What to do with the one little bad one in the class? She chews her skirt, throws fits, doesnt stand in her dance spot, runs around, yells at the girls...


My teacher has tried talking to her mom, bribing her, yelling. scolding...nothing works


Shes just plain spoiled...


ps- shes about 4 or 5

~chalupa

Has the teacher tried making her sit out and watch class when she acts up?

I do not tolerate that behavior from any age of students. I have a class of 4-5 year olds right now and I have 3 of them in there who are a bit on the crazy/tempermental side. I never had too many problems until a couple months ago things out out of control and they were physically hurting each other. One day it got way out of hand, so I sat them down and explained that dance class is a privillge for big girls and that if they were going to act like little girls I would put them in a little girl class. I told them that once they walk in those doors they are ballerinas who are quiet and graceful. I then made them aware that they will now be given one warning and then they will be sent out to their parents and not allowed to return until the next week. I then called there parents in and explained this to them. I didn't want to call out those specific children (although their parents new who I was talking about), so this is why I called in all parents. I haven't had a problem since!

I'd kick her out of class! If the mom is waiting outside until class is finished, I would send that little girl out the door for her mom to deal with.

I would also talk with the mom and let her know that her child is apparently not yet ready for dance classes. Maybe she should try again next year or the year after. Once she is socially more mature.

Shes been in studios before. She had i think 2 recitals before she came to our place. But idk...she probrably got kicked outta there before...

~chu

Talk to the mom. Hopefully she cares about the child's behavior.

I had a problem child that in one day hit another student, threw a fit in class and ripped a page out of my notebook with her foot. She is only 5. I had a talk with her mother about the behavior after class. The next week she came to class and said, "I promise I'll be good. I don't want to go to bed after dinner again tonight." I have had very few problems with her since, and if she starts to act up, I remind her that we may need to have a talk with her mother.

Unfortunately, not all parents care about this bad behavior, so this may not work for all students. In that case, I would make the child sit out of class whenever she acts up. For the first few times, make her do it in the classroom, so she sees what she is missing (freeze dance, hokey pokey, etc.). If that doesn't work, send her out to the lobby and tell her she needs to tell her mother why she is kicked out of class.

Get something to put in a corner - a chair, small mat, something like that, and put a sign there as well that says "TIMEOUT"

A childs worse nightmare is to be in timeout.

When she acts up, tell her to sit in timeout. If she refuses, pick her up and place her there. Tell her she has to sit there for 3 minutes. If she can't do that, you'll send her out to sit with mommy for the rest of class.

Do you praise her when she does something good, or is it constant negative feedback, because she is mostly bad?

Bribing is the worst thing you can do with a 4 year old - they're really smart - they'll realize that doing something bad will get them something in return. It's like a puppy - if a puppy has your shoe and you bribe it to "drop it" with a treat, the puppy will constantly get the shoe to get a treat.

I know exactly what you are going through! There is one little girl in the ballet/tap class that I assist that is about 5 years old and all that she does is cause caos! She screams and runs around in circles when she doesn't get her way or just doesn't feel like dancing (which is most of the time). She never stays in her spot, and all that she does is bother the other girls enough that they have to come to me and ask her to stop.

Usually myself and the teacher I assist for keep her in the backline off to the side by herself, but she never seems to stay there. If that doesn't work, we make her sit out when we play games with the other kids, and the more the class talks still, the less games we let them play and the more we do their routines.

All that I would say, is to give her strict warnings. First warning is to identify what she's doing and to tell her that it's not right. Second warning is to repeat the first step and give her an idea of a consequence if she does it again. The third step/warning is to actually move her in the room away from the others, but enough so that both you and the teacher can still see her completely in the mirror or out of the corners of your eyes.

Whatever you do, make sure to keep the parent updated with her behavior and your concerns, and never lose your temper or your cool in class. If the teacher can not get her to listen, make sure you step in so that she knows she needs to listen to you as well. If the teacher can not deal with it anymore, simply have the little girl sit down or take her into the other room and give her a time out. If you need to result to it, bring her back out to her parents (if they're in the waiting room) and explain to them what's wrong and going on. If worst comes to worst, she may just have to drop out of the class.

These kinds of situations are ALWAYS tough, but you have to remember to keep your cool, stick to your word, and do what you and the teacher you assist for feels is best.

