Every teacher can name him--that one student who sky rockets your blood pressure and sends steam whistling out of your ears. Each time Jimmy falls to the floor kicking and screaming, you gulp back your aggravation. Each time Marcia jumps up from her desk and skips around the room, your close your eyes and count to ten.

This fourth article in our eight-article series focuses on the "problem" student. In this article, you will find handy tips for dealing with the student who is the bane of your classroom.

INVESTIGATE. Despite how irrational Jimmy's kicking or Marcia's refusal to sit may seem, there is a reason for the behavior. Talk with the student and ask for an explanation. If you can gather no information from the student, ask other teachers about their experience with the student. Next, talk to administrators and parents.

ANALYZE. Does this student act out at a certain time of day, during a certain activity, or around a certain student? An inability to see the board, anxiety about wearing a swimsuit, or a dispute with a friend--any of these can trigger "bad' behavior. Analyze the situation for such triggers. Then, suggest better ways of dealing with these situations.

ADJUST. Although her peers can do it, Marcia does not have the attention span to sit for more than ten minutes at a time. Although his friends are able too, Joshua cannot resist eating his snack before break time. To help students succeed, adjust expectations. Over the semester, you can gradually tweak these expectations to help students meet classroom goals.

ALLOW. Does Marcia really need to sit during the read-aloud? Will Vipal's doodling hinder his understanding of the presentation? If the behavior does not interfere with the student's learning or the learning of others, then allow it.

When a student acts out, this signals that he or she is unable to follow classroom protocol at that time. Viewing the "bad" student's behavior from the perspective of the classroom goals, and then employing one of the above strategies, will help you to help your "problem" student.