In this post, we will be unrevealing all aspects of anger management for students. Teachers can use these helpful tips to help angry students control and redirect uncontrollable anger.
Introduction
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/anger-management-advice-student-jamie-goodwin-f71te/
Initially, as a teacher, I was shocked & surprised at the number of my students, exhibiting anger for no significant reason. I understand anger can have both positive and negative results. However, I wanted to help my students with proven techniques for anger management for students.
You see, unchecked anger problems among your students can cause severe issues in their current & future lives. This post explores the complexities of anger among students, its effects, and how proven anger management techniques and counselling can help manage anger.
Causes for Anger Among Students
Below are some of the causes of anger among students, making them the ideal candidates for providing anger management therapy.
- Genetics: The first reason could be genetics. Children have the genes of their parents. Perhaps, somebody in their family had this issue, and it has been transferred to them as well.
- Environment: The family environment is another vital factor that can immensely affect the child. It directly impacts the development of anger issues. Kids who grow up in tough families & neighbourhoods, tend to have these issues.
- Psychological: Sometimes, the child may have low frustration tolerance. While it is normal, they need to be taught how to reach negative feedback. Not everybody is always going to say nice things. The child has to be taught how to react to different scenarios & situations.
Why is Anger Management for Students Important?
Teachers feel that anger management for kids should be part of the curriculum. Many schools are witnessing a rise in bullying, and worse, school violence. As a teacher & parent, it is heartening to read about these painful situations that could have been avoided.
Teachers can help students to handle their emotions before they escalate. It is alright to discuss anger management techniques. You can also encourage them to share their thoughts. Everybody has their own way of reacting when they are angry.
While some walk away from the scene, some stay back, and cause huge problems for everybody involved. Students can control their anger when they are taught how to do it. This helps them to become better individuals for the greater good of society.
If you are keen on knowing more about helping students with anger management, then you can read the best-seller written by Andrew Cole & Aaron Shupp’s, “Recognize and Respond to Emotional and Behavioral Issues in the Classroom.”
8 Anger Management Strategies for Your Students
Be honest with yourself. Even as adults, you may have come across in your everyday life, where you found it hard to control your anger. Now, you are dealing with a young kid, who is having anger management issues.
That is why, we have put up some anger management strategies for students. These proven strategies will help you manage & control your students in no time.
Let’s take a look at some strategies now.
Breath deeply & remain calm
When your student is having a meltdown, then you must maintain your calm. You may not want to lose your temper, because it will escalate the situation. Allow the students to remove the negativity inside them. You can count to ten if required, and then meet the student in private later on.
Avoid taking things personally
As a teacher, you may not want to take things personally. Tell yourself that the student is having personal problems of their own. They are behaving like that because they need anger management therapy.
Wait for the student to vent out their anger
You may want to wait for the student to vent out their anger, and then reason with them. Students, who are having a fit of anger are not somebody you can deal with. So, it is best to wait until they are done, then you can have a word with them in private.
Meet in a private, but safe setting
It is always best to handle the situation in a polite & professional manner. You may want to know that your student is having problems. So, it would be best if you both could talk somewhere else, safely.
Make sure that other students don’t communicate with the student. Create a setting for anger management for kids, that is safe. If required, you can take the help of another teacher or colleague as well.
Try to find a common ground
You may want to speak with your students and understand why they are angry. Then, try to find a common ground, where you can point at them, that this behaviour is not acceptable in public. Try to explain the consequences as politely as possible.
Make the student take responsibility
While it is fine to make mistakes in life, you need to own them up. That is a sign of being a responsible individual. As a teacher, you can talk to your students, and then gently explain that they are responsible for their actions. You can negotiate with them by using ways to measure their outcomes.
Give an opportunity to save face
You can give your students opportunities. They can save face by doing something nice, polite, and gentle to others. Perhaps, if the student behaved badly or rudely with somebody else, then the student can apologise to them. This would be one of the best anger management techniques.
Suggest professional help
Finally, we recommend professional anger management therapy. When all is said & done, and things don’t seem to be working, then the child clearly needs some professional help. You see, early detection in the child can help manage their anger issues before they spiral out of control.
Besides, it helps to prevent negative outcomes. A professional knows how to deal with & handle such children. The child will have to undergo anger management classes, and their parents may be asked to attend a few counselling sessions.
These strategies may be effective in helping your students walk back anger and find more constructive ways of dealing with their strong emotions. But for some students, anger issues might escalate into aggression despite your best efforts.
As a responsible teacher, you may want to know that your students look up to you as their parents. So, why not team up with them with anger management techniques, to help deal with their situation? This can help them know that they are not the problem, the anger is.
FAQs
- How does anger affect students?
Anger can affect your students badly. It can make them do negative things that they should not do. Besides, they may react unpredictably in class, on the ground, or even at home. As they are young, they don’t realise the consequences of their words, actions, or deeds.
- How do we control students who get angry for no reason?
As a teacher, you can control students who get angry for no reason, by meeting them separately. Show them that you care for them. You can make use of the anger management strategies for students that we have discussed above as well.
- How do extracurricular activities help in anger management for students?
Extracurricular activities help reduce the anger among students. They provide the ideal environment for students to run around, and engage in some fun activities. Some of the activities like arts, outdoor walks, and sports can promote emotional well-being.
- What causes anger in students?
As mentioned in the above post, major factors include the family environment, perhaps a genetic problem, or a poor friends circle. Usually, it is the case, of the child brought up in a dysfunctional family. When that is the case, then the child needs anger management for kids.
- How do we recognise anger in students?
Children don’t lie, with words or actions. They know how to bring out their emotions, and feelings. When your students are angry, then you may notice that they are constantly lost, they flare up for no reason and react physically. Anxiety and depression are also indicators of anger in students.
Conclusion
Source: https://www.teacherready.org/certification-current-teachers/
In Conclusion, teachers must understand anger management for students. There are several reasons why your students behave in that manner. It could be due to family reasons, genetic, or psychological factors.
When you notice that your student is experiencing uncontrollable anger, then please take them to a professional. Handling students in a safe, and gentle environment can make them come out of their anger zone, and develop personal coping skills.
Everybody needs to use anger management strategies at some point in their life. What were the anger management strategies that you used for yourself or your students? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.