Let us discuss behaviors.
If we were to put behaviors on a continuum you may notice that students who struggle academically and those who are academically advanced tend to follow some of the same behaviors. Spacing off, acting out, blurting out, giving up, disrupting others, fading into the wallpaper to not be noticed, wandering the room.... Just as not all strugglers exhibit all of these traits, neither will the higher students. As educators, we need to be fully aware of these behaviors and understand where they come from just as we do for the strugglers.
*Oversensibilities
*Lack of emotional maturity
*Socially awkward
*Tendencies toward perfectionism
*Lack of focus when bored
*Propensity toward black and white, just/fair thinking
*Anxiety...
Many times it is more difficult to be patient with these students because we expect them to be able to control more than they can at times. I encourage you to see them as you would the child who struggles and be ready to tackle their behaviors with the same thoughtfulness and care.
You have a toolbox already in your back pocket that you use for your struggling students. Pull it out because kids are kids, most of what you do for the strugglers will work for the high ability students.
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