How to Handle Class Clowns at Preschool Centers
Every teacher has experienced it: your lesson is going smoothly, everyone is learning well, when suddenly the class breaks out into laughter. Even at a preschool center, you know which student is the cause. The infamous class clown is often seen as an exasperating menace, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Handling him or her can be as simple as finding out the reason for his or her silly antics, then working with your clown.
Who is the Class Clown?
The class clown really is just that: a student who elicits a disruptive, humorous response from his or her peers. This can occur in the form of a comedic one-liner, a wad of paper thrown at another student, or even a book dropped to the floor with a resounding thunk that causes the back row to break out in giggles. It’s disruptive, it’s annoying, it’s disrespectful, and a lot of the time it really is funny, even for you as the teacher. Oftentimes though, the immediate response is to glare daggers at the offending student, or shout and reprimand him or her. You’ve been thrown off your game, so the student must be taught a lesson, right? Not necessarily. Before doing something you may regret, think about who this clown really is. Does the student have friends? Maybe acting out is the only way for him or her to garner social acceptance from peers. Does the class clown struggle academically? If so, maybe using this skill, the skill of comedy, is how he or she feels better about him or herself. Moreover, a troubled home life can frequently compel a student to good off in class, and bring some light to a difficult time in their life.
What To Do
The best thing to do is not to react with your gut. Try to find out why your student is acting out. The best thing to do next is to encourage them. Think about it this way: this student has the capacity to captivate an audience and bring some laughter into a classroom. The best learning environment is one where students enjoy themselves, and don’t feel afraid to laugh. In this way, the class clown is gifted with a great sense of humor, as long as it is not disrespectful or at the expense of other students. There is no need to belittle or denigrate a student.
One of the best things you can do is not take what the class clown says personally. Most of the time, any wild antics are not intended to be disrespectful. There is an important difference between a student who is acting out with humor and goofing around, versus a student who is simply acting out. Try to work with the class clown. Laugh along with your students at his or her silly antics, and then get back to your lesson. The more you reprimand the more fuel you give to their fire, and the more antagonistic your relationship will become. This is not beneficial for anyone in the classroom. Although it is possible to work with your class’s clown, remember that he or she must still complete any assignments, and cannot toe past the line of humor and into disrespect.