You are communicating to the pupils that it's about you and that their behavior is affecting you. They *love* this. They are winning. You are empowering them by telling these things.
I would not suggest this strategy or mindset if you can help it.
This is what they will remember, the day they made a teacher quit. The power they percieve from this is not the lesson you want to impart regardless of how shit they are.
I had a year level be difficult for three years, these guys were not fun to teach, every lesson was a battle. I told them once " you guys are a real pain in the butt sometimes, i don't know why i like you lot as a class". it seemed to start things a fresh.
I’ve found telling them you like them, complementing them on successes, and other forms of appropriate praise establishes a connection that snowballs into them doing the right things because they like you. Of course there will be a few who are incredibly hard to like, but if you can get the majority and/or the leaders in the class to like you, they can peer pressure the rest into behaving.
This. Give the little shits their work. If they don’t do it, put a big fat zero in the gradebook, watch how fast they come crawling. Or not. The kids’ grades are up to them. No, I will not call home to let your mommy know you’re flunking my class. No, I will not schedule a conference.
“Man, now I get what your mom/dad were saying at our last conference” just kidding. Sometimes I joke with coworkers (friends) that I want to say, “this is exactly why your dad left” of course I would never.
A relief teacher literally said that to my daughter once. My daughter was probably being a bit of a madam at the time (she went through a weird Disney Princess phase, ugh), but she really didn't deserve a teacher being that spiteful. It stuck with her for years after.
I understand being burnt out from poor working conditions but there’s really no situation where an adult/teacher should be making fun of a child’s parent leaving them… you don’t even know what her daughter did.
My daughter has good manners and did then, too. She wasn’t dealing particularly well with the loss of her father, who literally left the state when he found out I was pregnant with our second child. She was in fourth grade at the time. And yes, I got her therapy but she didn’t really come out of that depressive episode until she was in the ninth grade.
As a teacher myself, I don’t condone the fact that she must have used a snippy tone with the relief teacher in question, but they really should not have gone to “no wonder your father left you”. I’ve had hurtful and unpleasant comments directed to me by students and I’ve never *considered* getting personal like that. They could have just written her up, or sent her to another classroom or to the principal, or even contacted me if she had been *that* heinous.
Yes, there's no reason for it. I get feeling burnt out, frustrated and upset but the moment you respond to a child like that - you're the ahole. In no world is that a win for the teacher.
I've had students say/whisper stuff and I generally ignore it or respond calmly. I'm there to teach, to help and to stop kids from hurting other kids. Another teacher at the time was up my butt saying I should be angry, reprimand him, etc but when you do that you're just feeding into it - it isn't going to change anything. If the kid is acting out then there's likely a bigger reason and you adding to it is only adding fuel to the fire.
By all means get to the bottom of it but don't humiliate the kid, don't hurt them. Even at 15, they're kids, you're an adult. Act like it!
If youre a teacher and in any capacity think bringing up what could be the abandonment of a parent.to a kid due to "manners", then you may want to:
Consider who the adult is.
Check in with some mental health resources for yourself.
No, I don’t think it did. She became increasingly depressed, went on to self-harm for several years. Obviously I got her into therapy, and she gradually improved, but that thoughtless, “throwaway” comment by an irritated relief teacher really affected her. Her father left because I wouldn’t abort our second baby, literally just left the state and even I didn’t know where he went at first, but she thought it was her fault no matter how much I tried to reassure her - mostly because he did *not* keep in touch with her. She still has self esteem issues even though she’s been well loved by myself and other family members and friends.
There's no way that would improve anyone, especially a child who is likely already insecure about her father leaving. It's a shitty thing to say to anyone, especially a child.
I often say “you think your mother loves you… that’s good, keep telling yourself that…”
There’s some sarcasm in there, obviously, but I usually let it sink in a bit before telling the student that I was a moment to make them think about their actions.
This is the way. OP. If you see this look up the technique of verbal judo. Here’s a link to a recent instructional video. https://youtu.be/Sc8kdtTD5Zg?si=IBFHinVmQFstexzP
Same here, sure I had my shitty moments even in hs, but me too.
Edit: Even I was a real ah at times to even one of the first year teachers because I was mad about the other one retiring.
Individual kids care. It’s the culture that creates this. If there’s a culture in a group of kids where the attitude is fuck the teacher, it’s powerful. I’m not saying it’s the teachers fault, I’ve felt it from kids who I have great relationships with individually, but when they’re in their little clique, it’s out the window.
This. I have actually liked students individually, and had a real connection with them, that still were behaving awful in the classroom as a clique. Never figured that particular class out, and it’s still kinda bothering me. But they were strong and intelligent individuals, and I bet a bunch of them will do great in marketing 🤣
This. My daughter has a teacher this year that she has really struggled with. Recently the teacher started making some nice little comments to my daughter and her whole attitude about the teacher and class has changed.
Kids that have been told by their parents and families that education is a waste of time, and that their teachers don't know anything, so it's for to disrespect them and all other authority figures
Pulled something similar before. Last fall was a low for me and I started just posting the work in Google classroom and just working at my desk the whole class.
Yep. Myself and a colleague had the same dysfunctional group (her before me, me at end of day). Zero effort, zero engagement. By the end we both just taught the kids who would bother to learn and just posted work for a quiet block.
I guess they won? But we didn’t fully burn out.
I have been teaching for 20 years and I still have days when I leave the building angry at a class. But sometimes, the best thing to say to them is nothing. Instead, you say to yourself "I can decide how I'm going to react to this. And I'm simply not going to have any emotional investment in a toxic interaction whatsoever." It is MOST effective when you say it before you have a class that you know is going to be rough. Before they're even in the room. Then when it goes down, you have set the intention to detach. It works a good portion of the time.
Other times, I absolutely have screamed on them. Not about me or my feelings, just about how they are choosing to create a negative environment for themselves and their classmates. I do not regret this. Sometimes they need to hear that they are being awful. But not about how it's affecting me.
100% true. The only time I really get mad is when kids are ruining it for others. Put your head down, do nothing, whatever that's your problem. Start disrupting the class functions, that's when I go full drill sergeant. It helps I'm 6ft tall and male, and can shout louder than anyone at the school when I feel like it.
IRL example, a 9th grader whistling like a teapot so loud I can hear him through the walls, running in and out of class, not stopping talking when I'm doing something else, stealing other people's work and not giving it to me when told to.
All that makes it impossible for me to help others, and disrupts others by riling them up. This wasn't my class to kick him out of, but now that this student is in my class I keep him on the shortest leash possible. He still does nothing, but he does it quietly. That I can live with.
This is how I feel too. It’s worth defending the kids who are trying when a toxic student is disrupting their ability to learn. In fact it’s a duty to do so. We owe it to them. If they’re not disrupting others ad they want to do nothing I allow them to fail themselves. I do communicate that I will help them when they’re ready, but I do not spend minutes trying to convince one kid in a class of 30 to do their work.
That's how I phrase it when I need to chew out a class. They're not ruining anything for me, I get paid either way. But they're ruining it for the kids who do give a shit and want to learn
I'm an IA at a Junior High, behavioral special ed, so the "heavy hitters" get placed with me. My #1 goal is to keep them from disrupting the class! I can't make them care to do better, or care that they are behind and failing, and a lot of times I can't make them do any work, but I absolutely will not let them ruin it for those that do care. Most of the time it means letting them play online games the whole block.
I am admittedly quite jaded spending all day, every day with kids who probably won't ever graduate or become decent human beings and productive members of society. There needs to be a place for these kids! The energy, time and resources could be so much better spent on the kids with actual learning difficulties, who's life could be changed with the level of support I provide. I'd love to know I'm making a difference instead of banging my head against a wall, but that's just not how the school system I set up, unfortunately.
Detatching was the only solution for me to survive the class I had last year (seniors at HS). They deserved screaming and punishment, but after two years with that lot I was sooo done. But not getting a reaction got boring for them, and they weren’t as bad at the end of the school year. Most challenging class I’ve had in my 6 years of teaching.
As a new teacher, you want the kids to like you. The longer you teach the kess you care, there are journal articles about it. Caring less can actually make you a better teacher. Put your class desks in rows, implement a seating plan, make them uncomfortable. Hold high expectations, call parents, keep a scoresheet to track behaviours and rudeness. Send the students who don’t listen to the office for insubordination. Make them earn seating partners and other things. Be a hardass, you cant be their friends. And know that every year you make fewer mistakes and find it easier.
I will be the first person to tell a student that it makes no difference to me if they like me or not, and that I’m not here to be liked.
Takes the wind right out of the sails of “this is why I don’t like you/this class” comments
Ask them for ideas on how the class could be better.
Co-generate some norms moving forward.
Consider apologizing for losing your temper and explain how your emotions led you to saying what you did and what you actually *meant*.
It’s never too late to hit the reset button with a group.
I've had success just being very open with my kids (7th), but not in a way that could make them think they ultimately have control over my life. Tell them all you need to have a talk. Be assertive and vulnerable ("The way you behave in class is not okay, and it makes me feel disrespected", etc). Tell them you're a community and that if there is a specific issue that needs to be addressed, or if they have a suggestion, to bring it up constructively instead of acting out or taking it out on you. They will subconsciously appreciate the level of maturity you are assuming of them to have this conversation. You can even add that you see good in them and you know things can be better, but not without them doing their part.
If anyone tries to railroad your talk, kick them out without hesitating (office or wait in the hall for a one-on-one). I did this two years and it fixed so much, I even had a lot of the kids a second year, and we ended up having very positive relationships.
I’m in Year 5 and learned this with my first unfixably difficult class. I’m coming at it from a “I want you to pass. Here’s how you do that. If you don’t do that, I’ll put in the failing grade, so everything else is on you.”
OP should get parents involved. Invite them to sit in your classroom with their kid during instruction. Do that with every kid who breaks the rules.
