The Kid Whisperer Podcast Featuring Scott Ervin and Pat Kiely: Episode 27
Topics in this episode include:
I am just starting my educator journey, and I have trouble with the kids listening to my directions. When I tell them to do something, they don't listen and disobey, continuing their negative behavior. I have tried to copy what the other aftercare educators do, but the kids don't seem to care about my authority. I am also a first-year college student, but so are half of my coworkers. I don't want to yell and need to find a loving strategy. I am having trouble figuring out how to handle this. I am not sure if this has to do with finding a balance between friend and authority, but that might be an issue. I need to have a calm, respectful environment where the children are obedient, helping them to stay safe (ie: no running up the slides or fighting). Overall, I just want to be a good teacher and do a great job, but this problem is frustrating me.
I have 2 boys in my classroom who make sounds frequently throughout the day. They also have a hard time sitting remotely still. I don't require students to sit still, but they are well above that. It's very distracting to others. We have tried DLOs, although I am not an expert myself at them yet. Both boys are very smart and do well academically. Before my question, here's some background:
Boy A has very supportive parents. He shows signs of ADHD, but he has not been diagnosed and has not been medicated. His parents are aware and are hesitant, understandably, to medicate him. He appears happy-go-lucky, and nothing seems to faze him.
Boy B was born with drug affection and is on meds to help him function. His mother has also been helpful and supportive. She is also unsure of how to handle this.
Boy A doesn't seem to want to act the way he does, but it happens anyway. I'm not sure about boy B. How do I deal with these behaviors that are off and on all day long? When during the day should they practice DLOs, and for long?How do I get my teenage son to stop being so hard on himself? He is a great kid, and he gives it his all with everything he tries. But when the outcome doesn't go the way he hoped (basketball try-outs, tests at school, etc.) he takes it so personally and blames himself. I want him to be able to learn and grow from these losses, but it breaks my heart to see him so sad. How can I help him to handle this better?