You are likely to come across a rowdy student who wants to start up with you and who wants to challenge you during class. That's right - students are less obsequious than they used to be.

You can rise to the challenge in one of two ways:

• You can debate the child in class. That gives you two options:
  • You may lose. This will cost you respect among children
  • You may think you won
    • You had a debate you didn't want
    • You wasted class time
    • The child is a hero
• You might ask the disruptive child to see you after class. This accomplishes several things at once:
  • No class time is wasted
  • The children do not witness the debate
  • If you lose then you do not lose face among all the children
  • You gain time to think about your position
  • You wait until things calm down by giving this break
  • The child will already be punished by having to stay later in class
  • You have said the last word and shown that you are in control

Some persistent students will not allow you to wait until after class. They will insist on getting their own way. Nonetheless, be sure to avoid a battlefield atmosphere in your classroom. You want it to be a learning environment.

With the many interruptions that occur under any circumstance during class, this is likely to be a difficult situation.