Diffusing Power

I think in, diffusing a power struggle in a classroom, there are important things to consider. First, there are often discussions around what power is in a classroom. Many individuals feel that teachers should be careful not to exert their power over students in negative ways. While I certainly agree with this, I must add that teachers have the responsibility to maintain a certain degree of management and “control” over students. This does not mean that teachers should exercise negative power over students that restricts their opportunities to grow, learn, and feel safe and comfortable; rather, teachers should exercise enough power students that helps to guide and teach them. Yet, defiant or troubled students will often test the power of teachers in negative ways. Issues of power in a classroom are expected and teachers must therefore have strategies for combating them and preventing them.

As a teacher, it is important to identify when there is a power struggle and be prepared to diffuse this power in effective ways. In my opinion, diffusing power will not be dealt with in the same way from teacher to teacher. So, it is important to recognize what works best for you, your classroom, and students. In my practicum experience, I was often challenged by students and had to learn how to diffuse the power. Though I learned the hard way, this was a valuable experience for me because I learned effective strategies in dealing with defiant students who challenged power. One thing I learned: consistency is key. It was very important to do what I said. Students came to understand that plans of action and consequences would be followed through. For me, though, the most important thing I learned in diffusing power was to be proactive. This means learning to detect student behaviour problems early on so that appropriate action can be taken. To avoid power struggles, I would provide opportunities for students to play important roles in the classroom such as having classroom jobs, group leader, special helpers, sharing and community circles to have a voice, and so on. Overall, I think diffusing power struggles involves constantly refining classroom management skills to both prevent and handle power struggle issues. Equally important, educators need to be aware of how to be proactive to avoid power struggles as well.