Managing Angry Students
I approach this carefully and with minimal to zero talking and 99% listening. By the time they get the issue out they are relived. This helps reduce the tension that may spread to other students.
I actually had a classroom of angry students in my classroom today. And when I was going over this section I was very carefully reading it all to make sure my approach was correct in how I handled the situation. Im very glad I took my time to have a discusion on what they were concerned about because they all had to same feelings. They now not only know that I will listen to them but that they have a whole class full. After we spent time on the issue they all felt better and were able to have a productive day.
Active listening is like a miracle drug! The effect of using it is extremely beneficial in many, many situations.
Taking notes is very necessary to protect yourself. It may still come down to "he said, she said", but your documentation will be given more weight than something coming from memory alone, especially from someone who is very angry, and possibly close to being irrational.
I have dealt with this a few times this past semester. I listened, took notes & then followed up on the complaints with a supervisor & then reported back to the students with a plan of action. This not only allowed the students to vent their frustrations, but also allowed my to gain their trust by actively listening & helping to solve the issue.
