Rude Boy Worries Adults

Miss Bailey didn't nag or harass him about his rude conduct. She remembered to be courteous to him at all times. It was Chuck's responsibility to correct his conduct and not his teacher's. I commend Miss Bailey's method as constructive child guidance.

MOTHER is disturbed because her James is rude and discourteous. Mother thinks that at age 10 a boy should have better manners than to interrupt adult conversation. “I have scolded him time and again, but it seems to do no good.”

And scolding will never achieve your purpose, mother. Today I saw a new boy in our school behaving in the same way.

A child protested: “Chuck is getting mouthy again, Miss Bailey. I can't study when he starts that.” Chuck hastened to defend him- self. “Well, what if I did? What's so terrible about that? I don't talk any more than the others.”


PUPILS ASKED TO HELP
Miss Bailey saw that if Chuck conformed to the desires of his group, they would have to stimulate the desire for him to do so. She stopped, and asked how many children were willing to take time from their work to help Chuck come to an understanding with the group. “Why shouldn't Chuck talk when he likes?” she asked her class. “He says he doesn't see anything terrible about it. Why do you object, Fred?”

ATTITUDE OF CHILDREN
“It isn't terrible,” replied Fred, “but it's impolite because he talks when it disturbs us to listen.” “What do you think, Jane? You sit close to Chuck.”

“I think if we leave him alone that he ought to be fair with us. We don't talk when he reads or recites.”

Chuck wanted to argue about it, but group opinion proved too much for him. Finally the teacher asked him to write in his citizenship book the rule which the class adopted: “Talking out of turn is disrespectful and rude. It shows lack of consideration for the rights of others.”

BOY REACHES DECISION
Then she asked him to think it over and below the class rule write what he was going to do about it. He didn't write anything until near- ly recess time when he wrote delib- erately just two words: "Keep still." But in those two words Chuck committed himself to conform to his group, and his group will remind him if he errs. With wise guidance he will learn to refrain from annoying others and he will learn self-respect through group approval.

TEACHER SHOWS COURTESY Miss Bailey didn't nag or harass him about his rude conduct. She remembered to be courteous to him at all times. It was Chuck's responsibility to correct his conduct and not his teacher's. I commend Miss Bailey's method as constructive child guidance. – By James Samuel Lacy, 1933

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