Hi,
I'm a substitute teacher and every now and then I come across students with emotional support issues. I even had the chance to sub as a paraprofessional in an inner city school totally devoted to ES students.
What are some good approaches to use with ES students who are outright defiant and/or refuse to do the work asked of them? My thinking right now is to not get too close to them and just back off - especially since I am a stranger to them in most cases. But then, what's the point of being there if that's all I do? Can you give some examples? I just want to know better what these kids are going through and what it feels like for them. I've come across ES students who are BRUTALLY honest and often times this has hurt my feelings. Is this just the way it is for any person who works with these kids?

At the ES school where I was I saw 2 different teacher philosophies. ONe teacher allowed the kids who did not participate to just sit back because they were not being disruptive. In that way, she was able to devote her energy to the kids in the room who chose to participate rather than spend a portion of the period nagging the others. The other philosophy I saw was a teacher who tried to get all the kids in her class to do the work. She also lit into one student who was disrespectful to her where the other teacher let the giving of the finger just slide by.

Also, what kinds of diagnoses are we dealing with with ES kids?

Also, what's the difference between kids who need alternative education and kids who need ES support?

I just need some guidance.
Thanks,
Hermione

[blueheron]

sped classes back when I was substituting. What worked for me was to be as non-reactive and as calm as possible, in short, I endeavored to come across as a non-audience. Every new person in the room is a new opportunity to put on a show or to manipulate in an oh so mean (brutal honesty) or oh so nice way (blatant lies). The adults who work with these kids every day know better what they need, and have already developed the kind of rapport that these students are used to.

These kids might have been exposed to drugs or alcohol when their mothers were carrying them. They might have big fat mess nightmare home lives. They might have serious mental illnesses, and actually have loving parents. They might be recently adopted by parents who are doing everything humanly possible for them. They might have been bounced from one foster home to another, and have severe detachment issues.

[LostShadow225]

The thing I have found to be most effective while subbing, especially with students with emotional disabilities, is bringing in something that will excite them. For example, when I used to sub, I would ALWAYS bring my guitar in. It would sit out of reach, but in sight, so they could see I wasn't lying about bringing in my guitar. After they proved to me that they had earned the chance to sit back and listen to me play, as well as go around to every student and teach them how to play a guitar chord, they straightened their act up right away. especially for students who have a terrible home life, they are never given the opportunity to experience this. If you don't play guitar, try thinking of something that is out of reach to these kids, bring it to their attention, and use it as an incentive.

Also, it is definitely important to keep your calm and show a poker face to these students, especially when anger arises in them. After he/she has de-escalated, its best to talk to the student in private about what happened, hear him/her out using active listening, and show them you do care, even after an outburst. Most of the time, these kids have a hard time of accepting that they are good kids who sometimes make bad decisions. They don't know how to handle respect, love, and care. It's almost a foreign language to them.