Only the very bravest of teachers venture out into teenage territory. What makes them so difficult to deal with is that teenagers are struggling between growing out of their childhood and coming into their adulthood. So, in spite of still being immature and inexperienced in the world, they nevertheless feel the natural urge to assert themselves as adults. It is a confusing and difficult stage, which wants patient and understanding teachers.
Below are some tips on how to teach teenagers:
- Talk to teenagers like they are adults. It shows them they are respected and they will appreciate that. While it is important to talk to them as though they are adults, remember to explain and give clear instructions, for example, to remember to write their names on their papers.
- Take a deep breath. It is normal that a teacher will find her/himself in a sticky situation with a student, for example maybe the class troublemaker is acting out, and it is up to the teacher to deal in a mature and responsible way. It is wise to avoid getting overly emotional with students and best to try to anticipate possible situations and their solutions so that you are prepared and react accordingly.
- Don’t give them an inch because they will take a mile. Many teenagers often try to test their limits with authority figures. When you stop them at the smaller misdemeanors then they will know where the boundaries are and respect them. This can be anything from correcting inappropriate language to tossing out their gum.
- Push for healthy self-expression. This can be in the form of allowing students to do extra-credit assignments on their favorite activities or hobbies and then asking them open-ended questions to generate creative thinking. Encourage them to ask each other questions and listen to each others’ opinions, which should in turn teach students their opinions are valuable and to respect different opinions.
- Be intuitive. Sometimes a student acts out because of personal issues and the teacher needs to be able to tune into this. A teacher faced with a student that has special needs should be keen on using different tactics and strategies to suit the student. Reward is essential in encouraging good behavior.
These are just a few useful tips handed down from teacher to teacher on how to deal with teenagers.