Handling of Children

Handling Children Primary And Pre-Primary Middle Secondary And Senior Secondary

What is it that one understands by handling ?

It refers to managing or how one manages.
This also refers to taking care or how one takes care.

 Now we do not actually need to define children.
Yet, I feel, one must understand the being of a child.

 Being refers to the totality of a child and
naturally therefore it includes all the facts and aspects
of a child’s behaviour pattern, his mental approach and outlook and naturally also the physical built up.

Despite our very best efforts we face the problem
Rather the menace of handling children.

Teachers perpetually level complaints of unruly and rowdy children.
Even for a very competent teacher subject-wise, managing children becomes a problem and there by managing the class becomes a problem.

 One important factor to be kept in mind here is that
we cannot classify children into any single fold.

 If we really wish to understand handling or managing hildren
we definitely need to compartmentalise the children.

 Such a division can be based on various considerations

Age group
Mental Ability
Physical Built up
Social status
Back ground
Urban or Rural upbringing
orthodox or modern. up bringing
etc.

It can be admitted, rather it should be, that in any given situation, in this case it is generally a school, the various types of classification mentioned cannot be adhered to this is because of lack of time and of course lack of desire. those all it is basically lack of purpose- we do not knew why we need the division and what problems can /will the classification solve.

Another very significant question at this juncture is-whether the classification will indeed help in solving the problems of managing children or it will compound our troubles by giving rise to segregated and isolated groups leading to more segregation than integration.  The most ideal division is that based on Age Group. We know that the mental needs of a certain age group can be matched, though we cannot altogether deny discrepancies and inconveniences arising because of the background.

But the problem assumes a lesser magnitude when we understand that a given area has more or less a similar background and hence leads to a relatively similar mental need.

Now comes the very pertinent question of the division and the decision that earmarks the age limit for membership to any particular group. Stage wise, we may look at the growing human being from birth as an infant body, toddler , childhood, adolescence , Youth, Prime and old age.

Our concern is with the childhood and adolescence. Based on our education pattern the division can be made in 3 sections.

1. Primary
2. Middle
3. Secondary

Primary can be further divided into pre-primary and primary pre-primary is also nomenclature true as preparatory, nursery etc.

The middle group is of children who have ended the adolescent world or are at its threshold. The world of teens.
Finally, the secondary group is the group comprising those who are in the middle of their teens the 14-15 age group.

 The schools today also have the senior secondary level that has the final stages of the seems and sometimes the threshold white an others the first stage of adulthood.

It is very significant therefore that we develop ourselves and also a system in a manner that caters to the need of  the diversified age groups.  Our major problem in handling or managing the children is because of our own in competence lack of knowledge and the unavailability of a systematic or systems approach.

we must therefore at the very outset develop a method and who else can be better than we teachers who are exposed to the situation day after day and everyday.

First of all is the Primary Group. This group, we know, including pre-primary children too.  Now how are we to handle this group. Let us identify same of the salient feature of this group.

Energetic
Restless
Imitative
Playful
Dependent etc.

Our system must be such that take care of the features mentioned above and many more of the like.

A system is a success of a failure largely because of its approach comprehensive or limited.

We need to understand the mental conditions of the child in order to administer methods to handle it him properly.  The mental condition of the a child is measured by the age group and the corresponding expected maturity level or understanding level of the brain or the mind.

The mental maturity level also decides upon the general likes and dislikes and hence it can help decide the interest area of the child.

It in important to identify the interest area as it is the only  thing that helps handling is child. A primary child, in particular, shall respond less to rules & regulations but should pay immediate need to things that interest him.

This in fact helps in arresting the attention of the child and thereby controlling it and channelising as desired.  This is what can be termed as successful handling of the child.

In order to earmark the interest of a primary child we essentially need to study the features of the child-mental as well as physical (some of which are mentioned before). This study is not mainly a superficial glance or an aerial view, it is in fact an in-depth analysis.

The analysis when carried out can be put faith into two segments.

Mental Physical
Mind & thinking
Body (Strength)

A third dimension can also be added that is upbringing.

In view of the physical asked we must have a activities that a child can successfully perform with the physical cantractor that he has.

No doubt, slightly tough corners  must be keep off and on to encourage the child to perform more and better and also satiate the mind of the one that is more gifted and hence better in the last.

Physical involvement in the best method of handling children of the primary level.

We cannot actually segregate the physical from the mental in absolute compartments for the two are very complementary in nature. However, we can certainly refer to the dominance of one over the other at a particular stage and here in this case the stage calls for the dominance of physical over mental.

A very pertinent and natural question answer why? Simple and obvious is the answer. Because a child at the primary level cannot concentrate his mind for the simple reason that he is very prove to influence. It is the physical involvement that causes the maximum influence hence physical influence helps in  regulating the direction of the mental ability.

Besides, the physical involvement gives them the opportunity to understand that they are actually doing something and thus they are guarded  against distraction and acquire a sense of achievement.

Nevertheless, we must plan the physical activity in a manner that does bring about involvement and it is possible if the actually generates interest. For interest it is a must that the actually has scope of attraction and this it possible by its features of presentation. No doubt, novelty is a very important tool for attraction.  

We can, therefore, now get on to the task of identifying some such activities and some of the are :-
games
recitation ( of prose/poem)
etc.

In order to achieve our objective of teaching or educating a child- a primary stage child in particular, we weed to design lessons in play way methods, lessons that are colourful to look at and interesting to indulge. into.  Such lessons catch to the fundamental child instinct and hence became easy to learn, follow set learnt or acquired with actually having made an effort in the directions 

Middle group  is the next group a very challenging one too.  It is very difficult to handle chiefly because they understand.

