How do you handle challenging students?
What will you do if your student doesn't know or may not be able to answer your question?
Will you punish and reprimand your student?
Will you also understand why they're a challenging student after all?
As a teacher, we knew that there are diverse students. Even if we're not yet in the field, we already knew how different each one of us is. That is why, as a teacher, we should broaden our understanding and patience toward our students. We should also know how to handle our emotions in terms of handling students because honestly, everyday students will test how far our emotion and patience holds. May they do it intentionally or not?
As a Math teacher, I know some of my students have a hard time with this subject. And honestly, almost all of them hated the subject. The reason I see to it is that they will like the subject I handled. I'm just sad because some of my students don't know how to operate multiplication, the basic Math. Sometimes, I. Order for them to understand, I used our mother tongue and I need to use my hands for them like counting basics. It's hard for me because it made me and my topics to be discussed slow down. I can't just hop into the next topic if they don't know the current. But how am I supposed to do that if the first topic seems hard for them?
Grade 10 students should know Basic Math at that stage. But seems they don't because they don't even know or memorized the multiplication table and even doing an addition operation was hard for them. When it was our time, at Elementary, Grade 2, we already knew how to multiply. But then, no matter what happens, I don't have the right to judge the students. True, I talked to them about why they don't know or memorized multiplication and they're just bowing their heads. They know that if someone talked back with no respect will make me angry but I never had experienced getting angry in front of them though.
Therefore, I made some tasks for them every morning during our class. I told them that every morning, I will call someone and I'll ask them to answer a basic multiplication problem. If they can't answer, that student will stand for the whole duration of the class. I even joked at them that they might complain to me to Tulfo but they just laugh and said 'No, sir!'. And glad that they accept the tasks. It's my kind of way for them to practice multiplication. Because if I'll give them time one by one on memorizing it in front of the class, it will take time, and may not be able for me to continue with the topic in the said session. And that task also will help them to realize to practice because I know that no one would like to stand the whole duration of the class. It's been 2 weeks already since I did the said task for them every morning and seems it's effective.
One thing I noticed with my students was their retention thinking. They seem active and good learners this week but next week, they'll forget the lesson and if I asked them they can't answer. Sometimes, I asked myself if I am an effective teacher or not. But during my class discussion, they were so active and cooperative. In short, my class is fun and productive because of its outputs. That is why I asked them why they forgot the previous topic and some answered that they don't like Math. And their reasons? They just forgot, though not all of them. They can't catch up easily and they just liked the subject when I am their teacher already. But it's not a good explanation that I want to hear from them because it's like they're complaining about their previous teacher. That's why I didn't ask whom instead, I told them that I'll help them like the subject. It's hard really, especially since they're not even good with the basics. At this stage in high school, they should master it already but what I can do?
The one that I think is the reason or factor why my students are so challenging ones because of the previous two years of modular class. We can't 100% connect to them because of the internet connection and the module will still need of explanation from the teacher. Admit it or not, even we who studied before, need our teacher's guidance and teaching about the books and handouts that they gave to us. That's why I felt sad for my students who are having a hard time with my subject. That's why as much as possible, I made my lesson simple. I won't go to more complex if I saw that there was no improvement from them.
I don't want to scare them as their Math teacher. That's why every time they got mistaken with my questions, I will give them another chance. And also regarding giving assignments, I told them it was okay to ask and copy his/her classmate's answers but... But he/she MUST know what was the answer because I will call someone to answer on the board and explain. And if he can't explain why he answered correctly and how he/she got the process and answer, he/she will have 0 points for the assignment same with the person he/she copied into. Why I did let them do that? Because I want to apply the peer tutoring. If they will do so with their assignments, they will surely help each other in getting the answer and both will learn. I don't want to be strict with them about their assignment in my subject because Math needs a helping hand in terms of learning. Each one of them will help the other. I learned it when I was in college when my major classmates help each other with our assignments. And would you believe it? One of our professors made our examination an assignment. He gave us only 5 questions for it and we answered them all. We did a brainstorm on getting the correct answer because it was hard. And that's what I want for my students, to help each other learn from each other.
I'm optimistic that doing so, not scaring my students, will help them love the subject. I mean, they will think of me as a not terror teacher and they will love to engage in my class. But that doesn't mean that I won't discipline them. I still see to it that there's a superior in my voice for them to know that if they made me not like what they're doing, there will be consequences for their behavior.
TEACH WITH CARE AND NOT TO SCARE.
----> Teacher Jeff👨🏫