Board 8 > What's up with kids?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Why do some kids listen to their parents and teacher's and some kids push the limits? Or some kids literally seem oblivious to the fact that their mom or myself(the teacher) are talking to them and askibg them to participate in something.

Now I do know the answer(s) I'm just looking for a discussion on child behavior.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wCXr_6wgns
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For me it starts at home.
If the children aren't taught to respect authority then there is nothing you can do. The parent will always have more influence.
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having been a chess teacher to young kids for 8 years now, i still don't understand this.
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what age do you teach kph?
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The class I'm referring to is a 2.5-5 yr old piano/music class. It's a copywriter/trademarked program that my studio purchased a license for and I teach it.

A 3 year old girl has been taking the course with another teacher but I subbed a few times so I knew this family already. They signed up for the next session and I am the only teacher this time. The psrents are supposed to not be in the room after the first class because it is distracting. But if the kid is inconsolable I make exceptions. This child just ignores me so her mom comes in and sets her on her lap. When she does pay attention she actually does participate but recently shr has just been wandering the room grabbing at my stuff I'm saving for a later activity or playing the keyboard when it is someone else turn. The mom drove me nuts tho. Most parents at least sit to the side and just offer redirection of their kid needs it. I would ask the children, how many beats does a quarter note get and she's like "one!" I'm like hey lil Suzy how many beats and the mom still answers! Her kid rarely listened to her she had to hold her still and do everything for her. They quit the class today.
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Well...she's 3. What do you expect?

Do you havr a 3 year old? Ive been teaching this class since September and this is not the norm for the kids in class.
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azuarc posted...

Well...she's 3. What do you expect?

The mom is also 3.

Explains everything.
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Not currently, no.

Some kids will run around when we are reading a story, or get distracted by something but that is fairly normal. If I ask them to come sit down they usually will.
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I told her mom today I wasnt worried about her not sitting down and that it was ok if she walked around the room but she couldn't stay out of it. She made her kid cry and they keft.
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Wow teaching 3 year olds piano seems like a really difficult endeavor

There are a few possibilities...spoiled kids at home, the kid might actually not want to be doing music so they're not interested, and honestly? Parent presence does NOT help behavior. When kids act out in classroom settings it is usually a reflection of their treatment at home (whether it is spoiled, neglect, etc). Not to mention this generation has been raised by technology and their attention spans are much shorter because tech gives instant entertainment gratification, and you have to work to get gratification from things like music.
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They are mostly learning concepts like high and low, loud and soft, music vocab, finger numbers, rhythms, and finger isolation(being able to press a key with 1 finger). The class is structured with a main lesson that uses fine motor and gross motor skills in the activities. There is usually a story book, piano time, a coloring sheet, and a life lesson such as say Hi to people you know or use your manners please and thank you.
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Kinda sounds like you've got helicopter parents too! Some kids just aren't great in these settings yet. I'm by no means an expert on young kids or anything (my expertise is high school), to be fair. I just tutor kids during after school programs and they tend to be kids who *want* to do well, but they're also older than 3
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This has all been a learning experience and I am constantly adapting based on what worked or didn't work. Next year I'm going to be more clear in an email what my expectations are as dar as behavior...aka it's ok if your kid isn't sitting down or appears to not be listening as long as they aren't invading anyones space.
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early signs of poor social development

sounds like she isn't learning very basic things such as 'when someone talks to you it's considered polite to respond.' probably stems from something she is experiencing or participating in at home. for example if her mom ignores her a lot while busy doing other stuff. to her the behavior of ignoring others is natural and she'll start to act that way.
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Told you it's the parents fault haha.
I teach 2.5 - 6yr old.
TEFL.
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as a music teacher it's probably not your responsibility to try and correct these behaviors though so yeah I'm not really sure what I'd recommend. I've only taught adults and I find it really, really difficult to divorce my investment from whether or not they do well and learn the material. although the good thing is that almost all of them usually want to learn or at least want to get a good grade. kids are more nebulous and unpredictable but I'm also going to guess that it's even harder to make yourself not care when you notice they have poor social development.
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The best classroom management comes from setting clear routines and rules and consistently enforcing them across the board. Even with parents, lol. Active kid listening is so much different from the expectation of sit down and shut up - I've always gotten kids to do so much better if I let them stand or wiggle while they read out loud or something.
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Yeah the consistent structure helps plus an opening song that is always the same usually gets rowdy kids to sit down and sing along once I start.
I had a mom open the door and yell at her son to sit down just as I was about to transition to a movement activity.
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Bane_Of_Despair posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wCXr_6wgns

YES! This was my first thought as well! SO amazingly happy it was the very first response!
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