When dealing with 25-30 children of differing levels of understanding and passion, it can be extremely difficult to make sure that you provide each child with the proper support he or she needs as a teacher or teaching assistant.
Not even taking into account the plethora of learning disabilities that children may have, teaching an average class is an incredible responsibility and one that is often underestimated for many teachers nowadays.
It is a stressful, hardworking and extremely rewarding position that can put you in a difficult position on more than one occasion. We all know that many teachers only want what is best for their students, but what happens when the pupils themselves cannot ask for help?
Asking for help may have been seen in the past as a sign of weakness or symbolic of being ‘stupid’ or ‘not intelligent enough’. Nowadays we like to encourage children to ask for help, to accept pupils of all skill levels and to help children who may be struggling by facilitating group discussion and helping them work it out together.
However, it can still be difficult for shy children or for children who may be used to working it out for themselves. While we are frequently told that there is ‘no shame’ in asking for help, it can be a real life saver if someone else recognises that you need help, so recognising these non-verbal pleas from children could make all the difference.
So what are a few signs that a pupil or two may be falling by the wayside? There aren’t always clear signs and signals, however if a child is keen to learn, they will certainly communicate their discomfort in one way or another. It is merely up to you, as the teacher, to recognise these signs as a cry for help.
What consists of a non-verbal ‘cry for help’ at its core?
Disruptive Behaviour
Everybody knows that one kid who was the class clown or the class joker, always making jokes and talking back to the teacher and generally not getting on with any work. In many instances, while the ‘joker’ may appear to be having fun messing around and disrupting the rest of the class, this can be just a cry for help from a child that doesn’t understand their current lesson, or someone who has been having difficulty for some time. They worry that they may be perceived as stupid if they find it hard to follow lessons, so instead they cause disruptions in order to ‘distract’ other students from their work.
This may be an easy fix by taking time out to speak to the child in private, or it may take a little more time. It depends a lot on the individual, however while disruptions should never be tolerated in class, it is important to consider why these disruptions are happening.
“I lost it” “I forgot” Homework Excuses
Have you a child in your class that frequently ‘forgets’ or simply doesn’t do a certain bit of homework or homework for a certain subject? This may be a sign that they are struggling in class and simply do not feel they can complete the work without help (at home). Try to find out whether or not the parents of the aforementioned child are aware that he or she has homework for that particular class and see if they can go through it with him or her. By having a parent explain the same lesson in their own words, this might be all it takes for the lesson to hit home.
If the parents feel as if they are unable to help with homework, perhaps starting a homework club – if the problem seems to reoccur with more students – or having a private talk with the child is in order.
Refusal to Participate in Group/Class Discussions
There is a difference between being ‘introverted’ and downright refusing to participate. Some excuses such as ‘its stupid’ or ‘its boring’ may be thrown around during group exercises. These phrases can be translated to ‘I don’t understand it and it is unfamiliar to me’ or ‘I don’t follow it and I don’t want to appear stupid’, particularly if the child seems pretty vocal in all other aspects of school. Class discussions are a great way of making sure that everyone understands the lesson, so instead of asking for an opinion, you could always ask the child in question whether they agree with another pupil who has contributed. It is important not to push a child into answering, as they may start to panic or retreat further.
At the end of the day, you as a teacher should be able to recognise whether or not a child is having difficulties. Any change in personality or attitude should be taken to heart as it may suggest something more serious is going on. While teachers have a duty to children during school hours, they are also partly responsible for the safety and wellbeing of children outside of school hours, as if they notice anything out of the ordinary it is their job to report it. There is a difference between being disruptive at school because you are having difficulty, and being disruptive because your home life is difficult. If you as a teacher is able to recognise this, you could change a child’s life for the better, permanently.
Of course we are not talking about home difficulties, but instead recognising the ways in which a child may ask for help without explicitly stating ‘I need help!’, but it is important to remember. Human interactions are an incredibly complicated and long-winded process and children are still getting the hang of these interactions. By recognising a child asking for help without them explicitly stating it is great, as you can help provide support that might have otherwise gone unnoticed.
Article provided by Bloo House, an innovative, independent school in Esher, Surrey for 5-11 year olds – offering a unique learning environment, including the award-winning 8 Aptitude Learning Curriculum.