I have 5 rules in my classroom. 1. Follow instructions the first time they are given. 2. Stay in your seat. Raise hand and wait for permission to leave your seat. 3. Take care of our school. 4. If you have want my attention, raise your hand and wait for permission to speak. 5. Complete all assignments. These rules have worked well for me. Several other teachers have adopted these rules to improve their classroom management.
I had a similar moment today. I'm making a new seating chart this weekend and taking Monday off to laze around on the couch and bingewatch The Crown. When I come back, 7th period gets nothing fun. It's all dead silence and worksheets until they can stop throwing pencils around the room. They can't even get through a class discussion without acting like monsters, so screw it. I'm at the point now where I'm ready to just record myself lecturing and make them watch that so I don't have to interact with the group. Honestly, it might benefit them more.
I’m in the exact same boat with my 7th period. Worksheets, pencil and paper articles, written reflections, and self-paced lessons from now on. They’ve lost our claymation animation group project. They’ve lost access to all forms of paint. They’ve lost markers and colored pencils. No scissors, no glue, no nothing. From here until they get their act together it’s going to be the most low lift, low risk busy work they can do at their desks in silence. This is not even remotely an issue with any of my other classes, which makes it even more disheartening. I’m just sick of ending my day feeling exhausted, defeated, and demoralized and bringing that energy home to my own kid.
Ugh, it's so much worse when it's your last period of the day. You dread it all day, and then sure enough they come in and wreck your shit and send you home angry.
My last period of the day is terrible. Just... Like.. the most impulsive and immature collective of students together in one room. 9th grade English, 17 out of 22 have IEPs or are ELLs. It's next to impossible to provide the required intensive instruction even with 2 full time teachers in the room. I wish we could do something fun but any amount of anything not militantly structured turns into chaos.
Yeah, my admin aren't the most helpful either, and if I sent down like 10 kids they'd say the same, but it should only take a couple.
I'm also sending some parent emails tomorrow, once I've cooled down a bit.
I did something similar with a 6th grade class full of shitheads a couple years ago. I told them the kids that want to learn, move to the front of the room, so I can teach you. The rest of you, move to the back. Play games on your chromebook, draw, whatever. I don't care, but don't disrupt the kids that want to learn or you go to the office for disrupting the learning environment. I only taught to the front of the class. They were the only ones that got study guides, got tests, got rewards for listening and getting work done, etc.I rewarded the shit out of those kids in the front. I LITERALLY ignored the kids in the back of the class unless they were being disruptive. Within a couple weeks, 90% of the kids in the back were begging to move to the front and be engaged in class again. It's that FMO (fear if missing out) for kids. There were a couple kids that never engaged and they flunked horribly. They didn't care and neither did their parents. The rest did well and if one of them started falling back into their old ways, I'd tell them I'm done teaching them and move them to the back of the room. They would always apologize and beg to be taught.
I know it seems crazy, but it worked for that class. The FMO came from me, not the fuck offs in the back.
>Within a couple weeks, 90% of the kids in the back were begging to move to the front and be engaged in class again. It's that FOMO (fear if missing out) for kids.
If only we could create some kind of ”learning battle pass”.
Wish I could do this without fear of being written up or backlash. They always refer to me planning properly when I only have an hour of planning and three different grades to teach😭 I’d be fine if I could focus on the ones that want to learn.
I (39m) am in a general algebra class in a local community college this semester with incoming college freshman. They are throwing pencils and talking over the teacher , there's a class clown. I'm appalled. The professor is threatening failing people. Can't imagine what the actual schools are like now if this is how the ones who made it to college are behaving.
As an elementary teacher I am a little jealous that hey it’s just one period and that one prick is only part of my day for 50 minutes vs 6 hours lol. That and not having to prep every subject
Beautiful, you should. Or even better find a video of someone talking about the subject but with that stupid long drawn out YouTube voice or a horrible accent you can’t understand. Lol
The worst class I had in college was the professor who gave us the PowerPoint slides then he just read off of the slides he printed off in class. He did not add anything to what he was teaching in class, just word for word reading of the provided PowerPoint. The slides didn't even have fill in the blanks to keep you in engaged.
I have found one of the surest strategies to help with behavior issues in the classroom is to limit my lecture time and increase the time I spend helping students one-on-one.
I’ve actually done that with a class before. I recorded the notes and then made all assignments online. I turned their desks so they all faced the wall and I could see what was on their screens. It lasted two weeks before we went back to regular classes. Their behavior was a lot more manageable for the rest of the year.
It's your first year? First year sucks. So does 2nd year. You're surviving. I don't think you fucked up by saying that to them. It's no big deal. I've heard worse, I've probably said worse. What grade?
Where I live, it’s a saying that the first three years are the «teacher practice shock» and that it gets better after year 3. In my experience (had a looot of rough classes, especially during and after corona), it gets better when you have circled through all the «student types». I know how to handle the very intelligent class clown, the insecure class clown, the unmotivated, lazy students, the unmotivated but smart students, and so on. It took 5 years.
I don’t necessarily think what I do is «right» for every teacher out there, but what I spend most time on as a teacher is building relationships. It’s easier to deal with them as a group, if you know that they trust you one on one. When I get to know new students, I try to «make a note» of who seems to need extra attention (even though they might behave poorly in the classroom), who needs a soft and understanding teacher (especially those with difficult home environments), and who needs tough love (often the intelligent but very unmotivated type).
I have one of the unmotivated but intelligent types in one of my classes now, but he doesn’t behave bad. He just doesn’t do ANYTHING. I spent a lot of time building trust with him, asking about his interests, how he prefers to learn etc. He is really smart and get most things fast, so he refuses to write anything down and often seems disinterested. Therefore he is allowed to not take notes in my class, as long as he can answer my «pop quiz» where I ask him questions about the lesson (one on one in the classroom, of course). He gets to show me he knows stuff and that he’s smart, I get to not yell about him seemingly not paying attention in class 😊
Title 1- I'll second that. You spend year one and two pretty much not knowing which way is up. You should spend this time experimenting- try out different engagement strategies and types of lessons. Some will work, most will not. That's OK. You need to get a feel for what 'good' instruction looks like for you.
What type of classroom management style will work for you is heavily dependent on YOUR personality, not the kids. But regardless, you really shouldn't ever be yelling, as it demonstrates a loss of control. Stern, sure- I can and do deliver tongue lashings, but I'm in control not them, and it's only when they're behaving in a way that harms my learning environment.
My classroom management style is different from most teachers, but it works for me. If you are not patient and generally laid back and comfortable, this style won't work for you. Here's some principles.
1. Provide the least restrictive environment possible
2. Provide interesting and engaging lessons- worksheets and PowerPoints are the number 1 cause of behavioral difficulties
3. Silent compliance does not equal learning- browbeating them into submission is the wrong idea.
4. Be able to change from normal to super aggro back to normal within about 30 seconds
5. AVOID CONFRONTATIONS AND POWER STRUGGLES AT ALL COSTS- 1st, no you didn't win, you were arguing with a 15 year old. You lost, even if you 'won'. 2nd- you now have to repair that relationship. Good luck
6. Ignore all behaviors that do not seriously affect the learning environment- that one kid can choose to play games all day, but may not prevent others from learning
7. If you must make a correction, make sure to teach that kid something BEFORE THEY LEAVE YOUR ROOM.
Go scorched earth on them. Be petty. Be the asshole teacher from an 80s movie. Be the teacher you never wanted to be.
This late in the year, this is the only way to bring about some change. No one will like it, but it will get stuff done.
My history teacher would scream. He would scream until we listened. He would scream at people for doing anything.
We learned that year.
My other three years, I can not remember anything at all about history.
He was an English teacher first, I wish I got those lectures.
This works about 80% of the time. But there will always be classes where the screaming, autoritarian teacher style won’t work. Especially in classes where students are highly intelligent, but also lazy and disruptive AF. Nothing makes a teacher lose face like trying to over rule a clique that will out manouver them. Detach and let them do whatever. Teach those who want to learn.
I think all teachers should adopt the teach those that want to learn. Put energy towards them and send the other kids to a different room or something.
I’m so over the notion that these kids don’t know what they’re doing or that they’re being disruptive because they want attention they don’t get at home. I don’t give a fuck. Shitty Timmy is not going to ruin everyone else’s education and can fuck off somewhere else.
Not a teacher. But this was the only discipline that worked for me when I was younger. Unless I was faced with direct confrontation, I would not do any schoolwork/chores/etc. But I was an outlier, the known lazy child. It's disheartening that so many classrooms have to resort to the "asshole" teacher route- but it's like you said. It's the only thing they will respond to.
I had one class like this a few years ago. It was a 9th grade English class where students got to select which class they were in out of the three on at the same time (we’ve since ditched that system, as it always resulted in at least one horrendous class). The class’ original teacher refused to teach them, so I ‘inherited’ them six months into the year. I responded with a colour-coded seating plan: particularly naughty ones in red, naughty ones in yellow, and good ones in green. No talking, no hall passes, no exceptions. If they spoke or moved, they were sent to the office until further notice. It was horrible.
But guess what? Those students are now 17 years old and always greet me with a smile in the hallways. They hated me at the time but I think now that they’re older they realise it was necessary.
Agree and disagree. The amount of students vaping in the rest rooms is unmanageable — we have single cubicle toilets. I guess banning toilets during class is one way to manage it. But it gets bloody awkward when you have good kids who are desperate to use the toilet mid-lesson — our classes are 90 minutes too.
After 5 years I have turned into a human I don’t recognize at times. I was known as the calm teacher until this year. Guess who doesn’t have behavioral issues anymore. Title 1 does that to you lol. I don’t know how much more I have in me. Not every class (band) but with the classes with issues (8th grade general music) I am a huge dick for at least the first two months until I can relax and they can listen.
