Question:

Help! I have a student who is the "class clown".  He disrupts my lessons by making jokes, comments, asides and gross faces.  Often times, he is able to distract the entire class.  Unfortunately, he can be hysterically funny! What can I do?

Middle School Language Arts Teacher

Answer:

• If you decide that he is avoiding the assignment, look at it ( the assignment) to determine what is involved, i.e.:

  1. Is the task difficult for him?

        2. Age Appropriate?

        3. (For independent work) Can at least 80% accuracy be achieved?

        4. Does he have the background knowledge necessary?

• If the answer is yes to any of the above questions, adapt the assignment to better accommodate his unique ability.  Involve the "clown" in helping you meet his needs.

• If the answer is no, maybe the "clown like" behavior means he wants to engage with others.

Start by making sure he gets positive reinforcement (attention)  when he is doing what you want him to do.

Then be clear (but nice) about how his behavior can disrupt and derail lessons and hinders your ability to get through the curriculum.  Consider making an agreement which allows him to earn the privilege of entertaining the class at a time you determine.

Web Links:

http://www.air-dc.org/cecp/resources/problembehavior/indivinterv.htm
Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice Improving Services to Children and Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Problems has good links and detailed information on functional assessment

http://www.cec.sped.org/index.html
Council for Exceptional Children is a comprehensive resource.  Contains lots of information regarding IDEA.

Additional Resources:

Positive Interventions for Serious Behavior Problems by Diana Browning Wright, Harvey B. Gurman, and the California Association of School Psychologists/Diagnostic Center, Southern California Positive Intervention Task Force:  California Department of Education, Sacramento, 1998.  Filled with examples, charts, practical forms, ideas, etc.