Problem with a student

[Bustoff]

I am a high school teacher. I routinely correct students. Everything from cussing, to fighting, to being late for class - you name it, I address it and correct them for it.
There is one student who is very much a drama queen. Whenever I have corrected him about anything he puts on a big show. He likes to make a big show of pouting and he has this "astonished" facial expression that he likes to use. He often responses with a resounding "whatever" or an "Oh my God". He hold grudges.
He is the type of student who often interrupts lessons and I have corrected him for it. The other day I was addressing the class and he kept making comments to a friend of his in the class, and he was making eyes at his buddy and giggling. I told him to stop, and that this had been going on too long and he needed to quit this behavior. This put him into one of his pouting moods. Later, we went into the lab and he was still pouting so I sat him down for sort of a time out. When I had a minute I told him that his behavior was becoming a disruption and he has a habit of this kind of behavior and he needs to grow up and quit acting like a child. This kid is 17 or 18 and he has already signed up to join the army after graduation, FWIW.
This happened a couple of weeks ago and this kid is still walking around with a big frown, acting like he's been hurt of something.
I have been way, way harder on other kids for their infractions and they always get over it after a day or so. Not this kid. And I didn't even go through a formal disciplinary procedure with him such as assigning a detention for interrupting class.
How do you deal with someone like this?

[bbl]

Might have to think outside the box on this one... and perhaps focus on the finer qualities of his nature and encourage them them forward in preference to squashing his negative aspects...

Just a day at a time I guess.

[Moriarty]

Sadly they are learned attention-seeking disorders more then likely from the family unit. The problem being that if they are not addressed and severely curbed at his age now, they will quickly become hard-wired and become his core nature, causing huge struggles in his life. The army is the best place for him to be because he will learn extreme discipline and order.

As bbl said, all you can really do is try to find that one connection of positiveness that may break through his hard shell. Going above and beyond a teacher's requirements is your own choice. Failing that, the head-masters office....Good luck with that.

[CroMagna]

I suggest you talk to James. I think he's James81. He's a math teacher and is very
passionate about it.

[SireneB]

I think you need to be firm with him, but since this is an attention-getting behavior, not give him any extra attention for it. However - do give him more attention than you might give another student for good work or for good behavior. (note - I'm not a teacher, just my opinion as a parent and one who has had a lot of other dealings with adolescents).

[Yanna]

Do you realize he spends way less time thinking about this and worrying about this than you? He's a teenager, of course he'll give you the Oh My God face, the eye-roll, the pout... It's what they do. You're his teacher, by default he's going to be annoyed with everything you say and do. Not all teenagers are like this, but I've found that in a class of 28 there's always two or three that will never warm to you, that you will never reach. You can't let that get to you, you can't win them all.

It also sounds like he's just testing you out, how far can he go before you stop warning/preaching and start actually disciplining him (ie giving him punishment)? Pretty far from the sound of it. You say you've been way harder on other kids, why is that?

When my students act sulky or pouty, I usually make a joke about it (or imitate them, they hate that, hehe) and then ignore it. I don't tell them to stop it or punish them for having a certain look on their face. If they are quiet and do the work, I really don't care how angry or frowny they look. If they distract others in some way, I discipline them for that.

Sometimes I'll talk to them after class if I feel something else is bothering them. They'll never tell what it is if you already have a shaky relationship, but at least you get to give them some positive attention.

What really helps me if I have a problem with a student or a weird lack of click with them is to talk to my colleagues. What's their experience with this kid, what do they know about his situation, how do they deal with him?

Good luck!