09/19/2026
What 29 Years Taught Me About Difficult Students
Some students make teaching easy.
They come in, get started, do what they’re asked, and generally make your day easier.
And then there are the others.
You know the ones.
The student who calls out constantly.
The student who argues about everything.
The student who seems determined to test every boundary you have.
The student who can turn a perfectly good lesson into a 20-minute battle.
I’ve had plenty of those students over my 29 years in the classroom.
And I learned something important:
The more difficult the behaviour, the more important it is that I stay calm.
Don’t Take the Bait
Early in my career, I sometimes got pulled into arguments with students.
A student would challenge me.
I’d respond.
They’d push back.
I’d push back harder.
Before long, we weren’t talking about the original problem anymore.
We were having a contest.
And here’s the thing about contests with students:
The teacher has more to lose.
The student might get a laugh from classmates.
I might lose ten minutes of instructional time and spend the rest of the day wondering why I let myself get pulled into it.
Eventually, I learned to stop taking the bait.
If a student says:
“You’re not the boss of me.”
I don’t need to prove that I am.
If a student says:
“This is stupid.”
I don’t need to convince them that it isn’t.
If a student refuses to do the work, I don’t have to turn it into a public confrontation.
Sometimes the most effective response is surprisingly simple:
“We’ll talk about this later.”
Then move on.
Correct Privately Whenever Possible
One of the best classroom management lessons I learned was this:
Don’t embarrass a student in front of an audience if you can avoid it.
Public correction often creates a second problem.
Now the student has an audience.
They have classmates watching.
They may feel they have to defend themselves.
And suddenly a small behaviour issue becomes a power struggle.
When possible, lower your voice.
Move closer.
Speak privately.
Keep your words short.
You don’t need a five-minute lecture.
Try:
“I need you to stop. We’ll talk after the lesson.”
Then continue teaching.
You can deal with the bigger issue later.
Give Students a Way Back
This one took me years to understand.
When students make a mistake, we sometimes make it difficult for them to recover.
But students need a way back.
If a student has disrupted the class, let them rejoin the class without having to carry that mistake around for the rest of the day.
You can be firm without holding a grudge.
You can say:
“That wasn’t okay. We’re moving on.”
And mean it.
The goal isn’t to win.
The goal is to get the student back into learning.
And Don’t Forget Yourself
This might be the hardest part.
When a student pushes your buttons, you have a choice.
React immediately.
Or pause.
That pause might only be two seconds.
Take a breath.
Lower your voice.
Slow down.
Ask yourself:
“What response will make this situation better?”
Not:
“What response will make this student pay?”
There’s a big difference.
After 29 years, I’ve learned that classroom management isn’t about having the perfect response every time.
It’s about becoming the kind of teacher who can stay steady when things aren’t going well.
That’s a skill.
And like every skill, it gets better with practice.
One Thing to Try Tomorrow
The next time a student challenges you, try this:
Pause.
Don’t match their volume.
Don’t argue.
Don’t lecture.
Give yourself two seconds to decide what the situation actually needs.
Then respond calmly and briefly.
You might be surprised at what happens.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do in a difficult moment is refuse to make the moment bigger.
One Last Thought
After 29 years, I’ve learned that difficult students don’t necessarily need a tougher teacher.
They need a teacher who can remain calm enough to see what’s really happening.
That’s not always easy.
I’ve certainly made my share of mistakes.
But I’ve also learned that a calm response today can prevent a much bigger problem tomorrow.
And that’s a lesson worth carrying into every classroom.
See you in four weeks.
Marjan Glavac
The Busy Educator
