Guidelines: Dealing with Aggression and encouraging cooperation

Guidelines: Dealing with Aggression and encouraging cooperation

• Present yourself as a nonaggressive model/person
  • Example: Do not use threats of aggression to win obedience.
• Ensure that your classroom has enough space and appropriate materials for every student
  • Example: Prevent overcrowding.  Remove or confiscate materials that encourage personal aggression, such as toy guns.
• Make sure students/children do not profit from aggressive behaviors
  • Examples:
    •   Comfort the victim of aggression and ignore the aggressor
    •   Use reasonable punishment, especially with older students/children
• Teach directly about positive social behaviors
  • Examples:
    • Discuss the effects of antisocial actions such as stealing bullying, and spreading rumors
    • Incorporate lessons on social ethics/morality through reading selection and discussion
• Provide opportunities for learning tolerance and cooperation.
  • Example: Emphasize similarities among people rather than the differences
• Coach victimized children to be more assertive
  • Examples:
    • Provide models and encouragement – role play appropriate self-defense.
    • Build self-esteem by building skills and knowledge

Reference: Woolfolk, A. “Educational Psychology” 8th edition.