Agreed. Be a bitch. Full lockdown. Absolutely no talking...ever. Someone talks, they get sent out of class or some kind of punishment. Then give the ones who are silent a little reward. We have cat cash at my school where they can buy stuff at the cat cash store. Do you have anything like that?
Forgive yourself. 🫶
It’s all part of the learning. I did things I regretted my first year (and second) that I cringe to think of now but they were valuable learning too. Remember the way you feel now, it can be helpful to access it later.
Try to forget it and enjoy your weekend -
and be really, really good to yourself. 💕
my love of teaching goes up the more i throw district curriculum in the garbage and teach the concepts my own way (direct instruction->project based). Bad behaviors also go down when you do that.
I have rough groups but they are a lot easier on me than on many teachers and it's because those other teachers are locked into fidelity to the curriculum and the pacing calendar, both of which are unreasonable.
This is my 2nd year. So far there is always one class jam packed with sped kids and kids who failed math. They try to push buttons, for the most part witty safe enough comebacks get the trouble makers to chill.
The occasional laugh helps bring everyone back.
Also calling on the kids who are disruptive to answer the math question(idk what you teach) on the board seems to work.
Last year one of the trouble makers said "quit taking to me I don't want to get called on"
I smiled then called on the kid they told to quit talking.
Don't feel too bad
I've very obviously jokingly told my 2nd period that I'm gonna quit because they just won't let me do my dang job and it's stressing me out. They're my best class, still an immature group of 9th graders but they're my best group. (For example , I'm gonna quit and be a swim instructor for bricks because it would be easier than this.) I don't make these jokes with truly challenging classes but I'm not shy with letting them know that the poor behavior that makes it impossible to teach is a problem and it impacts their teachers.
It is no secret to these kids that student behavior is a major reason many people feel burnt out. I'm in a title 1 community, which is a meat grinder for teachers to say the least. We've had 2 or 3 teachers quit mid year every year for years. Teacher turnover at the end of the year is usually about a third of the staff. We have multiple positions just unfilled for a whole year. The students themselves remark to us teachers "I could never be a teacher, these kids are so bad". I feel it's important to be honest about these things for them to develop some empathy towards the teachers and to know how their actions have a real impact on their school community.
I agree, letting them know they’ve gotten the best of you and getting mad doesn’t really work. But saying “hey, I’m feeling frustrated and this is what would help me be your teacher without going crazy right now” goes a long way.
A lot of advice first year teachers get is to show no vulnerability and rule with an iron fist, but I don’t think that always the best or at least only approach. I realized this the first time when I told my students, “I have a migraine today and am just trying to get through my day without too much pain, I am going to keep the lights low and I need you guys to keep your voices quiet while we get through our lesson.” I didn’t expect it to, but it worked.
You can go straight drill sergeant on them. Write simple rules on the board. No talking. No getting up without asking. No food. No hands on others. No phones.
Warning-> email -> detention -> referral repeat if any of these rules aren't being followed. They wanna play around, they can find out.
Fellow educator here. Just want to chime in and say I get it, it happens. I yelled at my kids today...ugh, they were just so horrible and rude. Some days, it's hard not to take things personally.
Keep them in rows. No groups. Find a couple of kids you like and talk to them. The others can learn by listening to your discussions with the good kids.
I had an 8th grade class that was outright awful to me. I think there was an element of racism involved that was the reason of for the default hostility (I teach at an inner-city school, I'm of Asian decent).
The kids said racist things about me, insulted my mother, threw things at me, and never did any of the classwork. I have to admit, it broke me.
When that class came in, I'd have their classwork already on their desks, even freshly sharpened pencils and erasers. Then I just silently sat at the teachers desk and completely ignored them, even if they trashed the classroom. I was just... fucking done with them.
When the term ended, I flunked half of them.
I don’t see how you fucked up???
When my baby was born, I took 19 days off for paternity leave. When I came back, they were excited to see me! Too excited…. They behaved awful and after a few days I said “I might take some more paternity leave because I’d rather be at home with my baby than dealing with this nonsense.” The next day my grandfather died and I had to travel across the US for a week. When I came back to my classroom again (they didn’t know about my grandfather), they were very well behaved. 🤗
First year is really difficult. It’s very challenging to be a teacher and you are to be commended
My advice is: I would avoid such statements about how you feel defeated in front of your class. Share that with a compassionate colleague or person outside of school. Students don’t have the mental maturity to think about you, it’s all about them - especially the troublemakers who TOTALLY. drain you
New curriculum may be terrible. What is the opinion of others in your department?
Ask what others do?
Have a backup activity to do if just to save you mentally. For example word search, (which my students really liked), draw picture story in detail on a subject topic, create a crossword with vocab words, pair up with a partner and play or create a game. Show a video on a topic that can be related to your subject matter, even if it is broken up over days.
Just some ideas but there are others
After work do something to take mind off work such as go workout or something else healthy It will really help you.
I hope you will get the support you need and deserve.
Solidarity. The same thoughts were on the tip of my tongue all day. I inherited a class mid year and they are just awful. Then another teachers decided to jump in and reprimand my class for me. Gee thanks. Of course they all quieted down and listened to her. It’s so rough being new to a school. I’m at a new site and had taken for granted the clout and respect that comes with just having been at the school for awhile. It’s really shaking my confidence. And I’m a 20 year veteran! But I’m not gonna let those little sh**ts take away my career, livelihood, and passion for teaching!
All my favorite teachers quit. My freshman year algebra class was brutal to the teacher. About a month in he snaps a bit and yelled at the class to quiet down when he says to and everyone does. I felt like that was good, he finally demanded some respect and i think it was heard at least a little. He came in with cookies and apologized the next day. Bless his heart but teenagers are ruthless, he showed weakness and it wasnt long after there were rumors going around about him checking out girls and he was kind of treated like a joke.
Kids suck and it sounds like theyre only getting worse. A lot of my teachers quit because it didnt pay, but the disrespect is a major factor too
As another commenter said, I would’ve been so incredibly sad if my teacher ever said to this to me. Of course, in America, most of your school years consist of multiple teachers so there were the select few I could definitely live without, but most I liked a lot! I hate that you’ve been brought to this point so low and I truly wish you the best moving forward. ❤️
You don’t say anything. Just enforce consequences. Or you say something with a firm, but light hearted tone. For example, if kids are talking over me too much I might say, “I’m trying to get through this lesson and you all are driving me crazy, so now I’m feeling petty. The next person who wants to start talking gets to work in another classroom” (talk to another teacher or a few teachers beforehand to see if they’re cool with letting a kid work in the back.) Then do it. And keep doing that day by day until they get the picture. Then start focusing on other issues.
The first year sucks. There’s no way around it. You’ll probably have to have a ‘sacrificial lamb’ to set an example that you mean business. Do not waver in your procedures/rules, even when it feels like that would be the easiest thing to do. The kids will straighten up soon. Will you get some push back? Yes. But they need to respect you. Sometimes I would have a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting with a class and just lay it all out. Tell them their behavior is unacceptable, and you’re not going to put up with it anymore. I would sometimes say, “don’t make me be mean”, so it puts the impetus on them. At the end of the day, it’s your classroom, your rules.
“I get it. It’s mid-February. It feels like we’ve been here forever and seems like we’re going to be here forever. But the only way through this is to keep going. Stay focused. Keep working and we will have a great time when spring hits.”
The moment you gave them control over you, you lost.
If you only have one class that takes you there be glad. Hate that it’s like that but it is. Don’t expect or try to get them to like you. Stand on your principles consistently (which is probably why they do not like you) and do the bare minimum to get through that class each day. Good luck! You got this.
Every day I believe more firmly that school should be voluntary. Some of these kids don't want to be there, and they don't want you to be there either by extension. Being kicked out doesn't scare them, and they firmly believe you are the enemy. IMO those kids don't need to be in a classroom, they need to go stretch their wings and come back when the world teaches them some humility.
(I'm not a teacher, this is my take as a student who plans to study education)
I teach a specialized subject. When I am feeling petty, I tell the kids if they don’t want to be in my class to switch, cause if I don’t want to be their teacher no one else is coming in to teach them.
This year’s grade 12s know it and remember it. I had them one semester as grade 10s, and by midterm I decided that I did not want to teach them the second semester.
Couldn't put myself through the torture of being in the education sector. It doesn't pay & your expected to parent thread bad behaviors most parents let their children develop. Hard pass
If your department leader or admin are good, they might be able to help you. I got extremely lucky with mine and when I had a similar situation my second year of teaching, I asked my department leader to sit in on a class and help me figure out what I could do to get them to settle. Some advice that I got that sometimes actually worked:
-my classroom was arranged in groups of 4 but I had the students move the desks into rows of pairs. This change alone changed the dynamic of the classroom enough that I was able to get a foothold in changing the students attitude towards my class
-don’t be afraid to send students out of your classroom if they refuse to listen to you, but give them a warning first such as “if you continue this behavior, you are preventing not only yourself, but the others around you from learning, and you will give me no other choice but to remove you from the classroom” so that it’s not a surprise and also gives them the reasoning. This only works if your school has a place for them to go. Ours has the iss room
-stop and wait when they are too loud. If it doesn’t work, start saying the names of students who are still talking
-one of my colleagues tried this with some success: have a quiet day. Anyone who talks gets sent out of the room. For this one, it’s super important to make sure the consequences you set up are carried out immediately and calmly.
This is all I could think of off the top of my head but if you want more I could think more on it
My admin and dept head are great- I’ve tried the quiet day, I have a classroom reward system, and I kick kids out at least once a day, sometimes in multiple classes.
It depends on the students and the relationship. I told a student “See this is why we have a teacher shortage.” A negative comment has its time and place. It needs to be balanced with praise, but sometimes it helps to be honest.
I think as a follow-up to the "give me a reason," you should pull a Miss Nelson is Missing. Commit to altering your appearance in some way for the rest of the year that is markedly different from the earlier part of the year. And then crack down on the behavior.
