There are a variety of personalities and moods on any given day that teachers at all levels of education face. Young children who have not learned any better yet usually exhibit rude or disrespectful behavior. Teachers should know how to effectively respond to this behavior so that children’s attitudes can be turned around.

            A teacher should be conscious about the behavior of her pupil if it is out of the ordinary. She should attend to the situation quickly with a gentle but firm warning. If the pupil repeats the poor behavior, she should respond firmly.

            Pupils should not be allowed to undermine the teacher’s authority. That is why we should respond quickly, calmly and firmly. Tolerating rude behavior leads to harder regain control of the situation.

            In addition, enforcing classroom rules gives the teacher a reference point and a document that she can calmly and assuredly use to remind all of her pupils that rudeness is unacceptable. At the same time, taking the pupil’s rudeness personally will encourage a teacher to respond emotionally when she needs to be calm and in control.

            By modeling the behavior you want from your pupils and treating pupils with respect, we can reinforce good behavior. We should be consistently calm and polite. Just in case you have run out of your own methods, you should report ongoing rude behavior to the administrator and the parents as well.

By: Iris S. Santos | MT- I | (Bacong Elem. School) | Limay, Bataan