Attention addiction

5 Stars

Add to My Folder

By Paul Dix – behaviour specialist

Disruptive behaviour can be very distracting for you and your class and cost you precious teaching time. Paul Dix provides ways to deal with attention-seeking children without neglecting your class

Disruptive behaviour

Spending a disproportionate amount of time dealing with children who persistently disrupt is not fair. It is not fair on the rest of the children; those who come every day, work diligently and follow the rules deserve so much more. It is also not fair on ‘Kyle’ who is chewing the curtains in anger; he needs to learn that what may work outside school does not work inside it. He needs to learn it quickly, before labels form and attitudes become entrenched.

You are not going to ‘solve’ the behaviour of children who enjoy breaking the rules by punishing them. Confrontation and shouts make Kyle feel important – you need to teach him that these behaviours don’t work in the classroom, and wean him off the attention addiction. You must do this with some skilled teaching of new behaviours.