How do I overcome prejudice?

[S.gal83]

I am a new kindergarten teacher. I have been teaching my class for four months now.
There is a boy in my class that I do not like. All the other children are all right.

Why I don't like him:
He is unable to do his homeworks all the time.
He never pays attention during my class.
He beats the other children and always gets into troubles.
His mother thnks too highly of him. When I tell her that he cannot write his alphabets even though he is already in K1, she tells me proudly that he does not have this kind of problems at home. She tells me how smart he is, and how he is able to write long sentences at home. (Well, I have to listen with a smile to her rant, but when I test the boy on his spelling, he is not even able to spell a simple word like boy. He is also not sure of his abc.)

I am really struggling to like this boy. I find it hard to do so. I find myself getting angry with him at least once a day. How do I get rid of my prejudice of him, and how do I actually help him improve on his study?

 

[ArteestX]

....I am really struggling to like this boy. I find it hard to do so. I find myself getting angry with him at least once a day. How do I get rid of my prejudice of him, and how do I actually help him improve on his study?

I've been a teacher myself, and you're not going to like all your kids. That's ok. In this case, try to remind yourself that the way he's behaving is not his fault. It sounds like he's learning from home that everything he does is fantastic and acceptable. Now he's starting at school and he's going to need to learn the exact opposite.

You're going to have to be strict, and you're going to have to spend extra time with him moreso than the other students. He is going to try your patience to the limit, I'm sure, but you need to remind yourself that he's learning one pattern of behavior at home, and it's your job to teach him another pattern of behavior. I'm not sure you're going to rid yourself of the dread of dealing with him, but you can diminish your prejudice by reminding yourself that a child that young isn't a horrible child, he's only doing what he's learned.

If you haven't talked to some other teachers for suggestions, please do so. I'd also recommend talking to the principal to find out advice s/he has and what support s/he can give you in discipline (plus, I think you're going to need some support in case the parents come back around objecting to how you're being so mean to their wonderful perfect angel).

If you talk to the mother, I'd have low expectations of what you'll be able to do. But (after talking to the principal), I would stress that you both have the same goal, making sure the child gets the best education and learns what he needs to. Do what you can to not make the mother defensive. If the child hasn't learned what he needs to learn, don't make her feel like it's her fault, no matter how much you believe otherwise. What matters is what happens moving forward. Ask her what activities she does with her child at night, and make some helpful suggestions about what else she might do. Tell her what you plan on teaching this year and ask for her help in what she can do at home to reinforce what the kid is learning. Be supportive to her, don't point fingers at her, and keep stressing that everyone is interested in helping her child.

I'm probably telling you things you already know, I'm just trying to give some helpful suggestions. Good luck!

 

[Van]

Not all kids are "right brained" good in language skills. Perhaps he could do math, or
handle spacial problems -mechanical attitude. If he is unable to stay within the range of students, perhaps he needs special education tutoring. Many, if not most teachers are "right brained" (fast readers and good spellers) and so they are prejudiced against the sort of boy that ends up dieing for his country. He is a treasure and never forget it.

 

[ephraimanesti]

I am a new kindergarten teacher. I have been teaching my class for four months now.
There is a boy in my class that I do not like. All the other children are all right.

I am really struggling to like this boy. I find it hard to do so. I find myself getting angry with him at least once a day. How do I get rid of my prejudice of him, and how do I actually help him improve on his study?

MY DEAR SISTER,

See your "problem" student with God's eyes just once, just for a moment, and both of you will be healed.

LOVE IN CHRIST,
ephraim

 

[AMR]

I am a new kindergarten teacher. I have been teaching my class for four months now.
There is a boy in my class that I do not like. All the other children are all right.

Why I don't like him:
He is unable to do his homeworks all the time.
He never pays attention during my class.
He beats the other children and always gets into troubles.
His mother thnks too highly of him. When I tell her that he cannot write his alphabets even though he is already in K1, she tells me proudly that he does not have this kind of problems at home. She tells me how smart he is, and how he is able to write long sentences at home. (Well, I have to listen with a smile to her rant, but when I test the boy on his spelling, he is not even able to spell a simple word like boy. He is also not sure of his abc.)

I am really struggling to like this boy. I find it hard to do so. I find myself getting angry with him at least once a day. How do I get rid of my prejudice of him, and how do I actually help him improve on his study?

We all possess prejudices, so try not to become to stressed about this. That said, when we turn prejudice into action, we have become racists, and this is unacceptable. Leverage the positive aspects of the Pygmalion effect by expecting great things from all your students and you will be pleasantly surprised.

AMR

 

[EGoldstein]

See your "problem" student with God's eyes just once, just for a moment, and both of you will be healed.

So she should look at the student as a horrible retched piece of trash deserving of hellfire?

 

[Mr.Cheese]

.

 

[Quasicentennial]

I remember watching a TV documentary about children who have autism - some kind of uncontrollable anger disease. Children are very sensitive to animals that show love such as dogs licking the face or dolphins jumping in the sea or oceanarium. I believe animal or insect sounds somehow give off some kind of psychic love connection that the subconscious mind is able to pick up. God denied us the intelligence from reaching heaven at the Tower of Babel by confusing one language into many different languages. I believe we would understand animal language if God hadn't denied us.

 

[S.gal83]

Thanks for all your advises. I really appreciate them.

 

[bluwaterz]

Hello Sgal

You could get to know him better, be more of a friend (more kindness/more caring) to him and he should open up to you in a good way. For any reason if he continues beating on children and hurting people, than you would need to let the Principle or whoever is in charge know about what is going on and he needs to be removed from your class room.

That's my advice to you Sgal.

Again, I appreciate all the posts you have posted on Christian Forums.

Have a good day

blu