You're an elementary teacher in a self-contained classroom. You've got a class of 29 lively sixth graders, and you've been struggling all year with classroom management. Damien, a larger than average boy, seems to resist your efforts at every turn.
You like science and have tried to provide concrete, hands-on science activities whenever you can. You've been debating whether or not to do a fun activity on chemical changes where students actually test different "mystery powders" (for example, sugar, salt, and baking soda) with different liquids like water and vinegar. You decide to go ahead with it and strategically place Damien up toward the front of the room where you can watch him. In addition, you pair him with Katie, one of your more responsible female students. Everything is going well until you go to the back of the room to answer a question and hear a student shriek, "Damien!" As you rush to the front of the room, you see Katie holding her eye as a mixture of vinegar and baking soda drips down her cheek. Damien is sitting there with a guilty look on his face. As you rush the crying Katie to the office, you wonder if you should have handled the science lab differently.
To what extent are you responsible for the actions of students like Damien?
Really, the teacher should not be held responsible for Damien's behavior. Most of the time students who act out have been taught how to behave in a classroom; however they ignore these lessons. The teacher should not be held accountable when the majority of the class is capable of following directions and acting in an appropriate manner.
The scenario states the teacher is having classroom management problem all year. Two, a student name Damien, has been resisting her—she is aware of his defiance with this class. Three, even though debating an exercise, she choose to go forward; she wanted to do the assignment—never ask the class. Fourth, place Damien in front of the class to watch him better and then went in the back to attend to another student, leaving Damien unattended. Fifth, place another child in harms was by believing he good reputation would win over Damien better instead of the teacher or a teacher’s aid watching the class. I see many things that could have been done differently.
As the teacher, you have a responsibility for the actions of all your students to some extent. It's important to establish a positive and structured classroom environment that promotes appropriate behavior and actively manage any disruptive behavior throughout the year. However, it is also essential to recognize that students are individuals with their own agency and personal responsibility, and some students may present greater challenges in terms of behavior management than others.
In the case of Damien, it seems that you have taken steps to address his behavior by strategically placing him near the front of the room where you can closely monitor him and pairing him with a responsible student like Katie. These proactive measures demonstrate that you are aware of the challenges Damien poses and are actively trying to mitigate them.
However, it's also important to remember that accidents can happen even with the best precautions in place. In this specific situation, Damien's actions resulted in an unfortunate incident where Katie got hurt. While it's natural to question whether the science lab activity could have been handled differently, it's essential to approach such incidents as learning opportunities for everyone involved.
As an elementary teacher, it's important to reflect on your classroom management strategies regularly and consider adjustments that might better meet the needs of all your students, including those with more challenging behaviors. This could involve seeking additional support from colleagues, administrators, or specialists who may have expertise in behavior management or providing differentiated instruction to address individual students' needs.
Remember that in any classroom, it is a collaborative effort involving the teacher, students, parents, and the school community as a whole to create a conducive learning environment. Open communication and a proactive approach to addressing and managing challenging behaviors can help create a positive and productive classroom atmosphere.