How to deal with these students

Philippines
November 28, 2011 7:20am CST
If you are very kind, they will abuse your kindness. If you are strict they will call you a very bad teacher. I don't really understand my students right now. I don't like them to call me a very bad teacher when I'm not doing anything bad to them. I want them to learn to learn that is why I am strict to them. If I am so kind to them, they will not obey and respect me. They always want you to give them hints always during exams. I don't like it. i want them to learn not just relying on the hint but they don't understand it.. I felt so tired with them. It is so good to quit teaching them already. What should I do to them? or how would I deal to them?
12 responses
• United States
28 Nov 11
You have to learn a good balance between being strict and being nice. You have to know that you arent there to be your students friend. And also you are above them because you are a teacher. You should not be helping them during exams because that does not teach them anything all that it does is teach them to not know anythign at all and to think that they will always have someone there to give them the answers to everything. The think is to teach them from there mistakes on the exam after you grade them and see where the class is having trouble. It might also help if you try to find some fun ways for htem to learn that might also help them learn things better. Dont give up just try your best to find a good balance.
@chrisding (141)
• China
29 Nov 11
I believe that you are a good teacher.But it is truth that hard to deal with the students though i am not a teacher.I think that you can be strict to them when you are in school,but leave school you can be kind to them.
• Philippines
29 Nov 11
I have been a teacher and I felt the same way.I think, you just have to do what is right, what is in the rules/policy. Whatever bad things they tell or call you, just teach and do what is right. It's for their future and someday, they will realize that you are right and will be thankful to you.
• Philippines
29 Nov 11
Just think about your passion for teaching before you quit. It's always a test for you that you must overcome especially that your calling is into teaching. Have faith and ask guidance from above to lead you. I see that you have he dilemma on teaching strategies. Maybe it would be better to have an experiment first to know the most effective teaching style you may use in terms of dealing these kind of students....GOodluck on your career and never give up!
• Nagpur, India
29 Nov 11
After going through your question I came across the fact that you are facing a dilemma. Whether to take an action or whether to make use of words by giving warning instructions to the student. Also it is very clear that the reactions of the students are completely yours and this is what you feel, or this is what you are going through as far as your mind is concerned with respect to your students. In short this is your state of mind with respect to your students. But it might also be possible that there might be an incident from the past because of which the students have decided not to follow your set of instructions. There might be something that might have had happened in the past because of which you might have reacted quite a lot which according to students might not be the right way. In short there must be a connecting link that which is from the past because of which the students are not reciprocating to you in the way in which you want, so the best way is to try to sort out the whole issue step by step. If there is any one particular student who is willing or eager to follow what you say then that makes your side strong and you can then start the process of trying to know what others students think about you and act accordingly.
@jackgone (50)
• China
29 Nov 11
hello,good teacher.i saw your risk now.here is the tip.so i am back the high school,i am a very good student.whatever my teacher did to me,she is alway a good teacher in my heart.but not all of the students are like me.then i figure that i should do something to change the other students' attitude.but i just a student and there is nothing i can do about it.finally,a new teacher's coming change my thought.from his exprience i can see that a ture good teacher can make student like him just like one of their student.seh sometimes is kind but when we did fault she blamed us with a way which stands in a way of one's friend.she always told us the future society and let us know many things that we did not know in the past.she also care us in the life.what she did let us cry.we all like her forever.i think a teacher is not only teach us the knowledge,but show her love.thanks.hope you be the one soon.it is just my view.
@celticeagle (159167)
• Boise, Idaho
29 Nov 11
Can't you find a happy medium. COme down to their level alittle. Ofcourse you want them to learn and you want them to respect you. Don't communicate to them, communicate with them. I think kids enjoy a discussion more that a speech. Get what I mean? People are people.
@GemmaR (8517)
28 Nov 11
It is up to you as their teacher to be able to get the balance right between being a friend and being a teacher. Because you want to be popular with them, you are more likely to be nice to them and they'll just think that you're being friendly. However, because of this, they will start to think that they can get things from you that they couldn't get from other teachers like exam answers and things like that. You need them to know that you want to help them, but you're not there to be their friend while they're at school.
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
29 Nov 11
As I look back to my school years, one of the teachers that I remember the most, and I felt taught me the most, is one that was very strict with us. He had dots on the floor where our desk legs must be, he insisted that we have our names on our papers before the tardy bell ever rang, and as soon as he walked into the classroom, we had to recite the 8 parts of speech...noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, conjunction, interjection, preposition...yep, I still remember them, and in the order we were taught. He didn't take any misbehavior or disrespect in his classroom, he made sure to that he maintained control and we paid attention. None of liked his rules at the time, but soon after high school, most of us realized jusst how much he really did teach us. On the other hand, another very memorable teacher I had would laugh and joke right along with us, and even accept being the butt of some of our jokes. She made class very fun, and we all looked forward to going there everyday. She would put up with many of the students asking her for help on tests and quizzes, but she would always tell them that she already knew the answers, and the tests weren't designed to find out what she knew, just what she may need to work on more. That was enough for those students to ease up. We learned a lot from her through the years, and, I, for one, have taken a lot of what she taught with me, and even passed it on to my kids. What I am telling you, is that as long as you, as a teacher, are doing your job to TEACH your students, and you look at those students as people who will remember you for years to come, and will take the knowledge that you give them when they leave your classroom, it really doesn't matter whether you are leinient or strict...although... I do feel that the best of teachers not only command respect, they also give it, they are there for their students when the student may need a little extra help, or even someone to talk to, they do their very best to really teach those students not only the particular subject material, but also how to grow and learn and push themselves to do their very best in life. They use those tests as more than just a tool to grade the students, but to also grade themselves, and they are always positive and encouraging...quick to point out the good things, and slow to criticize.
@shskumbla (3338)
• India
28 Nov 11
I also found the same students here. When the teacher is very strict, the students call with their own name(nick name)to the teachers. And also they make fun of teachers calling loudly from back. In the class , some students make hindrance when the teacher is taking class by making some noises. If the teacher is not strict, the students make bad use of it. In exam., they do not know how to write even simple letters, but copy the answer from the book.
@Mashnn (4501)
28 Nov 11
Try not to worry about this, students are hard to understand. The best thing is to stick what is right no matter what they say about you. Don't be moved by their bad comments.
@Aja103654 (5646)
• Philippines
28 Nov 11
you know, you have to remember that 'you can't please everyone' bad teacher or good teacher? whatever they call you, as long as you are doing what is right and good for them, do it. besides, student don't always approve of their teachers, they just don't realize yet what you are doing for their sakes. be patient, that always comes with being a teacher. it's no walk in the park. how you deal with them? be strict and kind at the same time, that will confuse them. they would want to be friends with you but also scared to disobey or displease you.