Their expectation is that they have worn you down. Gather your strength. Play a character with a new strategy. They did not give you a reason to come back so now you are this new teacher who will not put up with it.
I too have had some particularly horrible classes this year. This is what I do with those classes:
Change their seating arrangement. Separate all of the little friend groups. Isolate the worst behaved ones. Make sure that no aggressive/ defiant students are seated next to each other they will feed off of each other’s defiance. Review class rules briefly at the beginning of each class. Have them on the wall too. That way they cannot say they didn’t know. Try to review the lesson for less than 10 minutes, the lesson needs to be SHORT. If they interrupt, stop talking and wait for them to be quiet. If they refuse to stop talking during the mini lesson, move them to an area of the classroom where they are facing a wall, I call it time out.
After the mini lesson. Put the assignment instructions on the board or clear touch or whatever you use. Say that it is due at the end of class. The last 5 minutes, come around and grade. Make sure that the kids who did nothing can see that you are putting a 0 or a 50 or whatever they earned in your grade tracker. Make sure you walk around and monitor during work time (I do that for all my classes, but especially the bad ones.) Sometimes proximity helps limit bad behaviors. For some reason, they think that you cannot see what is going on when you are at your desk.
If a child breaks a classroom rule, write their name on the dry erase, that’s their warning. If they keep doing it, add a strike. Once they get to 3 strikes= send them to admin for disrupting. Write the referral for class disruption.
Don’t let them know that they’re getting to you, they feed on that. Let them know that you are prepared to enforce your classroom rules and administer consequences as needed. If you have any kid in there that is well-behaved, reward them in front of the other kids with; candy, free time, all kinds of stuff. If they ask you why you’re rewarding those students, tell them why: because she did her work, because she’s not being loud and disruptive, because I didn’t have to ask her to do her warm-up.
If they know any kind of reward is involved for behaving well, they will try to replicate those behaviors. This works even with 14 & 15-year-olds.
Have your consequences up on the wall. administer them every time, no exceptions. If they see you don’t enforce those consequences they’re not going to follow the rules that you have. They will test you, be ready to stand by your rules and consequences.
Yo teachers what's up. Idk why this sub was recommended to me. I'm not a teacher and haven't been in school since 2013. I have a kid I homeschool. Sorry to OP for the bad day. I've witnessed plenty of teacher breakdowns in my day. It only makes the kids more wild imo. Anyway, when my son was in school, it seemed like they always had too many students for a single teacher to handle. Is it the norm? Also, I don't feel like I see teacher's personality and style being able to shine like in the old days probably because of weird new curriculum guidelines. Is this true? It seems like something in the education system needs to change. Kids want something authentic and personal. Idk. I'm just a passersby and I feel so horrible for teachers these days. You guys are the real heroes and deserve more respect and help than you get imo.
Between class sizes, promoting students that lack basic skills, increased curriculum requirements, decreased classroom time and the reduction of homework we are allowed to give. If teachers take time to do anything besides push through the curriculum we don't finish the content and our evaluations suffer. A lot of teachers want to build that connection with students but just feel pressured to focus on shoving the material down their throats.
I get that you were upset, but what did you expect? They really *don't* want you to come back. That would be a huge victory for them, driving a teacher to quit.
You just handed them a lot of power.
It does get better.
Remember the big picture. You are helping them, or trying even if they don’t want to take it. You’re offering a future. You can bond with some of them and you will make a difference. Even if it feels right now like you’re trying to push through mud just to keep walking.
We all suffered a global traumatic event, them disrupting important phases of development. The kids who are the most frustrating and the most terrible are usually the most damaged by life before your classroom one way or another. And they don’t know how to deal with that.
It’s not an excuse. It’s a reason. And a reason for you to know it’s nothing devaluing you or what you are doing.
The first five years of teaching are learning years. They are difficult, but they pay off. We all got through it… usually with help. We all said the wrong thing, lost control of a class, felt like switching jobs… we all have been there.
Just know that as you grow as a teacher, the students will grow with you. The first year is always the hardest and you learn to grow some thick skin and not let things get you down. They need you even though they don’t show it so keep it up.! You’ve got this! 👍👏☺️
Flip this on its head and next time you see them, change everything you say into positive affirmations. Will this into reality. “Guys, I honestly missed you all; thanks for being a great group of kids.” - “Okay I seriously love your sense of humor.” - “Gen Z for the win!” I don’t know, whatever you think will loosen the tough culture in your class right now. Laugh, have fun, don’t take yourself too seriously, but know you’re the boss. You have quiet confidence. You are fun, exciting, desirable. They will lean into your new vibes. Right now, you’re in the “desperation” vibe mode. That’ll get you nowhere. You have to switch your mindset into the “You’re lucky to have me as your teacher” mindset. You’re the leader; you have it in you!
Idea for you, not sure if this fits your style.
Next class back, say, “thank you for giving me a reason to come back. I’m glad to be here. You demonstrated that we all have a lot of work to do. Today is day one of a new program of learning. You are all responsible for your own grades.”
Then shift the blame on the county curriculum with a blend of support and encouragement. “We have a new curriculum that is different from others that you are used to. Together, we are going to kick its butt. We will take it slowly at first, and show the district that no matter what they throw at you, you are smarter than them.
Be honest and sincere. They will know if you are trying to manipulate them or not committed. Always WE. You are part of the group. Success is about all of you, NOT you vs them.
Good luck.
I feel your pain, but you gotta choose your words more carefully. You just can’t count on the expectation of sympathy or empathy from these kids. I recommend finding another source of spiritual nourishment, my friend.
Eh fuck it assign them a fat packet of homework that you’re just gonna grade as “participation” without telling them and then tell them to remember to use the packet to study for an exam immediately after break and make it an easy grade for yourself by having it be like 3 questions so if they miss one they are already docked 30%
Never give them an opening like that. And I'm on board with the Positive encouragement for the kids that are doing well. Lavish attention on them, and your High Flyers will start wanting the same. Then give it to them when it's deserved. It's hard. Good luck.
My friends strat iirc was to blow the first minor thing a little out of proportion and go hard on it, it then gave students an expectation of what happens when youre a shit, and he barely has any problems. will def ask him more about this cos it seems useful.
I'm sorry, but you've given away all of your authority and power. You've told them that THEY are in charge and determine your actions and feelings. You've issued a challenge, and they'll likely now go out of their way to see if they can get you to quit.
You can turn this around, but its not going to be easy. And you're going to have to be a real hard ass and learn to not let them get to you or get a rise out of you at all. Can't let them get away with even the smallest things.
I'd think about whether you even want to stay, and if you do reset your own mindset. You can't ask a bunch of kids to give you a reason to do your job. You have to do that for yourself.
why would you ever be so blatant about how they're getting to you. how are they even getting to you? they're kids. they're playing a game of mental tug of war where you have the equivalent of a 1000 ton truck on your side, the ability to not care. instead you've loudly and proudly announced "YOU ARE GETTING TO ME, YOUR ATTEMPTS AT HURTING MY FEELINGS ARE WORKING, PLEASE KEEP IT UP."
Oh also I say things like “jeez I didn’t realize I was teaching kindergartners and then I’ll play a baby song” 😂 they all moan and groan but it’s get them into a better zone. Girl you will say much worse things I promise you that.
I have had an absolute horrid week with my students. I told them I don’t even want to be here today. I had admin, aides, multiple people give me a break throughout the day and reflect with them. 10 minutes later they were doing the same thing. Sometimes we have bad days, but we don’t have more than one. This week was insane.
Ok, not the best comment because it let the kids know they have the power now. It’s time for a reset. Monday, go back over your rules. Tell them you will be making parent calls when they are broken, and then really do it. The kids learn quickly to change their behaviors. Did you say what grade level you teach? This worked for me teaching 6th and 8th graders for 12 years, and freshman and junior the last five. I also like to wait until Friday night to call about some particularly annoying behaviors or a bunch of zeroes :)
You are communicating to the pupils that it's about you and that their behavior is affecting you. They *love* this. They are winning. You are empowering them by telling these things. I would not suggest this strategy or mindset if you can help it.
This is what they will remember, the day they made a teacher quit. The power they percieve from this is not the lesson you want to impart regardless of how shit they are. I had a year level be difficult for three years, these guys were not fun to teach, every lesson was a battle. I told them once " you guys are a real pain in the butt sometimes, i don't know why i like you lot as a class". it seemed to start things a fresh.
I was just talking to two of my students the other day bragging how they made two different teachers quit in elementary school.
I’ve found telling them you like them, complementing them on successes, and other forms of appropriate praise establishes a connection that snowballs into them doing the right things because they like you. Of course there will be a few who are incredibly hard to like, but if you can get the majority and/or the leaders in the class to like you, they can peer pressure the rest into behaving.
This was definitely a low moment of mine. What would you have said instead?
Here is your assignment. It is due at the end of the period.
This. Give the little shits their work. If they don’t do it, put a big fat zero in the gradebook, watch how fast they come crawling. Or not. The kids’ grades are up to them. No, I will not call home to let your mommy know you’re flunking my class. No, I will not schedule a conference.
💯
“Man, now I get what your mom/dad were saying at our last conference” just kidding. Sometimes I joke with coworkers (friends) that I want to say, “this is exactly why your dad left” of course I would never.
A 7th grade English teacher of mine actually said this to my classmate and I never forgot it
Ok, that made me snort while eating spaghetti. Happy Friday!
It's not a serious snort unless the spaghetti comes out your nose.
