Calling all teachers!

[sweet]

Hello,

For any of you who are a teacher, I am currently working with someone who has a class of 30 students, and about 6 kids in the class ruin her day, she had been trying to give directions today, and one Senior was standing up and talking to someone across the room , and she yelled at him, and told him to stop acting like an A**, and some just won't do what she tells them after this far into the school year. I have tried to see what may help, but all I can think of is just stop being flexible, and giving 5 warnings everyday. I say the first time they disrupt or act in a non-school manner , detention, or a write-up. That may seem a bit harsh, but if it has to be that strict, it has to be.

Any Suggestions?

[tdf4077]

I used to teach an an inner-city school....when kids acted up, I sent them to the hall. Then, I would either give them a detention (usually over lunch to drag them away from their friends). I would use the time to basically very calmly tell them that I was disappointed in their behavior because I knew they were able to do better. Referrals were the next step.

Another thing I do is to continue with teaching, inviting those who are paying attention to move closer so they can hear, then issue a pop quiz. Those students who were paying attention automatically get a 100%. Those who weren't, I grade. If they fail, they get a phone call to their guardians.

[dawsongirl]

If it were me, I'd just tell them to get the hell out of my room, then contact the office. I'm just an associate, but I'm getting plenty sick of the kids who never listen and the teachers who waste their time yelling at the kid over and over annoy me.

[MsOrange]

well, she should never call them an "ass"..... even though they really deserver it.

secondly, I would just send them straight to the principal's office. I wouldn't put up with it. No second chances; write 'em up, OSS, ISS, whatever.

[tdf4077]

I agree with the no swearing thing! I don't cuss around my students during class at all. I won't even say like "crap" or the like. And I teach high schoolers who do cuss around me all the time!

It's frustrating 'cause when I was in high school, I would have never even dreamt of talking to my teachers or acting in class as the students do today...and I'm only 25, so I haven't been out of school that long. When I bring this up to the kids, they just say it's cause i was a "goody-goody." And that's kinda true, but more so, I was just brought up to respect people a lot more.

And I feel really badly for those good kids stuck in there. Even in my worst classes, there are a handful of really good kids who sincerely want to learn.

[sweet]

Well, thank you for your help, I agree, that when you curse at them you are just lowering yourself to their level, I don't think she directly called him that, but asked him to stop acting like one. But, she claims that she loses sleep every night over just 5-6 students out of a class of 30. That really doesn't seem that bad, if you think about it, but they ridicule her class, and say it's a joke. One time yesterday she said told of them, I'm sorry I did not live up to your standards, would you like to get up and teach if you think you could do it better? And their response was, well I would, but I don't get paid I think its just because they are Senior boys who can't wait to get out of their.

[Chocoholic]

It just amazes me how little respect children have these days. I'm only 25, but if my parents ever heard of me being disrespectful to one of my teachers, then they really would have punished me. Not that I ever got in trouble because I was always such a goody-two-shoes anyway. I work in a school and even at the elementary level you see disruptive children who's parents are absolutely no help. It's a real shame, especially for those children who actually want to learn and do well.

Has this teacher tried making this class interesting? Using positive reinforcement? Stopped yelling and swearing?

[canuckkidd]

Sounds like your friend needs to be a lot more firm and stop giving them warnings. One warning is enough, after that it is fair game to either kick the student out of the class and talk to him/her after the lesson (this should not be done if the student has a history of taking off) or sending the student straight to the principals office. One warning is enough and she needs to be consistent with this and consistent with all students not giving some leaway for some students. Consistency is the key!

I think communication with the student's parents is also important to give the parents a heads up on how their child is acting and how it is effecting the rest of the class. Of course it is a two way street and the parents need to be supportive of the teacher. It is important for the teacher/principal to speak to the parents in a positive, respectful, but also critical manner. It is important that she communicates to the parents that she cares about their child and wants to see them succeed, and their behavior ispreventing them and the rest of the class from suceeding. I think it is also important to communicate with her colleagues and get their imput on what works and what she should do. The school should have some sort of disciplanary procedures.

Finally, she should treat her students with more respect. I understand this may be the most difficult thing to do since her students are not treating her with respect but yelling at them and calling them an a** will just cause the students to hate her even more.

Having difficult students is a major challenge for a teacher and can ruin the year for them. I hope she can resolve this issue soon.

[dawsongirl]

Originally Posted by Homeriffic

Stopped yelling and swearing?

I've noticed that the kids who have teachers that yell at them all the time (elementary level here) act out even more. We have two 1st grade teachers; one yells and the other talks to her kids softly and calmly. The calm teacher has kids who, after lunch if we have an indoor recess, come in to the room, sit down, and watch cartoons without a sound. The yeller's class, in the same situation, come into the room and start yelling at each other, running around the room, talking too loud, bicker with each other over nonsense crap...you see where this is going. Most people just say how they feel sorry for the yeller because she has all the "bad kids." I'm thinking they wouldn't be so bad if they were in the other class.