However skillful you are and whatever techniques you use, you may still encounter difficult situations in small group PAL sessions.
Dealing with a difficult students can be challenging when you’re not a teacher and not that different in age. Here are some of the things you should do:
- Stay cool and calm when talking with a student. Above all be polite.
- Separate yourself from the situation – observe the student’s behaviour and try not to become personally involved.
- Remember that many students are still adolescents and still acting out in rebellion against the authority figures in their lives, so you should not behave in a ‘parental’ fashion. Instead adopt the role of a coach or concerned friend.
- Do not share information of a personal nature that students have confided in you, unless there is potential for them or others to be put in a harmful situation
- Listen carefully before saying anything - showing a student that you are willing and interested in hearing what they have to say goes a long way to solving problem
You can find below some scenarios that you may experience within your PAL sessions, along with methods for how to manage these int he downloadable hand out below.