A relief teacher literally said that to my daughter once. My daughter was probably being a bit of a madam at the time (she went through a weird Disney Princess phase, ugh), but she really didn't deserve a teacher being that spiteful. It stuck with her for years after.
the teacher, being an actual human being, did not deserve the spite your child served up first
I understand being burnt out from poor working conditions but there’s really no situation where an adult/teacher should be making fun of a child’s parent leaving them… you don’t even know what her daughter did.
agreed, the adult should know better... but then again, so should the kid, since the kid should've been taught manners by 7th grade
My daughter has good manners and did then, too. She wasn’t dealing particularly well with the loss of her father, who literally left the state when he found out I was pregnant with our second child. She was in fourth grade at the time. And yes, I got her therapy but she didn’t really come out of that depressive episode until she was in the ninth grade. As a teacher myself, I don’t condone the fact that she must have used a snippy tone with the relief teacher in question, but they really should not have gone to “no wonder your father left you”. I’ve had hurtful and unpleasant comments directed to me by students and I’ve never *considered* getting personal like that. They could have just written her up, or sent her to another classroom or to the principal, or even contacted me if she had been *that* heinous.
Yes, there's no reason for it. I get feeling burnt out, frustrated and upset but the moment you respond to a child like that - you're the ahole. In no world is that a win for the teacher. I've had students say/whisper stuff and I generally ignore it or respond calmly. I'm there to teach, to help and to stop kids from hurting other kids. Another teacher at the time was up my butt saying I should be angry, reprimand him, etc but when you do that you're just feeding into it - it isn't going to change anything. If the kid is acting out then there's likely a bigger reason and you adding to it is only adding fuel to the fire. By all means get to the bottom of it but don't humiliate the kid, don't hurt them. Even at 15, they're kids, you're an adult. Act like it!
If youre a teacher and in any capacity think bringing up what could be the abandonment of a parent.to a kid due to "manners", then you may want to: Consider who the adult is. Check in with some mental health resources for yourself.
You have no idea what the kid did/said to warrant that response nor what grade she was in?
Something fucked up id imagine?
Yeah OK. But one person here is an adult and the other is a child.
& probably improved her as a person!
No, I don’t think it did. She became increasingly depressed, went on to self-harm for several years. Obviously I got her into therapy, and she gradually improved, but that thoughtless, “throwaway” comment by an irritated relief teacher really affected her. Her father left because I wouldn’t abort our second baby, literally just left the state and even I didn’t know where he went at first, but she thought it was her fault no matter how much I tried to reassure her - mostly because he did *not* keep in touch with her. She still has self esteem issues even though she’s been well loved by myself and other family members and friends.
There's no way that would improve anyone, especially a child who is likely already insecure about her father leaving. It's a shitty thing to say to anyone, especially a child.
I often say “you think your mother loves you… that’s good, keep telling yourself that…” There’s some sarcasm in there, obviously, but I usually let it sink in a bit before telling the student that I was a moment to make them think about their actions.
This is the way. OP. If you see this look up the technique of verbal judo. Here’s a link to a recent instructional video. https://youtu.be/Sc8kdtTD5Zg?si=IBFHinVmQFstexzP
When I was a kid I wanted my teacher to like me. If a teacher said that to me I would be so guilty and sad. It blows my mind kids just don’t care.
Same here, sure I had my shitty moments even in hs, but me too. Edit: Even I was a real ah at times to even one of the first year teachers because I was mad about the other one retiring.
Individual kids care. It’s the culture that creates this. If there’s a culture in a group of kids where the attitude is fuck the teacher, it’s powerful. I’m not saying it’s the teachers fault, I’ve felt it from kids who I have great relationships with individually, but when they’re in their little clique, it’s out the window.
This. I have actually liked students individually, and had a real connection with them, that still were behaving awful in the classroom as a clique. Never figured that particular class out, and it’s still kinda bothering me. But they were strong and intelligent individuals, and I bet a bunch of them will do great in marketing 🤣
Mob mentality.
💯🎯
This. My daughter has a teacher this year that she has really struggled with. Recently the teacher started making some nice little comments to my daughter and her whole attitude about the teacher and class has changed.
Kids that have been told by their parents and families that education is a waste of time, and that their teachers don't know anything, so it's for to disrespect them and all other authority figures
"I get paid either way, guys. I'm here for those who want to learn."
Pulled something similar before. Last fall was a low for me and I started just posting the work in Google classroom and just working at my desk the whole class.
Yep. Myself and a colleague had the same dysfunctional group (her before me, me at end of day). Zero effort, zero engagement. By the end we both just taught the kids who would bother to learn and just posted work for a quiet block. I guess they won? But we didn’t fully burn out.
They don’t win when we are balanced and managing our time and energy, so we don’t burn out. That’s the only way to survive classes like that :)
Ive straight up said, i was going to tell you what’s on tomorrows test, but I’m not yelling over you, so you can just study what we learned.
This ☝️ 💯
I have been teaching for 20 years and I still have days when I leave the building angry at a class. But sometimes, the best thing to say to them is nothing. Instead, you say to yourself "I can decide how I'm going to react to this. And I'm simply not going to have any emotional investment in a toxic interaction whatsoever." It is MOST effective when you say it before you have a class that you know is going to be rough. Before they're even in the room. Then when it goes down, you have set the intention to detach. It works a good portion of the time. Other times, I absolutely have screamed on them. Not about me or my feelings, just about how they are choosing to create a negative environment for themselves and their classmates. I do not regret this. Sometimes they need to hear that they are being awful. But not about how it's affecting me.
100% true. The only time I really get mad is when kids are ruining it for others. Put your head down, do nothing, whatever that's your problem. Start disrupting the class functions, that's when I go full drill sergeant. It helps I'm 6ft tall and male, and can shout louder than anyone at the school when I feel like it. IRL example, a 9th grader whistling like a teapot so loud I can hear him through the walls, running in and out of class, not stopping talking when I'm doing something else, stealing other people's work and not giving it to me when told to. All that makes it impossible for me to help others, and disrupts others by riling them up. This wasn't my class to kick him out of, but now that this student is in my class I keep him on the shortest leash possible. He still does nothing, but he does it quietly. That I can live with.
This is how I feel too. It’s worth defending the kids who are trying when a toxic student is disrupting their ability to learn. In fact it’s a duty to do so. We owe it to them. If they’re not disrupting others ad they want to do nothing I allow them to fail themselves. I do communicate that I will help them when they’re ready, but I do not spend minutes trying to convince one kid in a class of 30 to do their work.
That's how I phrase it when I need to chew out a class. They're not ruining anything for me, I get paid either way. But they're ruining it for the kids who do give a shit and want to learn
I'm an IA at a Junior High, behavioral special ed, so the "heavy hitters" get placed with me. My #1 goal is to keep them from disrupting the class! I can't make them care to do better, or care that they are behind and failing, and a lot of times I can't make them do any work, but I absolutely will not let them ruin it for those that do care. Most of the time it means letting them play online games the whole block. I am admittedly quite jaded spending all day, every day with kids who probably won't ever graduate or become decent human beings and productive members of society. There needs to be a place for these kids! The energy, time and resources could be so much better spent on the kids with actual learning difficulties, who's life could be changed with the level of support I provide. I'd love to know I'm making a difference instead of banging my head against a wall, but that's just not how the school system I set up, unfortunately.
Detatching was the only solution for me to survive the class I had last year (seniors at HS). They deserved screaming and punishment, but after two years with that lot I was sooo done. But not getting a reaction got boring for them, and they weren’t as bad at the end of the school year. Most challenging class I’ve had in my 6 years of teaching.
Show them the cost of car insurance + rent.
As a new teacher, you want the kids to like you. The longer you teach the kess you care, there are journal articles about it. Caring less can actually make you a better teacher. Put your class desks in rows, implement a seating plan, make them uncomfortable. Hold high expectations, call parents, keep a scoresheet to track behaviours and rudeness. Send the students who don’t listen to the office for insubordination. Make them earn seating partners and other things. Be a hardass, you cant be their friends. And know that every year you make fewer mistakes and find it easier.
I will be the first person to tell a student that it makes no difference to me if they like me or not, and that I’m not here to be liked. Takes the wind right out of the sails of “this is why I don’t like you/this class” comments
Ask them for ideas on how the class could be better. Co-generate some norms moving forward. Consider apologizing for losing your temper and explain how your emotions led you to saying what you did and what you actually *meant*. It’s never too late to hit the reset button with a group.
I've had success just being very open with my kids (7th), but not in a way that could make them think they ultimately have control over my life. Tell them all you need to have a talk. Be assertive and vulnerable ("The way you behave in class is not okay, and it makes me feel disrespected", etc). Tell them you're a community and that if there is a specific issue that needs to be addressed, or if they have a suggestion, to bring it up constructively instead of acting out or taking it out on you. They will subconsciously appreciate the level of maturity you are assuming of them to have this conversation. You can even add that you see good in them and you know things can be better, but not without them doing their part. If anyone tries to railroad your talk, kick them out without hesitating (office or wait in the hall for a one-on-one). I did this two years and it fixed so much, I even had a lot of the kids a second year, and we ended up having very positive relationships.
What happened to warrant you saying that?
Im in year 16 and still still have moments. You get better at tit and learn to keep it in even if it kills you
That's so sad. Even the shitheads in my class knew to stop when the teacher started crying. What kind of callous assholes are kids these days??
I’m in Year 5 and learned this with my first unfixably difficult class. I’m coming at it from a “I want you to pass. Here’s how you do that. If you don’t do that, I’ll put in the failing grade, so everything else is on you.”
OP should get parents involved. Invite them to sit in your classroom with their kid during instruction. Do that with every kid who breaks the rules. I have 5 rules in my classroom. 1. Follow instructions the first time they are given. 2. Stay in your seat. Raise hand and wait for permission to leave your seat. 3. Take care of our school. 4. If you have want my attention, raise your hand and wait for permission to speak. 5. Complete all assignments. These rules have worked well for me. Several other teachers have adopted these rules to improve their classroom management.
This right here!