I know exactly what you are going through! There is one little girl in the ballet/tap class that I assist that is about 5 years old and all that she does is cause caos! She screams and runs around in circles when she doesn't get her way or just doesn't feel like dancing (which is most of the time). She never stays in her spot, and all that she does is bother the other girls enough that they have to come to me and ask her to stop.

Usually myself and the teacher I assist for keep her in the backline off to the side by herself, but she never seems to stay there. If that doesn't work, we make her sit out when we play games with the other kids, and the more the class talks still, the less games we let them play and the more we do their routines.

All that I would say, is to give her strict warnings. First warning is to identify what she's doing and to tell her that it's not right. Second warning is to repeat the first step and give her an idea of a consequence if she does it again. The third step/warning is to actually move her in the room away from the others, but enough so that both you and the teacher can still see her completely in the mirror or out of the corners of your eyes.

Whatever you do, make sure to keep the parent updated with her behavior and your concerns, and never lose your temper or your cool in class. If the teacher can not get her to listen, make sure you step in so that she knows she needs to listen to you as well. If the teacher can not deal with it anymore, simply have the little girl sit down or take her into the other room and give her a time out. If you need to result to it, bring her back out to her parents (if they're in the waiting room) and explain to them what's wrong and going on. If worst comes to worst, she may just have to drop out of the class.

These kinds of situations are ALWAYS tough, but you have to remember to keep your cool, stick to your word, and do what you and the teacher you assist for feels is best.

I also use the time-out approach. My rule is that if they sit out I tell their parents when they are picked up what happened and that they had a time-out...I think thats the worst part of it for them! Not only having a time-out but then Mommy knows aaahhh! My policy is that if they are acting out with physical violence or anything beyond ordinary "craziness" for a little one they are under the 3-strikes-your out rule. If they have to be sent out of class 3 times they go on probation from class alltogether for 3 months, after that time they can try class again. I got that policy because that is what the YMCA does for their daycare/childwatch program and it seems to work very well...so far I haven't had to put a student on probation (in the last 8 1/2 years) and I'm crossing my fingers that I won't ever have to!

^
Now THAT is a tough policy!!! I like your time-out idea though, although I think I'll "tell mommy" after 2 time-outs (for my really little ones). I feel like they would need at least one warning, because sometimes they just don't realize what they are doing is wrong/inappropriate for dance class. But for my older ones (5+) I'll definitely pull the "tell mommy" approach.

You'll never get rid of them. It's just something you're going to have to deal with. So what I do, is switch them all to the same class. This way, I only have one train wreck of a class and some other good ones. Use the excuse, that this class is more 'her age'

if her mother is there then she should have to go outside and wait in the lobby untill she is ready to return to class. if not she should either sit with the secretary at the desk or sit in the corner of the classroom. You should praise good behavior of all the students this way she sees what she is suppposed to do. You can tell her "..(name).. this is not how we behave in dance, in dance we.....(correct behavior)"

That type of child must go outside to mom and cool down. I will say, "Mommy, Mary needs to talk to you about good and bad behavior in class. If she decides she will show good behavior, she can come back in. If she can't, then she will have to try again next week."

She is getting LOTS of attention from you for being bad! That's what she wants. So just walk her to the door after the third time and do it.

Next time, make it after the second time. The the first time on the next class.

If she does not comply after that, tell mom that she needs to wait until she is ready to behave in class to continue.

Well parents dont stay out in the front room during class. but my teacher has problems with the parent as well. Im not really an assistant to that class but I have my solos classes after the little ones class so if I come early I get to watch for a bit. But the parent has attitude problems too. I see where the girl gets it from. Shes so adorable though. Reminds me of Olivia from the Cosby show. I think shes getting better in class because I think my teacher would have kicked her out by now.

