1. There is a student in my class who keeps disturbing the class. And no matter how much I punish or scold him, he doesn’t seem to listen. How do I deal with such difficult students? (Teacher)

The first thing to do is to empathize with the student. I understand it might be difficult because the child might be rude and disrespectful. However, unless you find out why the child is misbehaving, you will only be treating the symptoms while the underlying cause will still remain. Talk to your colleagues and find out if anyone could have any insights to his behavior. Is the child misbehaving only in your class? Can you find someone who might have a good relationship with the student to talk to him? I would also highly suggest you to stay in close contact with the parents of the child as this might help you understand why the child is misbehaving. Confront the child in private about his behavior and collaboratively come up with an understanding and plan for his behavioral expectation and consequences. You could also use proximity to manage problem behavior by having the child sit near you. Meanwhile, find a way to build a positive relationship with the child by finding common grounds of interest and by being genuinely understanding and concerned for his growth and wellbeing. Often, a misbehaving child is a deeply hurt child who feels he is misunderstood.

2. My parents are very conservative, and as a person in the “closet” I’m scared of coming out to them. How can I tell my parents that I’m gay? (Student)

I can imagine how hard it must be for you at the moment. It might have taken you years before you realized and came to terms with you being gay. So, understand that breaking the news to your parents might be shocking for them as they will not have had time to prepare for the revelation. Every family is different so there is no one way to deal with this situation. When you talk to your parents, make sure you talk in a private place, away from strangers, and at a time when your parents are not rushed or have anything else stressing them. Just be prepared with the possibilities of different types of reaction which may range anywhere from denial (“How can you be sure?”) to blaming self (“Is it my fault?”). Deal with the questions immediately, avoiding blaming any situation or person. Good luck!

3. I am a Grade 9 student and I’m very shy. Every time I have to go up to the front of the class and speak I get nervous. I don’t even have the confidence to raise my hand and answer a question even when I know the answer. How can be more confident? (Student)

There are a few things you can do to help you actively participate in class.

  • Be prepared for class: Being prepared for class helps you to have a clear thought process. This helps you to sound intelligible. Additionally, you also avoid going blank or losing your thought as a result of anxiety. For this you need to do the reading for the class, review notes from previous class, and get a second opinion by reading other articles or essays related to the topic for that day.  Or watch a related video!
     
  • Write your questions/thoughts down: Writing your questions or your thoughts when you are preparing for your class and/or during the class makes your questions available for you to read out. This is less scary than having to shape your thoughts and opinion while under immense pressure. 
     
  • Get acquainted with the teachers and your classmates: If you are comfortable with your classmates and your teacher, classroom participation becomes less intimidating.