Why do kids misbehave?
Kierkegaard said two things:
- It is man's destiny to amuse himself.
- Boredom is the root of all evil.
When kids get in trouble in classrooms, they are usually trying to amuse themselves. Sometimes they amuse themselves by amusing others. Sometimes they amuse themselves by creating art (drawing on themselves, their desks, in the books, etc.) Sometimes they amuse themselves by doing science (Can I poke little Johnny with a paper clip without the teacher seeing me?) Sometimes they simply wander around the room, chat with friends, tap on their desks, and on and on and on.
As educators, if kids are misbehaving, we must first look at our practices to see if we are designing lessons that engage the learner. I'm not saying that every lesson needs to be "swing from the chandeliers" fun. I am saying that kids will misbehave if our learning activities are boring.
Eliminate the root of all evil by replacing a student's desire to amuse himself. In the words of Dave Burgess, "It is not easy, but it is worth it!"
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