Understanding Classroom Dynamics
I have observed some students transform into different “characters” depending on the classes and the teachers standing before them. Some characters that emerge are positive while others are negative and tend to disrupt the peace in the classroom. Who is to blame- The teacher's personality, teaching styles, classroom management skills, or a student's "acting" skills? Why does he behave as a serious “student" in one class and a disrespectful clown in another class? In some classrooms, his posture, tone of voice, engagement, and rapport with the teacher are almost exemplary while his behavior is the opposite elsewhere. On the surface, it appears that the teacher is at fault from the prism that teaching is a science. Hence a classroom discipline/management plan is supposed to help teachers manage students' behaviors. However, it is not so simple because students have “plans” too. Based on my experiences and looking at the variables, I surmise that it's a combination of the teacher's and student's shortcomings and even certain strengths that are the culprit in some poorly, mismanaged classrooms. I could make a case that the student's "performance" plans outperform the teacher's plan or lack thereof because his plans derive more from inner stimuli sources. However, in the spirit of education, let's practice a judicial analysis of the variables at play to reach a reasonable conclusion.
Defining a "Good Student"
In general, students have more experience in observing and studying teachers’ behavior than some teachers have with the same reverse phenomenon because teachers usually do their observation within a group setting. In contrast, students do it on an individual teacher basis. Their opinions and interpretations contribute greatly to their "misbehavior" and “behavior”. We generally define a “good student" as one who follows the rules of the school and classroom, performs well academically, and participates positively in class. This type of student is a teacher's dream. Unfortunately, I don't know a teacher who has a room full of “good students" consistently. It does not happen because as human beings, we are incredibly complex. For the adolescent and the youth, there are conflicting issues such as human nature, psychological norms the learning curve in the development process, and conflicting emotions.
Balancing Structure and Freedom
The freedom to be and to be is an intrinsic value that we all share. These values defy consistent conformity regarding discipline. The teacher equipped with the skills to find a magic balance between the rigidity and structure of the school and the exercise of free will would have an ideal classroom. There is a difference between being schooled and being educated. We can’t have a school without rules and regulations. Some students resist being “schooled” and it is human nature to retaliate when one's “freedom" is threatened. These students usually look for an outlet wherever they can find it. Don't forget that there is also an informal school at home. The psychological methods used at home with parents/guardians usually mirror the ones manifested in the classroom. Nonetheless, they tend to be superficial forms of power play based on gender, personality, race, age, and likes/dislikes about a teacher’s teaching style, which may correlate to the student’s cultural values and beliefs.
This is a quintessential issue of primal instinct versus societal impulse. The more educated and mature one is, the more his choices tend to mirror the higher condition of societal impulse to communicate, to play fair, to live by the golden rule: “Do unto others as they would have done unto them.” Some adolescents and teenagers are not taught these values. Some only know about rules and consequences. So, they operate mostly on fear, which is about survival of the fittest. Thus they look for the weakest link that they can perceive and identify in the chain of order and do their best to break it.
The two rivals of primal instinct and society impulse apply equally to teachers. Some teachers are stagnant in their professional/personal development. They hit a plateau in pedagogical methods, classroom management and awareness of what is going on in their classrooms? They may be subject matter experts, strength wise but are lacking in people relation skills. It is also human nature to stay within our comfort zones. Meet the modern student and the conventional teacher in a head lock psychological battle over the wills of the egos. One is holding on to their teaching style no matter what the cost and the other is usurping the teacher's power, gains momentum and followers and claim a sense of " freedom" because he can, especially if there are no real consequences. Communication between the two parties, classroom awareness/presence and management could help solve the problem of classroom conflicts.
Collaborative Efforts for Classroom Harmony
However, there is classroom control and classroom management. One is autocratic and the other is democratic. The latter tends to lend itself more in the education category rather than schooling which is about regulations, memorizing facts, figures, and formulas. Classroom control goes with schooling. Classroom management goes with education, which is about developing a community that requires the positive participation of its members. A teacher's commitment to professional growth and lifelong learning is also helpful. However, this is still insufficient because the student also has his first teachers at home and his cultural upbringing and environment over which the teacher has no control. He/she does have some control over facilitating the development of "studentship" and the expectation of appropriate behaviors in the classroom provided that administration and staff work as a team.
In conclusion, the teachers' and students' commitment to education, professional and personal growth, a sense of awareness, and problem solving skills such as communication are keys to reducing classroom conflicts and disruption to the teaching and learning process.