How would you fix this?

[EdEd]

Originally Posted by Peregrin5

But only if it is intentionally given I think. If a kid thinks he has power over you when you don't want him to, he is probably going to use it to his advantage to simply feel the sensation of having someone under your thumb or another analogy is throwing rocks to create a bigger splash. Kids want to get that reaction from you so they'll keep pushing your buttons to get a larger reaction.

If you intentionally give control to a student, you are not really giving them control. You are allowing them the freedom to make their own decisions but you always have the option to rescind that control if things get out of hand.

I agree, but I think an apology done tactfully would be intentional - or at least it could be, and that's how I would intend it to be.

[stargirl]

Personally, I don't see any reason for you to apologize. Yes, you let the student get to you, but that's what he was looking for! He was deliberately trying to be provocative. Students will do that and sometimes it shocks us into a knee jerk reaction. To make a big deal out of it only ends up feeding into that, rather than cutting it off. It didn't seem to me like you said/did anything offensive in your response.

[Linguist92021]

So it seems the problem solved itself. I subbed for the history teacher today. This class, like I said lately has been just awful, for just about every teacher, for quite awhile.
Today they were wonderful! Well, yes, I had some students who chatted a little, but no big deal, and no disrespect nor defiance. This particular student was quiet, no problems at all, but he didn't ignore me either, we made eye contact a few times, and it was perfectly normal.

I talked to the English teacher (the whole thing happened in his class). He said he was telling the students that I'll be subbing for him for 2 weeks. Get this: this student told him that their class will be the best class out of all of them for the whole time
Sounds good to me.

I think he may have reflected on this. The interesting thing is that in history they're covering World War II, and next week or so they'll be covering the Holocaust.

Isn't it amazing how things turn out?
But all of this wasn't for nothing - I did learn a lot from this experience.

[TeacherGroupie]

Sounds good, Linguist!

[Linguist92021]

Today was interesting. It was my first day of the 2 weeks I'm subbing for the same English teacher. This student was very attentive, offered to pass thing out, participated and was respectful. He sat right upfront, and out of all the times I've been in that classroom, he has never done that.
The class wasn't the best, there are some chatters in there, and some with naturally loud voices, but he was not part of of that. They were still much better than they were in other times.
A lot of the students had some attitudes about me in the past (who knows why, these things come and go), but that has also stopped.
This whole incident will remain a mystery. These kids are so unpreductable, but that's why I love them