Rude Students

Technique: It may appear unbelievable, but the rude student requires change of the teacher and teacher perceptions first. Once perspective is gained the student angst and poor choice of verbalization may be addressed.

Procedures: Rudeness and question of authority typically invokes:

1. Anger because your authority has been threatened.
   
2. Rejection because the rudeness tends to make us feel inadequate.
   
3. Confusion because the incident makes us question our competence.
   
4. Anxiety about losing prestige and feeling humiliated.
   
5. Fear that other students will follow suit.

1. Your authority has been threatened if you choose to see the situation in that light and respond in a manner which validates that perception. Anger shuts off the cognitive processes, so refuse to assume any anger or view rudeness as a challenge.
   
   
2. Feeling inadequate only happens if we give permission. Many insults come our way. Those we see as challenges are those that hit a raw nerve. Ask yourself what you are upset about after calming yourself. The immediate task is to become amused that the student had the intuition to know that a statement would hit home or hurt. Then stop a moment and check your body language. Become amused again at how quickly your body took "fight/flight".
   
   
3. Accept the moment of confusion. Stop. Let 60 seconds pass. Remind yourself to get into the "adult" communication pattern. It is likely that a nonverbal response of shrugging, grimacing and shaking your head left to right and looking bemused will answer best. Taking back the class may include a humorous joke (not at student expense) whistling a few bars of lk "these are a few of my favorite things lk", or humorously singing "doo dah, dooo dah."
   
   
4. A sense of humiliation may occur. Unkindness does wound us. However, as is true with feeling inadequate, we often lend credence to the suggestion by responding in a humiliating manner. If relationship has been built in the classroom, other students will not see a loss of prestige, but will feel a sense of indignation. Focus on the need to move forward for the class and the sake of education. It may be a good time to regroup by saying. "We cannot allow ourselves to be cheated of an education by getting distracted." Pick up the lesson and go forward.
   
   
5. If other students follow suit, there is real need for assessing the strength of the learning community. Content is very important, but it may be time to move to a more community based presentation of the materials. Assess your role in the classroom as well. Are you a help to students? Can they trust you? Can you control yourself? Do you ask that students control themselves or are you attempting to "pull the strings" and failing - as all teachers must.