Managing Defiant Students: Launch Your Classroom! Episode 34

When a student behaves in a defiant manner, it is important to respond appropriately. In this episode of Launch Your Classroom!, Kyle and the LYC team address how to avoid escalation during the moment and how to work toward resolution after a defiant act.

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Dealing with a range of classroom management scenarios is common for teachers in the US. Usually, minor misbehavior can be curbed as long as the teacher has set good rules and consequences, classroom management procedures, and has taken the time to build rapport with their students. In short: a strong classroom management plan! However, sometimes student misbehavior surpasses the norm and develops into outright defiance.

A defiant student will actively try to create disorder and undermine your authority. It’s important to remember when a student is being defiant, it is your primary mission to keep the class running smoothly so your students can learn. Therefore, stopping class to argue with a defiant student is not an option. It will waste valuable time while giving the defiant student control of the situation. This just what the defiant student seeks.
Teachers will need to defuse conflict with a defiant student by using classroom management strategies that are quick, calm, and empathetic. In the moment, these strategies will limit the wasted time and potential damage of the encounter while keeping the defiant action recoverable for the student. The teacher can remain in control and proceed with instruction after dealing with the defiant student.

Use the short command to regain control of a situation. Approach the student calmly. Using the student’s name, provide a short, polite, calm command in a neutral voice. If the student tries to protest, follow up with a short desist, and repeat your command. Repeat, calmly and kindly, until the student de-escalates and complies. Do not engage in the argument, ask questions, or respond with any emotion. Keep your words limited to commands and desists. Upon compliance, give the student time to calm down.

If anger or frustration is motivating a student’s defiance, you might not get a chance to go through every step of the Command Sequence before the student loses control. Read the situation carefully. If a student seems on the verge of a breakdown, you can quietly offer a choice first, or even skip to the self-advocating step; the student might need to leave the room (with someone to monitor them) to cool off. Stay calm and kind, and do not touch the student or invade their personal space.

Questions to Consider:

Which other stakeholders should I partner with to help prevent defiance in the future?
How can I rebuild rapport and trust with a student after an act of defiance?


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