Teachers and Assertiveness

Situation 1

• Two students are arguing in the hallway. A teacher happens to pass by and notices the exchange.

Non-Assertive Teacher

Characteristics of a Non-assertive Teacher

• Passive.• Feel it is wrong to place strong demands on

student behavior. • Do not establish clear standards or else

they fail to back up their standards with appropriate actions.

• Hope his good natures will gain student compliance.

• Not firm or insistent. • End up resignedly accepting whatever the

students decide to do.

Example: Fighting

• Non-assertive: “Please try your very best to stop fighting.”

• Assertive: 'We do not fight. Sit down until you cool off.'

A hostile teacher…

1. Address students in an abusive way.2. Often loses his temper3. Hurts students’ feelings4. Provoke disrespect5. Have desire to take revenge6. Takes things personally (always

think that it’s me vs the students)

7. Use harsh, disrespectful tone towards students

8. Rarely give positive reinforcement/ give it sarcastically.

9. Uses intimidating or cold body language.10. Flaunts the fact that he is above the

rules (engage in activities which students are prohibited such as eating in the class, drinking soda…)

Example of responses:Situation Non- assertive

responseAssertive response

Hostile Response

A students is disengaged from a lecture.

The teacher ignores it, thinking, “I’m just glad he’s not disrupting anything.”

Without stoping the lecture, the teacher walks back and stands near the student. The student reengages.

The teacher stops the lesson and says, “Hey! I’m not standing up here to hear myself talk. Wake up and pay attention. If you like staring out the window so much, I’ll have you stay in after class and you can stare out the window all you want.”

Situation:

During your current events discussion, Kaw Siang and Yunus trade notes and laugh noisily. You sense that other students’ attention is being captured by the duo’s antics, and you begin to be annoyed by having to compete for the class’s attention.

ASSERTIVENESS

By Mohamad Yunus Bin Razali

Introduction

• This model is developed by Lee Canter who is a child guidance specialist.

• An assertive teacher protects the rights of both the teacher and the student. 

• Assertive command: say name, gesture, touch, establish eye contact and tell the student exactly what to do.

The assertive teacher is able to

• identify wants and feelings in interpersonal situations.

• verbalize wants and feelings in a straight forward way.

• persist in stating wants and feelings.

The assertive teacher is able to

• use a firm tone of voice.

•  maintain eye contact when speaking.

• reinforce verbal statements with nonverbal gestures.

Situation 3

A student is not doing his work. He refuses to meet the teacher’s eye and starts to make a paper airplane.

Improving Teacher Assertiveness

By:

Improving Assertiveness: Confidence

(1)Be Prepared:(a)“Flexible” =/= Unprepared(b)Appear credible and competent

(2)Maintain Eye Contact:(a)Calm look(b)=/= glaring

Improving Assertiveness: Confidence

(3) Appearance:(a) Dress confidently & comfortably(b) Adopt a suitable posture

(4) “Won’t” vs “Can’t”:(a) Know what is and isn’t an excusable behavior(b) Do not fault yourself for students’ misbehaviors

Improving Assertiveness: Confidence

(5) Say “No”(a)Voice displeasures(b)State and defend your stand

Improving Assertiveness: Do Not be Emotional

(1)Loud =/= Assertive(a)Raised volume intimidates(b)Calm voice has credence(c)Words sink in when spoken

slowly and softly(d)Complement with eye contact

Improving Assertiveness: Do Not be Emotional

(2) Selective Silence(a)Instead of retaliating, saynothing(b) Allows time for thinking;

avoids outbursts(c)A cue for students

Improving Assertiveness:Be Consistent

(1) Have a clear set of rules that arealways enforced.

(2) Consistency:(a)Enforces rules silently(b)Lends you credence(c)Sets a precedence