Question: I came across your articles in the web and I would like to seek help from you. I am teaching in one of the private schools here in Baguio. Our school admits regular students and also children with special needs. One of the problems of these teachers of children with special needs is discipline. Since students with special needs are mainstreamed with the regular students, how can teachers impose discipline particularly children with EBD (emotional/ behavioral disorder). I wanted to be prepared in case I would handle children with special needs. – Cherry Ann Malecdan

Teacher Genevieve says: Thank you for your question Teacher Cherry Ann! It is heart-warming to know that there are teachers like you who are taking the initiative to help children with special needs who are found in the regular classrooms.

I have met many teachers with discouraging attitudes towards children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), wrongly labeling these students as “hopeless,” “criminals-to-be,” and “good-for-nothing” or will “amount-to-nothing” individuals. Yes, they are a handful to handle in the regular classroom with 35 or more other students, but it is possible to get the best out of them while modeling respect for diversity, patience, and a sincere desire to reach out to every child regardless of individual differences.

DISCIPLINE for ALL

The United Nation’s Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Inclusive Education (1994) states that “regular schools adopting inclusion effectively combat discriminatory attitudes. These become the training ground for a people-oriented society that respects both the differences and the dignity of all human beings.”

Children with EBDs pose a challenge to traditional ways of enforcing classroom discipline. Even for seasoned teachers, they soon find out that time-tested methods of managing their students fail with the presence of a child with EBD in their classroom. However, with the right attitude and belief in every child’s potential to learn and become, teachers can turn out to be one of the best advocates for the child with special needs, in the process creating a classroom climate that fosters collaboration and unity in spite of differences in students’ strengths and limitations. It is important to understand that for any disciplining strategy to work, it has to apply to ALL children in the classroom and not just the child with EBD.

• RULES. The first step in systematically managing classroom behavior is to agree on a set of simply-stated rules that have corresponding consequences when broken. The classroom rules have to be posted in a visible part of the room for all to see. Such visual reminder is more effective than a hundred verbal reminders that are bound to make the teacher lose her patience with repetitive requests falling on seemingly deaf ears.

At the start of the day, it would help if the class would run through the posted classroom rules to make expectations clear and set the stage for optimal learning with disruptions kept at a minimum.

• CONSEQUENCES have to “fit” the violation, neither too harsh nor too insignificant.

It can be in the form of privileges withheld such as time to play or practice for a program, if students consider this as a privilege or reward.

I’ve found group consequences to be very effective (the action of one merits a consequence for all) since children learn to be conscious of how their actions affect others and they learn to be accountable for the welfare of their peers. What is important is that consequences are delivered immediately and consistently.

• ACKNOWLEDGING POSITIVE BEHAVIORS is also an effective way to instill good behavior even for children with EBD. This can be self-fulfilling, with negative behaviors being played-up and children with EBD believing that they are just naturally what people see them to be – Trouble with a capital T.

They are caught by surprise when they are recognized for being “good” and actually strive to become better as they seek for appreciation just like the rest of us.

• KEEPING YOUR CALM would send the correct message across to students that you mean ‘business.’ You give praise when it is deserved, and impose consequences as called for. Being objective will help gain you the respect that you need in order to be considered an “authority figure” by the child with EBD and the rest of your class. In this way, you do not single-out the child with EBD, but show your entire class that the same rules and consequences apply to all.

STRUCTURE, FLEXIBILITY & RELATIONSHIP

To keep it simple, there are three important strategies in managing a class wherein there is a student with EBD.

1. Establishing STRUCTURE is important.

Agreeing on classroom rules and consistently enforcing them will eventually make your life as a teacher easier and your classroom more peaceful & orderly.

2. Exercising FLEXIBILITY in addressing the unique needs of the child with EBD. He is no ordinary child and would need your understanding and patience in greater measure.

3. Striving to build a RELATIONSHIP with him will have its own great reward. The fulfillment that you would experience being the teacher who chose to “go the extra mile” to help the child with EBD bloom into his own person would definitely be beyond compare, as you also discover that you have become a much better teacher yourself.

The author is the executive director of ALRES-PHILS. and the chairperson of the SPED Department of Miriam College. A pediatric physiotherapist and special educator, she is currently pursuing her doctorate studies majoring in Special Education at U.P. Diliman. She is a staunch advocate for children with special needs. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask our SPED specialists. Just send your queries to youth@mb.com.ph