Temper Tantrums and crying
In elementary school, students are still developing their emotional maturity. Temper tantrums can happen when students do not get their way, when they do not want to do something, or if they feel they are being treated unfairly. These are especially common with students who have emotional impairments, and are unable to control their emotions in the same way as their peers. Temper tantrums can be exhibited by crying, screaming, pouting, refusing to do work, or in extreme cases biting, kicking and hitting. As you can imagine, this can be extremely disturbing to the rest of the class. Besides keeping a well-managed classroom, it is also important for the teacher to teach the student a more appropriate way to respond to a situation they are displeased with.
- “Cool Down Room/Corner” – If you have a student who is beginning to misbehave, ask them if they would like to sit in the cool-down corner. This is not to be used as a punishment, as a time-out would be, but rather an opportunity for the student to take a few minutes to themselves to calm down. The Cool Down Corner can be used for less severe tantrums and students may be given a choice to go there. This is different from Seclusion, which is a forced separation for the safety of the student and his or her peers, because the student may choose to return to the class when they feel they have calmed down enough.
- “One-on-one instruction” – If the student is throwing a tantrum by pouting or refusing to do their work it is important they understand why this reaction is inappropriate. When instruction allows, go to the student and give them explicit, individualized instruction. This one-on-one time helps the student understand why their behavior was inappropriate and gives the teacher a chance to teach an appropriate reaction.
- “Diffuse the Situation” – If a student is having, or about to have, a tantrum it is important to diffuse the situation before it gets out of hand. If there is another adult in the room, ask the student to step into the hall with you. At this point, you may determine what is causing the tantrum and try to find a solution. This minimizes distractions to the rest of the class and gives the student individualized attention.