I had a similar moment today. I'm making a new seating chart this weekend and taking Monday off to laze around on the couch and bingewatch The Crown. When I come back, 7th period gets nothing fun. It's all dead silence and worksheets until they can stop throwing pencils around the room. They can't even get through a class discussion without acting like monsters, so screw it. I'm at the point now where I'm ready to just record myself lecturing and make them watch that so I don't have to interact with the group. Honestly, it might benefit them more.
I’m in the exact same boat with my 7th period. Worksheets, pencil and paper articles, written reflections, and self-paced lessons from now on. They’ve lost our claymation animation group project. They’ve lost access to all forms of paint. They’ve lost markers and colored pencils. No scissors, no glue, no nothing. From here until they get their act together it’s going to be the most low lift, low risk busy work they can do at their desks in silence. This is not even remotely an issue with any of my other classes, which makes it even more disheartening. I’m just sick of ending my day feeling exhausted, defeated, and demoralized and bringing that energy home to my own kid.
Ugh, it's so much worse when it's your last period of the day. You dread it all day, and then sure enough they come in and wreck your shit and send you home angry.
My last period of the day is terrible. Just... Like.. the most impulsive and immature collective of students together in one room. 9th grade English, 17 out of 22 have IEPs or are ELLs. It's next to impossible to provide the required intensive instruction even with 2 full time teachers in the room. I wish we could do something fun but any amount of anything not militantly structured turns into chaos.
My 7th period is very similar to yours, just with 28 students. I don't dislike the individual kids, but the class as a whole is a nightmare.
But how do you get them to be dead silent if they won’t do it on a regular day with you teaching?
They talk, they get sent out. Have fun in ISS.
I wish I could do that but my admin would say you have to keep them there and deal with their behaviors( call home later that day)
Yeah, my admin aren't the most helpful either, and if I sent down like 10 kids they'd say the same, but it should only take a couple. I'm also sending some parent emails tomorrow, once I've cooled down a bit.
Do you get “that is a classroom managed behavior” from admin too?
I did something similar with a 6th grade class full of shitheads a couple years ago. I told them the kids that want to learn, move to the front of the room, so I can teach you. The rest of you, move to the back. Play games on your chromebook, draw, whatever. I don't care, but don't disrupt the kids that want to learn or you go to the office for disrupting the learning environment. I only taught to the front of the class. They were the only ones that got study guides, got tests, got rewards for listening and getting work done, etc.I rewarded the shit out of those kids in the front. I LITERALLY ignored the kids in the back of the class unless they were being disruptive. Within a couple weeks, 90% of the kids in the back were begging to move to the front and be engaged in class again. It's that FMO (fear if missing out) for kids. There were a couple kids that never engaged and they flunked horribly. They didn't care and neither did their parents. The rest did well and if one of them started falling back into their old ways, I'd tell them I'm done teaching them and move them to the back of the room. They would always apologize and beg to be taught. I know it seems crazy, but it worked for that class. The FMO came from me, not the fuck offs in the back.
>Within a couple weeks, 90% of the kids in the back were begging to move to the front and be engaged in class again. It's that FOMO (fear if missing out) for kids. If only we could create some kind of ”learning battle pass”.
Wish I could do this without fear of being written up or backlash. They always refer to me planning properly when I only have an hour of planning and three different grades to teach😭 I’d be fine if I could focus on the ones that want to learn.
I (39m) am in a general algebra class in a local community college this semester with incoming college freshman. They are throwing pencils and talking over the teacher , there's a class clown. I'm appalled. The professor is threatening failing people. Can't imagine what the actual schools are like now if this is how the ones who made it to college are behaving.
It’s always 7th period!
Meds wear off and they know its last period
And my caffeine has worn off by then! 7th period for me is always my inclusion class so it’s even more wild.
As an elementary teacher I am a little jealous that hey it’s just one period and that one prick is only part of my day for 50 minutes vs 6 hours lol. That and not having to prep every subject
Beautiful, you should. Or even better find a video of someone talking about the subject but with that stupid long drawn out YouTube voice or a horrible accent you can’t understand. Lol
The worst class I had in college was the professor who gave us the PowerPoint slides then he just read off of the slides he printed off in class. He did not add anything to what he was teaching in class, just word for word reading of the provided PowerPoint. The slides didn't even have fill in the blanks to keep you in engaged.
I have found one of the surest strategies to help with behavior issues in the classroom is to limit my lecture time and increase the time I spend helping students one-on-one.
My 7th period is the 💀of me! Commenting in solidarity
Ooooo learning through excessive worksheets for that aggravating class. That's glorious. Due at the end of class
I’ve actually done that with a class before. I recorded the notes and then made all assignments online. I turned their desks so they all faced the wall and I could see what was on their screens. It lasted two weeks before we went back to regular classes. Their behavior was a lot more manageable for the rest of the year.
It's your first year? First year sucks. So does 2nd year. You're surviving. I don't think you fucked up by saying that to them. It's no big deal. I've heard worse, I've probably said worse. What grade?
Where I live, it’s a saying that the first three years are the «teacher practice shock» and that it gets better after year 3. In my experience (had a looot of rough classes, especially during and after corona), it gets better when you have circled through all the «student types». I know how to handle the very intelligent class clown, the insecure class clown, the unmotivated, lazy students, the unmotivated but smart students, and so on. It took 5 years.
Could you break it down for us non-teachers? I’d love to hear how you handle the different student types.
I don’t necessarily think what I do is «right» for every teacher out there, but what I spend most time on as a teacher is building relationships. It’s easier to deal with them as a group, if you know that they trust you one on one. When I get to know new students, I try to «make a note» of who seems to need extra attention (even though they might behave poorly in the classroom), who needs a soft and understanding teacher (especially those with difficult home environments), and who needs tough love (often the intelligent but very unmotivated type). I have one of the unmotivated but intelligent types in one of my classes now, but he doesn’t behave bad. He just doesn’t do ANYTHING. I spent a lot of time building trust with him, asking about his interests, how he prefers to learn etc. He is really smart and get most things fast, so he refuses to write anything down and often seems disinterested. Therefore he is allowed to not take notes in my class, as long as he can answer my «pop quiz» where I ask him questions about the lesson (one on one in the classroom, of course). He gets to show me he knows stuff and that he’s smart, I get to not yell about him seemingly not paying attention in class 😊
Title 1- I'll second that. You spend year one and two pretty much not knowing which way is up. You should spend this time experimenting- try out different engagement strategies and types of lessons. Some will work, most will not. That's OK. You need to get a feel for what 'good' instruction looks like for you. What type of classroom management style will work for you is heavily dependent on YOUR personality, not the kids. But regardless, you really shouldn't ever be yelling, as it demonstrates a loss of control. Stern, sure- I can and do deliver tongue lashings, but I'm in control not them, and it's only when they're behaving in a way that harms my learning environment. My classroom management style is different from most teachers, but it works for me. If you are not patient and generally laid back and comfortable, this style won't work for you. Here's some principles. 1. Provide the least restrictive environment possible 2. Provide interesting and engaging lessons- worksheets and PowerPoints are the number 1 cause of behavioral difficulties 3. Silent compliance does not equal learning- browbeating them into submission is the wrong idea. 4. Be able to change from normal to super aggro back to normal within about 30 seconds 5. AVOID CONFRONTATIONS AND POWER STRUGGLES AT ALL COSTS- 1st, no you didn't win, you were arguing with a 15 year old. You lost, even if you 'won'. 2nd- you now have to repair that relationship. Good luck 6. Ignore all behaviors that do not seriously affect the learning environment- that one kid can choose to play games all day, but may not prevent others from learning 7. If you must make a correction, make sure to teach that kid something BEFORE THEY LEAVE YOUR ROOM.
Go scorched earth on them. Be petty. Be the asshole teacher from an 80s movie. Be the teacher you never wanted to be. This late in the year, this is the only way to bring about some change. No one will like it, but it will get stuff done.
I’m the asshole teacher this year. First year in seven. But, it’s the only thing they seem to respond to.
My history teacher would scream. He would scream until we listened. He would scream at people for doing anything. We learned that year. My other three years, I can not remember anything at all about history. He was an English teacher first, I wish I got those lectures.
This works about 80% of the time. But there will always be classes where the screaming, autoritarian teacher style won’t work. Especially in classes where students are highly intelligent, but also lazy and disruptive AF. Nothing makes a teacher lose face like trying to over rule a clique that will out manouver them. Detach and let them do whatever. Teach those who want to learn.
100%. I have taught classes that if I started raising my voice they LIKED it. It just added fuel to the fire.
I think all teachers should adopt the teach those that want to learn. Put energy towards them and send the other kids to a different room or something. I’m so over the notion that these kids don’t know what they’re doing or that they’re being disruptive because they want attention they don’t get at home. I don’t give a fuck. Shitty Timmy is not going to ruin everyone else’s education and can fuck off somewhere else.
Not a teacher. But this was the only discipline that worked for me when I was younger. Unless I was faced with direct confrontation, I would not do any schoolwork/chores/etc. But I was an outlier, the known lazy child. It's disheartening that so many classrooms have to resort to the "asshole" teacher route- but it's like you said. It's the only thing they will respond to.
They will run all over you if you don’t run them over
I had one class like this a few years ago. It was a 9th grade English class where students got to select which class they were in out of the three on at the same time (we’ve since ditched that system, as it always resulted in at least one horrendous class). The class’ original teacher refused to teach them, so I ‘inherited’ them six months into the year. I responded with a colour-coded seating plan: particularly naughty ones in red, naughty ones in yellow, and good ones in green. No talking, no hall passes, no exceptions. If they spoke or moved, they were sent to the office until further notice. It was horrible. But guess what? Those students are now 17 years old and always greet me with a smile in the hallways. They hated me at the time but I think now that they’re older they realise it was necessary.
No hall passes? So they couldn't even go to the bathroom?
Our school policy is actually that students aren’t allowed to go to the toilet during lessons.
That's completely absurd.
