How to Handle Aggressively Disrespectful Students

Comments · 59

• CH

  @charlesdavidwargo850 · 3 months ago

  I am a substitute teacher at my 12 year old daughter's school. I enjoy it about 95 percent of the time, but the disrespect can be tough. Something that helps me keep my composure when things are spiraling out of control (which can happen amazingly fast!) is always remembering this: THEY ARE BABIES. Babies with different levels of accountability, but babies nonetheless.

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• FO

  @fourseasons21 · 11 days ago (edited)

  I get what Michael is saying at the end of the video. Some of my hardest students I fell in love with more than others. <br>I do see so many teachers remain too calm, then they get stepped on more. The student is so entitled and narcissistic lacking any empathy that it&apos;s chilling. It&apos;s almost as if the teachers are enabling the abuse from the student. It&apos;s been working for the student and so they keep doing it. Yet, others are truly hurting and you can reach them. It takes a lot of discernment. <br>I&apos;d love to see the video on the consequences.

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• AN

  @anneflammini8438 · 7 months ago

  I have tried this...but honestly I just don&apos;t know how you can do this all the time. The human nervous system will react. I do my best, but when the fight or flight response kicks in (from feeling threatened), you experience feelings that will come out on some level. We can&apos;t be robots. I think students also need to learn that they impact others to some degree. However, I do try to diffuse tension always.

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• JA

  @jasonduvall9480 · 2 months ago

  This is your most powerful and heartfelt video, Michael.

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• BE

  @betsyjorgenson5153 · 3 weeks ago

  This is the Jesus response! Love it.

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• CO

  @conniewilson8506 · 3 months ago

  This is a great message. Thank you for your constant input which has helped transform my classes and helped me to go home feeling uplifted. When I speak and act with and calmness, and I remember that I have no idea what some of these students have or are experiencing, I shift to a much stronger position of compassion. I end up believing in and truly enjoying my students, which &nbsp;radically changes me. I believe it provides a much better model for them. I&apos;m very grateful.

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• JA

  @janemontgomery9228 · 4 months ago

  This is so spot on. &nbsp;I had a student like this and compassion was the only way I could connect &nbsp;with this kid. &nbsp;I saw him in other classrooms where the teacher made no connection with him, and he was constantly being sent to the office, which just strengthens his belief that he is worthless, a failure. &nbsp;But in my classroom, I built a connection and always made it a point to say a connecting hello in the hallways, and kept things super positive.<br>(This kid was in 5th grade). After a short time, he always behaved in my classroom because he knew that I understood him, he knew I would make time to see and hear him, and he grew to respect me on his own.

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• MA

  @majacapric500 · 3 months ago

  This video made me cry with my own hurt, with their own hurt, with God&apos;s love and compassion for all of us. This is true. Thank you for telling the truth.❤ Thank you for being genuine.

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• TI

  @timmartin8191 · 2 months ago

  This makes so much sense to me. I feel this is one of your most profound and eye-opening presentations .I have struggled to find an effective way to react compassionately to the young person(s) you described. This perspective will help me to push through that confusion and do the right thing. Thank you for your honest perspective, clarity, and wisdom on a seemingly unsurmountable challenge. ❤

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• HA

  @HanayoHattori-l3y · 2 months ago

  Your video gives me hope to the teaching profession. I have not developed the skills or heart you described, but can imagine I will one day. Thank you for sharing your wisdom in a clear organized way.

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• RO

  @robertdufour2456 · 5 months ago

  Such sound advice! <br>This is my 35th year teaching - 26 of them in the Bronx. When I met new teachers I have a list of advice to share. The first thing I share is, &quot; He er get offended &quot;, because students will seek to push your buttons. Second on my list is, &quot; Stay calm, most of the time what a student may say, or their recations, are not about you.

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• TJ

  @Tjcp292 · 2 months ago

  All this is true. However, it’s also true that it doesn’t help students who lack the skills to grow through their violence, hatefulness, dishonesty, and fear. We teachers can be as patient and non reactionary as possible. But it just ends up being us enduring them until they move on. Without admin support, this is just verbal &amp; sometimes physical abuse we have to endure because “they’re just kids.”

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