How To Encourage Difficult Students Smart Classroom Management
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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