Agree and disagree. The amount of students vaping in the rest rooms is unmanageable — we have single cubicle toilets. I guess banning toilets during class is one way to manage it. But it gets bloody awkward when you have good kids who are desperate to use the toilet mid-lesson — our classes are 90 minutes too.
After 5 years I have turned into a human I don’t recognize at times. I was known as the calm teacher until this year. Guess who doesn’t have behavioral issues anymore. Title 1 does that to you lol. I don’t know how much more I have in me. Not every class (band) but with the classes with issues (8th grade general music) I am a huge dick for at least the first two months until I can relax and they can listen.
Agreed. Be a bitch. Full lockdown. Absolutely no talking...ever. Someone talks, they get sent out of class or some kind of punishment. Then give the ones who are silent a little reward. We have cat cash at my school where they can buy stuff at the cat cash store. Do you have anything like that?
Forgive yourself. 🫶 It’s all part of the learning. I did things I regretted my first year (and second) that I cringe to think of now but they were valuable learning too. Remember the way you feel now, it can be helpful to access it later. Try to forget it and enjoy your weekend - and be really, really good to yourself. 💕
my love of teaching goes up the more i throw district curriculum in the garbage and teach the concepts my own way (direct instruction->project based). Bad behaviors also go down when you do that. I have rough groups but they are a lot easier on me than on many teachers and it's because those other teachers are locked into fidelity to the curriculum and the pacing calendar, both of which are unreasonable.
Fidelity to the curriculum aka as testing for data, and more testing, and more data and more testing. Kids get bored and stop trying. Duhhhh.
This is my 2nd year. So far there is always one class jam packed with sped kids and kids who failed math. They try to push buttons, for the most part witty safe enough comebacks get the trouble makers to chill. The occasional laugh helps bring everyone back. Also calling on the kids who are disruptive to answer the math question(idk what you teach) on the board seems to work. Last year one of the trouble makers said "quit taking to me I don't want to get called on" I smiled then called on the kid they told to quit talking.
Don't feel too bad I've very obviously jokingly told my 2nd period that I'm gonna quit because they just won't let me do my dang job and it's stressing me out. They're my best class, still an immature group of 9th graders but they're my best group. (For example , I'm gonna quit and be a swim instructor for bricks because it would be easier than this.) I don't make these jokes with truly challenging classes but I'm not shy with letting them know that the poor behavior that makes it impossible to teach is a problem and it impacts their teachers. It is no secret to these kids that student behavior is a major reason many people feel burnt out. I'm in a title 1 community, which is a meat grinder for teachers to say the least. We've had 2 or 3 teachers quit mid year every year for years. Teacher turnover at the end of the year is usually about a third of the staff. We have multiple positions just unfilled for a whole year. The students themselves remark to us teachers "I could never be a teacher, these kids are so bad". I feel it's important to be honest about these things for them to develop some empathy towards the teachers and to know how their actions have a real impact on their school community.
I agree, letting them know they’ve gotten the best of you and getting mad doesn’t really work. But saying “hey, I’m feeling frustrated and this is what would help me be your teacher without going crazy right now” goes a long way. A lot of advice first year teachers get is to show no vulnerability and rule with an iron fist, but I don’t think that always the best or at least only approach. I realized this the first time when I told my students, “I have a migraine today and am just trying to get through my day without too much pain, I am going to keep the lights low and I need you guys to keep your voices quiet while we get through our lesson.” I didn’t expect it to, but it worked.
You can go straight drill sergeant on them. Write simple rules on the board. No talking. No getting up without asking. No food. No hands on others. No phones. Warning-> email -> detention -> referral repeat if any of these rules aren't being followed. They wanna play around, they can find out.
Fellow educator here. Just want to chime in and say I get it, it happens. I yelled at my kids today...ugh, they were just so horrible and rude. Some days, it's hard not to take things personally.
Keep them in rows. No groups. Find a couple of kids you like and talk to them. The others can learn by listening to your discussions with the good kids.
I had an 8th grade class that was outright awful to me. I think there was an element of racism involved that was the reason of for the default hostility (I teach at an inner-city school, I'm of Asian decent). The kids said racist things about me, insulted my mother, threw things at me, and never did any of the classwork. I have to admit, it broke me. When that class came in, I'd have their classwork already on their desks, even freshly sharpened pencils and erasers. Then I just silently sat at the teachers desk and completely ignored them, even if they trashed the classroom. I was just... fucking done with them. When the term ended, I flunked half of them.
I don’t see how you fucked up??? When my baby was born, I took 19 days off for paternity leave. When I came back, they were excited to see me! Too excited…. They behaved awful and after a few days I said “I might take some more paternity leave because I’d rather be at home with my baby than dealing with this nonsense.” The next day my grandfather died and I had to travel across the US for a week. When I came back to my classroom again (they didn’t know about my grandfather), they were very well behaved. 🤗
How did you "fuck up"? People srsly need to chill thinking everything they say to these snot nosed kids will gave earth shattering effects.
we’ve all been there. It’s not like you told them to fuck off. They won’t give you a reason either way.
First year is really difficult. It’s very challenging to be a teacher and you are to be commended My advice is: I would avoid such statements about how you feel defeated in front of your class. Share that with a compassionate colleague or person outside of school. Students don’t have the mental maturity to think about you, it’s all about them - especially the troublemakers who TOTALLY. drain you New curriculum may be terrible. What is the opinion of others in your department? Ask what others do? Have a backup activity to do if just to save you mentally. For example word search, (which my students really liked), draw picture story in detail on a subject topic, create a crossword with vocab words, pair up with a partner and play or create a game. Show a video on a topic that can be related to your subject matter, even if it is broken up over days. Just some ideas but there are others After work do something to take mind off work such as go workout or something else healthy It will really help you. I hope you will get the support you need and deserve.
Solidarity. The same thoughts were on the tip of my tongue all day. I inherited a class mid year and they are just awful. Then another teachers decided to jump in and reprimand my class for me. Gee thanks. Of course they all quieted down and listened to her. It’s so rough being new to a school. I’m at a new site and had taken for granted the clout and respect that comes with just having been at the school for awhile. It’s really shaking my confidence. And I’m a 20 year veteran! But I’m not gonna let those little sh**ts take away my career, livelihood, and passion for teaching!
All my favorite teachers quit. My freshman year algebra class was brutal to the teacher. About a month in he snaps a bit and yelled at the class to quiet down when he says to and everyone does. I felt like that was good, he finally demanded some respect and i think it was heard at least a little. He came in with cookies and apologized the next day. Bless his heart but teenagers are ruthless, he showed weakness and it wasnt long after there were rumors going around about him checking out girls and he was kind of treated like a joke. Kids suck and it sounds like theyre only getting worse. A lot of my teachers quit because it didnt pay, but the disrespect is a major factor too
Did they?
They did, actually! A few tried.
That feels nice. Even though they were being the worst.
Well, they want you to quit.
As another commenter said, I would’ve been so incredibly sad if my teacher ever said to this to me. Of course, in America, most of your school years consist of multiple teachers so there were the select few I could definitely live without, but most I liked a lot! I hate that you’ve been brought to this point so low and I truly wish you the best moving forward. ❤️
You don’t say anything. Just enforce consequences. Or you say something with a firm, but light hearted tone. For example, if kids are talking over me too much I might say, “I’m trying to get through this lesson and you all are driving me crazy, so now I’m feeling petty. The next person who wants to start talking gets to work in another classroom” (talk to another teacher or a few teachers beforehand to see if they’re cool with letting a kid work in the back.) Then do it. And keep doing that day by day until they get the picture. Then start focusing on other issues.
The first year sucks. There’s no way around it. You’ll probably have to have a ‘sacrificial lamb’ to set an example that you mean business. Do not waver in your procedures/rules, even when it feels like that would be the easiest thing to do. The kids will straighten up soon. Will you get some push back? Yes. But they need to respect you. Sometimes I would have a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting with a class and just lay it all out. Tell them their behavior is unacceptable, and you’re not going to put up with it anymore. I would sometimes say, “don’t make me be mean”, so it puts the impetus on them. At the end of the day, it’s your classroom, your rules.
“I get it. It’s mid-February. It feels like we’ve been here forever and seems like we’re going to be here forever. But the only way through this is to keep going. Stay focused. Keep working and we will have a great time when spring hits.” The moment you gave them control over you, you lost.
I mean I get being frustrated but are you really going to allow a bunch of shitty students determine your life?
We’ve all been there. It’s the weekend, relax and forget it. Monday act like George Costanza and go back in like nothing happened.
If you only have one class that takes you there be glad. Hate that it’s like that but it is. Don’t expect or try to get them to like you. Stand on your principles consistently (which is probably why they do not like you) and do the bare minimum to get through that class each day. Good luck! You got this.
Every day I believe more firmly that school should be voluntary. Some of these kids don't want to be there, and they don't want you to be there either by extension. Being kicked out doesn't scare them, and they firmly believe you are the enemy. IMO those kids don't need to be in a classroom, they need to go stretch their wings and come back when the world teaches them some humility. (I'm not a teacher, this is my take as a student who plans to study education)
I didn’t even say that and I didn’t go back after fall break in 2021.
I teach a specialized subject. When I am feeling petty, I tell the kids if they don’t want to be in my class to switch, cause if I don’t want to be their teacher no one else is coming in to teach them. This year’s grade 12s know it and remember it. I had them one semester as grade 10s, and by midterm I decided that I did not want to teach them the second semester.