It may sound very shocking, but yes-understanding is a factor that helps but it i.e handling, at the same time, it also works to make handling difficult.
The reason is easy to comprehend. Understanding at this age is very basic it is in its beginning stages.  And therefore it has its own proceedings. since it is very initial it is extremely immature and gullible. The since of in disductly is also an its growth the two together often make children exploration and this cause problems. Disobedience or misdemeanour often crop up of this level.

 As per the teachers, bagged down by this pressure of time and syllabus they fail to address this psychological difficulty and often take recourse to harsh reprimands which have a long term damaging impact.This is also true of parents.

 How then does one handle comfortably, the children of this age? This question is difficult yet answerable. And the answer is very practical. We need not make children of this are feel that they are too grown up to understanding all that is required has too nature to interpret all that is instructed in the required manner.

 This is what is called an appreciation of the state or stage of the child position.  We need to be extremely coming in our approach.  Coming to the degree that a child feels comfortable in our presence and not scared.

 This feel of comfort is important for its grants a sense of security and thereby interaction.
It is through affectional  interaction that we can handle children of this group.
Affectional interaction may be a very broad category but as this case we need to identify and specifing the interaction type – and that is, as already stated, guarantee of a sense of security.

 A confidence in the child that the teacher is a solution to this problems and net a problem for him is very essential the child needs to feel and should be made to realise that the teacher is an awesome personally the awa is both because of security in age and education and immense affection with love and care ready to solve problems or make situation easy. Often are notices that, it is for this group in particular, that teacher is highly adarable and a role model.  How are fits into this concept and fulfills the aspiration and mental demand of a child depending entirely on the teachers effort.

 Here, either one can draw a child close by the parsonal charm of the knowledge

and case exhibited or can push a child away by the scorn and dereliction of backing responsibilities.  Needless to say, there are many of us who belong to the secared catogory, if not always, quite often sometimes.

 It therfore becames partinent to design and plan our classroom activities, in a way that helps develope the desired atmosphere.

 Some such activities can be a very systematic graded approach to teaching.

 Growing children the scape to come faith with their creativity and a smmultaneous appreciation of the creative instinet.  Besides, it is important to guide the creativity into a result oriented goal direction path of progress.

 Helping children to adopt the role of facilitaters in normal classroom task is an important technique that can assure a comfortable handling of children of the middle group. At the some time it should be well understood that such roles should be allotted with proper instructions and direction and it should not be centred are a child or on some particular set of children. Rather the opportunity should be provided to each pupil and their performance should never be laughed at.

 Remember, it is your choice and an activity that is initiated by you, and its failure in any single case, Is in fact a failures of your planning.  It reflects your inability to impart instruction in the desired manner.

 These can be many ways such as this but ideally they should all involve a very comprehensive and appreciative made of interaction leading genuination development and to a consolidation of the childs faith in the teacher.

 Forth in the teacher is the key to help handle students of this group and faith is not belief without proof, it is trust without double or reservation.

 Finally come the secondary the senior secondary group of children.  
We need not specify that this stage is the are that involves a hest of plantful harmons changes in the child and thus has a wide spread emotional impact.

 We need to understand this stage of a child before we get into the task of dialing out methods to handle the children of this age group.  The key situation here are physical or biological changes effected by harmones in the body and the causement emotional repurcussion.

 It is very important to understand that a child at this stage becomes a social outcast

 The reason we all know-he remains neither a child nor is he regarded an adult. What actually happens is that, as per corvenience we denigrate  him to a child or elevote him to an adult stage all to suit out need and justification of whatever way we act.

 Herein lies that defect Are we have to establish and concretise our convenience or the need to catch to the growth requirements of the child the biggest set back that anyone can experience is identity crisis. The child have suffers from the crisis and we compound his problems by adding our own bit time and again.

 First and foremost, this very reactive group should be handleed in a manner that makes it feel that it is not just a tossing ball, it too has its base, its own special place and a definite identify.

 The question is how can this be achieved.  Well, certainly it is not an easy task but when we take on the role of adults- adults who are responsible and practical, adults who think before they speak, who analyses before the act or react, our work will become easy.  Here the basic problem in hardling lies in this fact that though we know that this group is not actually an adult group we aften subject them to a treatment take that of an adult and more so as our i.e. the teachers advers any.

 Please understand, the child is not your advise any, he can never be one. The situation arises because of our lack of self control and an inflated sense of self pride.  We need to first control ourselves, we need to first handle ourselves before we can actually handle the children of this very impartant are group that belonging to the secondary and sr. secondary level.

 Having established self retraint and self cantrol, we many reason out and a logical, sensitive reasaning will grant us the understanding that this child seeks a friendly approach. An approach that makes him feel that the teacher too is not one of the many who simply impose without reason.  The teacher can very easily adopt this role because the heart is larging for it and the slightest hint that there is on friend in the teacher helps establish instant support and thereby solven all problems of handling.

 The issue now is, what kind of a friend does a teacher need to be and the simple answer is a friend who is nature, compassionable understanding and a good listener.

 The two bays qualities are maturity and being a good listener, mature so because  the child should be made to understand the difference between him and his teacher, friend and this generate the required respect and distance good listener because most of the problem are solved once they are spoken. So a Teacher should give his pupil the oppertunity to speak. Speaking helps are feel important and thus endows a seves of achievement.  This achievement is the besic need. At every stage we must strive and create oppotunities that convey achievement.  This helps in the steady growth and consdidation of self esteem and thereby self respect.

 Once self respect is firm and deep rooted, we with notice that the child will not indulge in acts that call for reprimand. At least knowingly, consciously willingly he shall never do so. Is it not very clear that if one does not give the occesion to reprimand- it is obvious that there are less or no problem. Does this not clearly specify that handling problems stand solved.