After working for two years in the corporate world. Fate took its own turn and I landed in an interview room in front of the selection committee. Eventually, I joined that school as an English Educator.
From the first day, I noticed the way the students in the room and also their discomfort. I was very excited to face the students. I was excited to think that I was no longer a beginner, having entertained many retards for almost 14 months, working as a back-end executive in an American KPO.
In the following days, I was able to distinguish the different categories of students. In the next few months, I saw a certain group of students who were mediocre students but very naughty and rude. His bad behavior always resulted in tears from teachers. They were too troublesome to handle. At first, I started giving them physical punishment and, to a certain extent, they remained under control. But then I found out that the problem was solved and in my absence they would go back to their own ways. I sat and scratched my head for days. I failed miserably.
Then something hit my mind. I thought that I should stay in the status of a student or I should go back to my school days. If I did the same thing, which would result in punishment, how do I want to be treated? Then, in the back of my mind, he said that I should have been treated courteously. So, I decided I’m going to do the same. So the next time I found a wayward student, I confronted him, put him at ease, and counseled him. I encouraged him, praised him for no reason and little by little I saw the change. Here are some tips, which I would like to share with the entire teaching fraternity:
1. Treat them like your own younger brothers and sisters or sons and daughters, and be patient as you would have been with your loved ones.
2. They are the most coercive group and they needed our love and sympathy.
3. Praise them for no reason and let them earn your trust.
4. Assign them the tasks and make them realize their potential.
5. Make them feel special and unique.
6. Take some time to talk to them individually and personally and let the conversation be informal. Slowly and slowly they will open up to you.
7. Once they open up, make them realize that you are more than just a teacher to them. You can do this by talking to them over and over and reminding them of their parents’ contribution.
8. Assure them that they will discuss their problems or complaints, whether against their colleagues, and assure them of all possible help. But, guide them and remove the myth that some teacher was against them and it can be done by talking to them in a polite way.
9. Reward them for their good deeds. You may end up spending pennies on them.
10. Try to create emotional bonds by assuring them that you will also solve their personal problems.
I tried them with my students for the last three years of my teaching career and I’m still the same. Believe me, I got tremendous results. And I dealt with the most troublesome students from my previous school and was lucky enough to guide them to the category of decent students. My classmates from the previous school were amazed at the results.
Remember that they are like the wings of butterflies, very delicate if we handle them carefully they can fly higher and travel kilometers but at the same time if they break they will never be able to fly.
The author is currently working as PGT English at Aligarh Modern School, Aligarh.