After reviewing several different cases of child behavioral problems and a few websites on the specific topic, I think that the number one thing that I learned from all of it is that there is rarely just a truly "bad" kid. Sure some act out more than others, but sometimes the reason for them acting out is more than a teacher might notice at first glance. Having trouble with the kid that continuously talks in your class? Telling him to be quiet won't always work. Isolating him from his peers is not the best option. Digging deeper than punishments will. Knowing why he talks will help you. Talking for attention and talking to be rude are two completely different situations that need to be handled in two completely different ways. When the child is talking for attention, giving him even less attention by moving him away will not work. When a child is talking to be rude however, that is when you move him away. And this technique does not only stand for the talkative ones. We all know the kid who has a smart mouth. The kid who always feels the need to one-up the other students or even sometimes the teacher. Now, everyone thinks "oh he is so annoying". And yes, maybe that aspect of his personality is annoying, but there is a reason he feels the need to one-up, or be better, or always be right. And that could be because he feels unable to achieve academically the way others can, or that he feels little power in his life. Thinking that he is annoying and disregarding what he says may seem like the easy thing to do, but being a teacher is not easy. Being a teacher is more than just simply teaching. To me, being a teacher stretches as far as changing lives. As a teacher, I would want to make that talkative kid feel appreciated, wanted, and give him attention; I would want to make the smart mouthed kid feel powerful, feel like he CAN, and give him what he needs to succeed. These are just a few examples from the research that I have done, and I think that they are good ones. I think that this topic is underappreciated and I think that it is getting more and more common to just continuously punish a child and move on without going deeper, getting to know the child, and truly helping that child move onto better things and ultimately be a better person in the future.
McComas, J. (2018, January 02). How To Deal With Childhood Problem Behavior - UMN CEHD. Retrieved December 12, 2018,
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