The Class Clown

Mistakes: Common misjudgments and errors in managing the child which may perpetuate or intensify the problem.

• Overreacting to the class clown both in personal conferences and in the classroom.
  
  
• Calling the class's attention to the problem.
  
  
• Trying to ignore the problem.
  
  
• Issuing threats that can't really be carried out.
  
  
• Trying to isolate the student physically in order to stop the problem.
  
  
• Feeling that the class clown is operating the way he/she is in order to "bug" the teacher.
  
  
• Failing to see any benefits in the humor of the class clown.
  
  
• Having two standards of expectations and allowances-one for the class clown and one for other students.
  
  
• Failing to realize and acknowledge that his/her humor is not a negative human characteristic. It is a positive one-and can be a constructive factor in the success of an individual.
  
  
• Feeling that the student invariably enjoys being a clown and is making no real effort to change this behavior.