Children are each complete individuals. They think, learn, and act differently. They respond to the world differently. They react based on their personalities and experiences. Children all have different thoughts, ideas, and feelings.
It is amazing how different environments and different stimulus can make children act differently. A very outgoing talkative child may become quiet and shy when presented with a new or unfamiliar situation. A very quiet and calm child may become loud and excited when placed in a high energy setting.
Children also respond differently among other children. Some children bring out the best in each other while others bring out the worst. Teachers must be very careful which students that they place together. The art of knowing which students will work well together comes from observation of personalities.
Some students are very well behaved and rarely need correcting when they are alone or with other calm children. However when they come in contact with a rambunctious personality, they follow. Both students are usually equally at fault for the trouble.
While we all know that people are in control of their own actions and behaviors, others can be great influences. Therefore parents do have a reasonable concern about who their children have for friends and classmates.
While it would not likely be a good idea to tell your child not to be another child’s friend, it may be wise to inform your child to keep distance from another child during instruction time. This is especially true if the two children have had trouble together. It is also a reasonable request that a parent asks for the children to be in separate classroom. Of course this request should be placed before the homerooms are assigned.
As teachers we must do the same. There are some children that simply cannot handle being beside of each other in line or at lunch without causing trouble. Therefore we instruct these students to keep distance during these times. They are usually allowed to be together during free times such as outside time. For future years, these children should be noted to be in different classes from each other.
Treating All Students the Same
Students with Personal Assistants
Student Led Parent Teacher Conferences