but...we'll see


~Billy McDuck. Billy McDuck. Billy McDuck Duck Duck Duck Duck.
ashley

I think everyone has one of these children. Believe me, there will be more. If a year or two pass without any, you'll get three in one year to make up for it. Over the years I found the best way to handle it was to talk to the mom first. Then, if no improvement, I actually had the mom sit in on class and watch. I was amazed. In one case, the child would begin to run, not listen, etc... and the mom would correct her behavior. Obviously embarassed that her child was the only one not listening or behaving. The child would go right to her spot and listen. After class I would tell the mom, we have to talk to her about listening. Thank-you. It would work. THEN... there is the mom who sits in on class, corrects her child, and the kid ignores HER !!! One even talked back to her mom at age 5. And the mom didn't say a word! Don't waste your time talking to that mom. Last, but not least, there are the moms who don't correct at all. They could see their child running off their spot, not following what you are doing, totally disrupting the class... and they are oblivious to what's happening. They think nothing is wrong ! CLUELESS !! To that mom also, don't expect any help there. Do explain that you will be working on having her daughter listen in class. If not, the "children" (not to single her's out), usually will be made to sit during the fun activity or game you may do at the end of class. (The last 3 minutes) The last two types of parents basically leave the teaching as well as the basic behavior teaching up to you. So therefore, handle it between the student and you. Let different kids be the leader if they go across the floor. If the child behaves that day, she will also get a turn. If not, then she'll go home upset, but will behave the following week and know she earned her spot as leader. And I agree with the other teacher. Praise her for having her hands on her hips. Or her feet together. Or for standing still, even if you catch it on one of the rare 5 seconds. Draw attention to what a good girl she was for standing so still, or staying on her spot or listening. It may be the ONLY positive thing the child ever hears! She'll wait every week to hear that from you. Sometimes these kids grow up , look back and say... " I knew I could be anyhing I wanted to be. Do anything. I knew I was okay, even though others hardly knew I existed. My dance teacher believed in me."

our studio has a snack at breaktime...usually a pretzel but now that its the summer we have ice pops... all i have to do is say "jenny, only good listeners can have an ice pop" or something like that and it works evertime!

I have a couple of ratty/spoilt kids in my ballet class in this age group. I just get my sticker sheet out and carry it around and reward students for doing the right thing. I praise the student as I give them the sticker. Sometimes I announce that I'm looking for particular things for sticker rewards (such as mouths closed and straight backs) and sometimes I just get the stickers and hold them so they can see I have them. It keeps them on their toes, so to speak. This works because the good behaviour is getting the attention, not the bad behaviour. The ratty kids quickly fall into line.

Helen

I'll echo everything that's been said above, however I just wanted to share that one of my friends has a student that barks like a dog through class. And not a teeny tiny girl either - a NINE year old that should know better! Can you imagine?

i give them a choice - they may choose to stay in class with me and behave or go out in the lobby with the babies and mommies. sometimes they chose me/sometimes the lobby - but it empowers them and they usually get the picture.

She actually did pretty good at the recital. She looked all pretty and well behaved. She did her dances and during there "freestyle" in there jazz dance she was like doing all the hiphop dances. The walk it out, po lock and drop it, etc...she looked so cute.

PM me your email so I can send you her picture to show you how adorable she looked. (I dont wanna blast her face all over the net you know)

I am glad she worked out so well. I would love to see her pic if you pm me with it.

In a nutshell, you need to find out why she is acting like this. I always feel that if a child loses interest the teacher is missing something in the class. Not saying you are or that you are a bad teacher. But that is where I start. Even in my own classes. When I have a young one who loses attention I ask myself what will pull her back in. What can I do that will make her focus on class. At that age we need to motivate them to be in class. More play to learn than so much structure. I use many props for my classes of that age. It keeps thier attention away from negative behavior.

I don't agree with time outs and that sort of discipline in dance class. Save that for when they are older. It will just give them negative feelings toward dance.

Oh my gosh, a couple of years ago I had the total terror child. She was about 5 and was a complete brat. She'd run about, hang on you, and scream/sing at the top of her lungs. She was the youngest of a family that danced and she was just completely spoiled. You couldn't do anything with her because her mother would just become furious, because in her mind, the little girl was perfect. Mom was also always insisting that the youngest be in the same level as her brother, and the poor boy would work hard just to get out of that situation. She'd take forever to learn steps just because she wouldn't pay attention and her mother was always making her older sisters teach her things she wasn't ready for, then yelling at me and the other teachers when we wouldn't let her do them.
In the end, we'd just ignore her when she started acting up, since she did it for attention anyway. It got to the point where even the four year old looked at her like she was younger than them. I'm pretty strict with little kids, not mean, but I expect them to come to dance class because they want to dance, so I can take silly, but not time wasting. The little girl hated me, she used to pout whenever I helped her with anything, and most the little ones love me. Once during a summer class we had a 15 minute standoff because I insisted she did a step all the way through correctly before she was allowed to move on to the next one. She kept pouting and throwing pretend fits and I just stood there. All the other kids had done it fine, and it is standard procedure in class to perfect on step before moving on to the next. She was just mad she wasn't getting her way.
In the end the mom moved on to another school, not for anything I did, but because she was asked to leave.