[Music] When students' behavior is motivated by power, they try to bait you into a power struggle or an argument. As teachers, we have a choice. We can choose to get into a power struggle, or we can choose not to. Did you notice I did not verbally react to the student's misbehavior? All I did was redirect them. See, it's my job not to escalate but to deescalate the situation. Teachers, I'm not bothering anybody. I need you to stop to be in your chair and get to work. Thanks. I'll sit back in my chair if I want to. It's a free country. Sometimes it's hard to walk away from a student when they give you an attitude, but if they're complying, which is your immediate goal, you'll want to deal with that attitude later. This is one of the best ways to keep out of power struggles in the classroom. Emily, I need you to sit down. I appreciate that you sat down, and we'll talk at recess. Telling students you'll talk with them later is not allowing them to get

away with anything you're choosing a time when they're calmer, your calmer, and you have a much better chance of actually helping them gain control over their behavior. When a defiant student tries to hook you into a verbal exchange, what are you looking at? Remember four key steps: listen and acknowledge that you've heard what the student has said, redirect the student to the task at hand, defer to a future conversation. This is stupid. Several different techniques will help you with listen, acknowledge, redirect, defer. Each of them has different strengths. Each helps you stay out of an escalating no-win power struggle. I need you to sit down.

Classroom Management and Discipline, Part III:Dealing with Difficult and Challenging Students

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