Do you ever feel like you’re constantly playing good cop, bad cop with your students. Just like those Law and Order shows where one of the cops yells and threatens and harasses a suspect, and then the other cop makes friendly and seems helpful and connects with the suspect.
Both approaches are designed to connect with the suspect. One works through fear of consequences while the other tries to build a sense of shared connection. Both work for different reasons for different people and situations.
Kinda like teaching. Some students respond better to the fear of consequences while others respond best to that shared connection between the teacher and the student. And some students respond to both at different times.
Are you able to play the good cop, bad cop role in your classroom? I don’t mean you should yell, threaten, or harass your students. In fact, I feel that a teacher should never ever need to yell or threaten his or her students. But sometimes interacting with a student requires a stronger, firmer energetic response than trying to personally connect.
Experienced teachers often understand these different situations and are able to adjust smoothly. New teachers will need to develop these skills…
…and soon.
Darren B.