Both parents in Tammy’s family have demanding jobs. Tammy’s father works as a pie and cookie chef at the local bread factory, starting his day at 5:00 a.m. and returning home by 3:00 p.m.
Tammy’s mother is a sales manager at one of the clothing stores in the mall. She takes care of all the children before they go to school and then heads to work from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. However, she usually manages to be home in time to say goodnight to her kids.
This family consists of five children with various ages and educational levels.
Richard, aged six years old, currently attends first grade.
Barbara, who is nine years old, is in fourth grade.
Allen, sixteen years old, is a high school sophomore.
Diana is fourteen years old and struggles with learning disabilities resulting from a brain injury she experienced when she was three years old (Heward, 2009).
These disabilities affect her ability to listen, think, speak, read, write,
spell or do mathematics effectively. Consequently,
Diana has always been placed in special needs classrooms.
This year, Diana will be placed in a general classroom with 8th graders at the middle school. It is well-documented that students with learning disabilities tend to have more behavioral problems (Cullinan, 2007). Diana’s sister Tammy also attends the same middle school and has noticed that her sister is different from both her and the other students. Whenever someone teases Diana, Tammy gets into fights defending her. However, recently Tammy’s behavior has become a cause for concern. The teachers and counselors called their mom in for a meeting.
Until now, Tammy has always been respectful towards teachers and had good relationships with others. However, for the past six weeks since school started two months ago, she has been misbehaving. Specifically, in her homeroom class she engages in verbal fights with classmates and throws objects like paper clips either at them or at the wall.Tammy has become secluded at school, choosing to have lunch only with Diana and then guiding her to her next class. Furthermore, she consistently arrives late to most classes without giving any reasons and displays a resentful and gloomy demeanor towards her teachers. Even though discussions have been held with Tammy’s homeroom teacher and P.E. teacher regarding her conduct, there has been no improvement in her attitude or actions. After school, the teachers gather together to address disruptive behaviors and devise a plan. They decide that each student, including Tammy, will individually meet with their teachers to talk about and potentially adjust the rules and procedures in their homeroom.
The availability of one of Tammy’s teachers during homeroom time allows for discussions regarding classroom procedures and rules. This particular teacher does not have a designated homeroom but is dedicated to addressing disruptive behaviors exhibited by students. These behaviors include deliberate acting out in classes, engaging in verbal fights with peers, and throwing items within the classroom. Additionally, other concerning behaviors involve arriving late to class without a valid reason, lack of participation or work during class time, being withdrawn and sullen, defiance towards authority figures, as well as displaying disrespect when communicating with both teachers and peers. The teacher acknowledges that both she and her colleagues have been unsuccessful in effectively teaching the students.
She sets out on a quest to gain the necessary skills for effectively teaching and establishing an engaging, stimulating, well-run, and safe learning environment for middle school students. Certain students may struggle with the curriculum and lesson plans, leading to disinterest and possibly disruptive conduct. Moreover, different learning styles along with family and environmental factors can contribute to disruptive behaviors among students (Heward, 2009). These disruptive behaviors impede students’ personal, social, and educational development.
The occurrence of disruptive behaviors in the classroom results in disciplinary consequences. This, in turn, leads to the establishment of acceptable classroom rules and procedures. The effectiveness of the teacher in managing the classroom greatly influences the students’ ability to learn. A well-managed classroom is characterized by having a clear focus on tasks and predictable outcomes. Effective teaching begins by instructing students on following the classroom rules and procedures during the early weeks of school (Gibbs, 2011). At the middle school, each homeroom class has defined their own set of classroom rules and procedures, with Tammy assisting her own class in their development. Due to her disruptive behavior in most classes, Tammy’s teachers have decided to utilize Canter’s three-step behavior management cycle to help her address these issues and develop a sense of responsibility for her actions. Canter’s three-step “Behavior Management Cycle” is a theoretical framework that provides guidance on handling children’s disciplinary matters (Canter, 1992).
- I. Verbally behavior: effectively communicate the explicit directions you expect students to follow.
- II. Physical movement: use behavior narrative to support students following your direction, (students following classroom rules and procedures are to be praise).
- III. Participation: take corrective action with students who are still not following the classroom’s rules and procedures.
Not all consequences have to be negative or harsh, as is the case with Tammy. When dealing with young adults, it is important to establish a rapport, which is the key factor that can change a teenage student’s reluctance to be controlled into a willingness to be guided. Tammy’s teacher calls her outside of her homeroom class and once they are in the hallway and away from her peers, he explains the rules to her orally. These rules were developed by Tammy and her peers in order to eliminate disruptive behavior in the classroom, and they also include corrective actions or consequences for students who do not follow the rules and procedures. Tammy is reminded about her verbal abuse towards her teachers and classmates, and her teacher asks her why she throws paper clips and other items in the classroom, as well as why she no longer participates in class discussions or turns in completed homework assignments.
There are concerns regarding your recent tardiness and change in behavior. It is important that you address your attitude and avoid negative behavior towards others. You must understand the potential harm caused by throwing objects in the classroom and stop doing it right away. Moreover, speaking out and engaging in conflicts with peers disrupts the class and violates established rules. Previously, you were always on time for class and completed assignments punctually with great attention to detail. Your classmates considered you a friendly and pleasant student.
All your teachers have noticed changes in your behaviors. You are expected to change your attitude and behaviors. There should be no more disrespectful talk to your teachers or peers, and there will be no fighting in the halls or bathrooms. You will need to get to classes on time and follow the directions to complete your class assignments. Your parents have received a letter, and if necessary, a meeting with a counselor and your parents will be arranged.
Tammy is a preteen in middle school with an older sister who has a learning disability but should be in high school. Diana is a special needs student who is being integrated into general classes.
Tammy’s newfound awareness of her sister’s learning disability and the teasing she endures has sparked a protective instinct within her. She is determined to confront the students who tease Diana, disregarding her sister’s reassurance that it doesn’t bother her. However, after speaking with her teacher, Tammy’s disruptive behavior came to an end. The teacher organized a meeting involving Tammy, Diana, their parents, and the school counselor to address the underlying cause of Tammy’s actions. It is important to understand what motivates a person in order to comprehend both rational and irrational behaviors (Aveyard-Barry, 2013). As a result of this intervention, Tammy has become a pleasant student. She no longer accompanies Diana to her classroom and instead ensures she arrives on time to her own. Tammy no longer feels the need to take care of her sister and has let go of any resentment or anger. Now, she is a happy 12-year-old attending middle school and thoroughly enjoying both her education and time spent with peers. To further illustrate the effectiveness of this behavior management approach, I substitute for various classes but aspire to teach high school Mathematics in the future.
References
- Aveyard-Barry, M., (2013), What Are the Causes of Behavior in a Classroom? www.ehow.com/print/info_7929261_causes-behavior-classroom
- Canter, L., Canter, M. (1976), Assertive Discipline: A Take-Charge Approach for Today’s Educator, p 72, 73.
- Gibbs, N., (2011), Workable Classroom and Procedures, Building Classroom Discipline, tenth edition, Ch. 6, p 106-111, http//gcumedia. com/digital-resources/pearson/2011/building-classroom-discipline_ebook_10e.php.
- Heward, W., (2009), Ohio State University, Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, ninth edition, p 173, 185. What Are The Steps of Canter’s Behavior Management Cycle wiki.answers.com/Q/What_Are_The_Steps_of Canter’s_Behavior_Management_Cycle?
- Sarvesh, Motivation And Behavior, www.motivation.com.in/motivation-and-behavior.html
