Sometimes it's also to get you off-balance!

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Home : 2005 : May : 10

Sometimes it's also to get you off-balance!
By Carol

Annon,

Your absolutely right that some students act up just to get attention. There is an old sub adage: Detention for Attention. But, I have also found, that some kids intentionally act up to get you to loose your
temper so that you will either give-up or slip up.
They are the control freaks who don't like the way your doing things. They could care less about your attention. They actually wish you'd just go away and never come back again (the sooner the better); unless your willing to do things their way . Yes they are manipulators with control issues but they know, from years of experience,

that if they act obnoxious enough, they can usually get their way.

Years ago a sub next door to me (I was a long term sub at the time.) left her 4th grade class unattended and came running into my room for help. She was in tears and they were having a good old time at her expense. She went home and the principal ended up showing the kids a movie for the rest of the day. See how it works!

And if they can't physically drive you away then they bank on you getting so frustrated and upset that you will do or say something to compromise yourself. Then they can effectively and efficiently shift the blame onto you.

Remember that an emotional outburst from a child is understandable (they are immature) but not from a sub. If you raise your voice then the controlling student will say that you yelled at them and scared them. See how that works. And you'll eventually get excluded because you got a few too many kids upset. Remember the principal/teacher has to put up with the bad seed(s)180 days whether they want to or not. You they can replace. Problem solved for now.

Some do want approval but not from you. They want to win the approval of their classmates by getting you so distracted that the rest of the class can get away with all kinds of things while your occupied with them. While your trying to deal with the class misfit or class clown, the other kids are doing everything from talking to stealing classroom treats right out from under your distracted nose.

In middle school and high school the other kids will steal or hide lesson plans/seating charts, teacher answer keys, teacher manuals, lesson plans, money, and what-ever else they can get their hands on while your distracted. You need to be aware that not all acting out is for your attention it much more complicated than that and has everything to do with control. Be very careful.

Just my thoughts.

Carol