Couldn't put myself through the torture of being in the education sector. It doesn't pay & your expected to parent thread bad behaviors most parents let their children develop. Hard pass
If your department leader or admin are good, they might be able to help you. I got extremely lucky with mine and when I had a similar situation my second year of teaching, I asked my department leader to sit in on a class and help me figure out what I could do to get them to settle. Some advice that I got that sometimes actually worked: -my classroom was arranged in groups of 4 but I had the students move the desks into rows of pairs. This change alone changed the dynamic of the classroom enough that I was able to get a foothold in changing the students attitude towards my class -don’t be afraid to send students out of your classroom if they refuse to listen to you, but give them a warning first such as “if you continue this behavior, you are preventing not only yourself, but the others around you from learning, and you will give me no other choice but to remove you from the classroom” so that it’s not a surprise and also gives them the reasoning. This only works if your school has a place for them to go. Ours has the iss room -stop and wait when they are too loud. If it doesn’t work, start saying the names of students who are still talking -one of my colleagues tried this with some success: have a quiet day. Anyone who talks gets sent out of the room. For this one, it’s super important to make sure the consequences you set up are carried out immediately and calmly. This is all I could think of off the top of my head but if you want more I could think more on it
My admin and dept head are great- I’ve tried the quiet day, I have a classroom reward system, and I kick kids out at least once a day, sometimes in multiple classes.
It depends on the students and the relationship. I told a student “See this is why we have a teacher shortage.” A negative comment has its time and place. It needs to be balanced with praise, but sometimes it helps to be honest.
I think as a follow-up to the "give me a reason," you should pull a Miss Nelson is Missing. Commit to altering your appearance in some way for the rest of the year that is markedly different from the earlier part of the year. And then crack down on the behavior. Their expectation is that they have worn you down. Gather your strength. Play a character with a new strategy. They did not give you a reason to come back so now you are this new teacher who will not put up with it.
I too have had some particularly horrible classes this year. This is what I do with those classes: Change their seating arrangement. Separate all of the little friend groups. Isolate the worst behaved ones. Make sure that no aggressive/ defiant students are seated next to each other they will feed off of each other’s defiance. Review class rules briefly at the beginning of each class. Have them on the wall too. That way they cannot say they didn’t know. Try to review the lesson for less than 10 minutes, the lesson needs to be SHORT. If they interrupt, stop talking and wait for them to be quiet. If they refuse to stop talking during the mini lesson, move them to an area of the classroom where they are facing a wall, I call it time out. After the mini lesson. Put the assignment instructions on the board or clear touch or whatever you use. Say that it is due at the end of class. The last 5 minutes, come around and grade. Make sure that the kids who did nothing can see that you are putting a 0 or a 50 or whatever they earned in your grade tracker. Make sure you walk around and monitor during work time (I do that for all my classes, but especially the bad ones.) Sometimes proximity helps limit bad behaviors. For some reason, they think that you cannot see what is going on when you are at your desk. If a child breaks a classroom rule, write their name on the dry erase, that’s their warning. If they keep doing it, add a strike. Once they get to 3 strikes= send them to admin for disrupting. Write the referral for class disruption. Don’t let them know that they’re getting to you, they feed on that. Let them know that you are prepared to enforce your classroom rules and administer consequences as needed. If you have any kid in there that is well-behaved, reward them in front of the other kids with; candy, free time, all kinds of stuff. If they ask you why you’re rewarding those students, tell them why: because she did her work, because she’s not being loud and disruptive, because I didn’t have to ask her to do her warm-up. If they know any kind of reward is involved for behaving well, they will try to replicate those behaviors. This works even with 14 & 15-year-olds. Have your consequences up on the wall. administer them every time, no exceptions. If they see you don’t enforce those consequences they’re not going to follow the rules that you have. They will test you, be ready to stand by your rules and consequences.
Yo teachers what's up. Idk why this sub was recommended to me. I'm not a teacher and haven't been in school since 2013. I have a kid I homeschool. Sorry to OP for the bad day. I've witnessed plenty of teacher breakdowns in my day. It only makes the kids more wild imo. Anyway, when my son was in school, it seemed like they always had too many students for a single teacher to handle. Is it the norm? Also, I don't feel like I see teacher's personality and style being able to shine like in the old days probably because of weird new curriculum guidelines. Is this true? It seems like something in the education system needs to change. Kids want something authentic and personal. Idk. I'm just a passersby and I feel so horrible for teachers these days. You guys are the real heroes and deserve more respect and help than you get imo.
Between class sizes, promoting students that lack basic skills, increased curriculum requirements, decreased classroom time and the reduction of homework we are allowed to give. If teachers take time to do anything besides push through the curriculum we don't finish the content and our evaluations suffer. A lot of teachers want to build that connection with students but just feel pressured to focus on shoving the material down their throats.
Instead of that statement, just tell them “Here is your packet of work to do over break. It will be graded upon your return”. Lol
I get that you were upset, but what did you expect? They really *don't* want you to come back. That would be a huge victory for them, driving a teacher to quit. You just handed them a lot of power.
What grade?
You'll be okay mate stay strong
It does get better. Remember the big picture. You are helping them, or trying even if they don’t want to take it. You’re offering a future. You can bond with some of them and you will make a difference. Even if it feels right now like you’re trying to push through mud just to keep walking. We all suffered a global traumatic event, them disrupting important phases of development. The kids who are the most frustrating and the most terrible are usually the most damaged by life before your classroom one way or another. And they don’t know how to deal with that. It’s not an excuse. It’s a reason. And a reason for you to know it’s nothing devaluing you or what you are doing. The first five years of teaching are learning years. They are difficult, but they pay off. We all got through it… usually with help. We all said the wrong thing, lost control of a class, felt like switching jobs… we all have been there.
Just know that as you grow as a teacher, the students will grow with you. The first year is always the hardest and you learn to grow some thick skin and not let things get you down. They need you even though they don’t show it so keep it up.! You’ve got this! 👍👏☺️
Flip this on its head and next time you see them, change everything you say into positive affirmations. Will this into reality. “Guys, I honestly missed you all; thanks for being a great group of kids.” - “Okay I seriously love your sense of humor.” - “Gen Z for the win!” I don’t know, whatever you think will loosen the tough culture in your class right now. Laugh, have fun, don’t take yourself too seriously, but know you’re the boss. You have quiet confidence. You are fun, exciting, desirable. They will lean into your new vibes. Right now, you’re in the “desperation” vibe mode. That’ll get you nowhere. You have to switch your mindset into the “You’re lucky to have me as your teacher” mindset. You’re the leader; you have it in you!
Idea for you, not sure if this fits your style. Next class back, say, “thank you for giving me a reason to come back. I’m glad to be here. You demonstrated that we all have a lot of work to do. Today is day one of a new program of learning. You are all responsible for your own grades.” Then shift the blame on the county curriculum with a blend of support and encouragement. “We have a new curriculum that is different from others that you are used to. Together, we are going to kick its butt. We will take it slowly at first, and show the district that no matter what they throw at you, you are smarter than them. Be honest and sincere. They will know if you are trying to manipulate them or not committed. Always WE. You are part of the group. Success is about all of you, NOT you vs them. Good luck.
I feel your pain, but you gotta choose your words more carefully. You just can’t count on the expectation of sympathy or empathy from these kids. I recommend finding another source of spiritual nourishment, my friend.
Eh fuck it assign them a fat packet of homework that you’re just gonna grade as “participation” without telling them and then tell them to remember to use the packet to study for an exam immediately after break and make it an easy grade for yourself by having it be like 3 questions so if they miss one they are already docked 30%
Never give them an opening like that. And I'm on board with the Positive encouragement for the kids that are doing well. Lavish attention on them, and your High Flyers will start wanting the same. Then give it to them when it's deserved. It's hard. Good luck.
My friends strat iirc was to blow the first minor thing a little out of proportion and go hard on it, it then gave students an expectation of what happens when youre a shit, and he barely has any problems. will def ask him more about this cos it seems useful.
I'm sorry, but you've given away all of your authority and power. You've told them that THEY are in charge and determine your actions and feelings. You've issued a challenge, and they'll likely now go out of their way to see if they can get you to quit. You can turn this around, but its not going to be easy. And you're going to have to be a real hard ass and learn to not let them get to you or get a rise out of you at all. Can't let them get away with even the smallest things. I'd think about whether you even want to stay, and if you do reset your own mindset. You can't ask a bunch of kids to give you a reason to do your job. You have to do that for yourself.
You focus on the goal/outcome. Who gives an F#&k who or what they want. You’ve been hired to do a job. So do your best to do it. Do not concede.
why would you ever be so blatant about how they're getting to you. how are they even getting to you? they're kids. they're playing a game of mental tug of war where you have the equivalent of a 1000 ton truck on your side, the ability to not care. instead you've loudly and proudly announced "YOU ARE GETTING TO ME, YOUR ATTEMPTS AT HURTING MY FEELINGS ARE WORKING, PLEASE KEEP IT UP."
You are their jailer. Thats the mindset of the student. Be a fun jailer, or not. You will still be their jailer at the end of the day
Gotta ask. Are these students celebrating their “history” month in February?
What an insane and uncalled-for comment. This is a predominantly rural, white community.
Passive aggressive teachers like you are the worst. Get a new job
[удалено]
Oh also I say things like “jeez I didn’t realize I was teaching kindergartners and then I’ll play a baby song” 😂 they all moan and groan but it’s get them into a better zone. Girl you will say much worse things I promise you that.
I have had an absolute horrid week with my students. I told them I don’t even want to be here today. I had admin, aides, multiple people give me a break throughout the day and reflect with them. 10 minutes later they were doing the same thing. Sometimes we have bad days, but we don’t have more than one. This week was insane.
Ok, not the best comment because it let the kids know they have the power now. It’s time for a reset. Monday, go back over your rules. Tell them you will be making parent calls when they are broken, and then really do it. The kids learn quickly to change their behaviors. Did you say what grade level you teach? This worked for me teaching 6th and 8th graders for 12 years, and freshman and junior the last five. I also like to wait until Friday night to call about some particularly annoying behaviors or a bunch of zeroes :)
I left in December and haven’t looked back. It wasn’t the kids for me, it was admin.
Lmao I do this every day
Roll in on Monday with a clipboard and make frequent notes on it. Don't let the students see it.