, you risk slowing down or even reversing their progress.
It’s best to err on the side of caution when speaking to your most challenging students. In other words, less is more.
What follows are these two ways.
1. Real Praise
One of the best things you can do for difficult students is put a stop to the years of false praise they’ve been showered with—which is a form of labeling that very effectively tells them that they’re different and unable to control themselves.
Instead, you will only give real praise. Meaning, you’ll point out legitimate improvement over time. Not a good hour or even a good day. Your praise must be in response to actual leveling up of behavior.
It’s the kind of praise/feedback that the student is already experiencing on the inside. They can feel it. You’re just pointing it out.
- “You’ve done well over the past week. Way to go.”
- “I’ve noticed your progress. Keep it up.”
- “Your behavior has been very good lately.”
That’s it. Simple. Matter-of-fact. Don’t be effusive or over-the-top. Tell them the truth, nothing more.
When the words come from someone they respect and admire and who has proven trustworthy, it means the world to them—because they know it’s real. They know it’s different and based on the truth they can feel reverberating in their heart.
It’s the kind of praise they’ll crave to hear from you again and again.
2. Real Words
By following SCM principles, your difficult students will experience healthy inner tumult. Because they’re being challenged for the first time, forced to choose a better path.
Which is exactly what they need.
However, it can be a rough road. It can feel good, certainly, but it can also make them feel unsteady and torn between forks in the road. A few pointed words from you in the midst of their struggle can be just the encouragement they need.
But again, you can’t be emotional. Your words and tone mustn’t be babyish or condescending. Remember, they’ve heard it all before. Therefore, don’t listen to your heart. It isn’t helpful. Only real words are.
- “I believe in you.”
- “You can do this.”
- “I’m with you every step of the way.”
You have to believe what you say. Difficult students can spot a phony a mile away. They can see sappy and gooey false praise based on not much from left field. Oh gosh, here comes Mr. Smith and his dumb smile.
If you believe they can change and be regular, well-behaved, contributing members of your class, then your words will pack a punch.
Predictability
All students respond predictably to expert classroom management, including your most challenging. After you set the right (SCM) conditions and employ the right strategies, it can come quickly for most difficult students.
But not all.
The prickly pears need you to never give up on them. They need you desperately to see it through for their long-term future, regardless of how long it takes.
If you’re relentless, if you’re disciplined enough not to waver or stray off into the disaster of false praise, behavior contracts, rewards, admonishments, PBIS nonsense, and the like, you’ll trigger a change in them no one believed was possible.
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I had the privelge of teaching spec. ed last year, I never spoke to my students as “special” – they are humans, they have emotions, intelligence and can function in society. We did weekly shopping trips, used public transit, they looked for groceries, helped scan the products in self-checkout, and made their chosen dish using the purchased ingredients later in the week. Two students were comfortable using public from work or to school thanks to our weekly trips. Whether they live in a group home, or on their own, these students needed to learn how to function in society.
The principal used to come to the class occasionally and speak down to the students, as if they couldn’t function or think on their own, it felt demeaning to them, and this is someone who was head of the school!
I’m almost a year in to implementing SCM in my classroom. We’re currently 5 weeks into the school year. There is a student in my class that has been labeled a difficult student and to be sure, he is. But by sticking to this strategy and others from the website the student has started to show progress. He slept half the day for the first three weeks. Cursed and gave middle fingers multiple times a day. Up out his seat and blurting. So he received many timeouts and letters home, paired with parent contact (that included facts only, no judgement) . All the while I’ve remained pleasant when enforcing consequences. He hasn’t slept in class in almost two weeks now. Hasn’t cursed in almost a week. Still doesn’t do much work during lessons but I’ve refrained from false praise many times. It’s hard because it’s so engrained in teacher training. I’m excited to give some genuine praise in the coming weeks as the trend continues. Using these strategies has made it much easier to see the wonderful person he is and can become.
I have a student who has a response to everything. Tipping the table? Please put it down. Why? I didn’t get hurt. See? Get out your Chromebook. It’s broken. Well, the battery is low, I don’t have a charge cord, it’s not in my back pack, oh! Here it is! I’m not going to do the work anyway. Shouting out every other minute. Parents are non-responsive. I religiously use SCM and it works 99% of the time. I can’t seem to gain a foothold with this child. Ideas?
Wow insightful thank you
It was worth the read just to hear someone call PBIS “nonsense”. That made my day. At some point, someone has to tell the employer he’s wearing no clothes.
I have a %50 contract with another teacher where I teach 2.5 days and she teaches the other 2.5 days. It’s a challenging group. I ‘m 5 yrs. in to using the SCM approach with good results. I referred my co- teacher to this website , the classroom mgmt plan etc. but for various reasons she feels using a PBIS rewards system model will work better for her. Michael has mentioned how these systems eventually fail and that’s been my experience (not to mention the long term negative results of rewards). Her decision made me reflect on the fact that many of us teachers were subject to rewards systems, side talks, public scolding etc. as students ourselves. These ideas are familiar to us and thus somewhat comfortable. It can be difficult to ‘undo what was done to us’ and the school experience is no exception.
The other day my principal noticed how well the class stood in line outside the library waiting for me. “They respond differently to you than _____ don’t they?”. My situation will be an interesting case study as we continue through the school year.