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by Barb S. hs/ret
Mar 7, 2018
Brick walls are there for a reason. And once you get over them - even if someone has practically had to throw you over - it can be helpful to others to tell them how you did it.
~ Randy Pausch
I'm having an extremely rough year. After my first year of teaching, I could not afford to take the summer off, because I began as a long-term sub, and was only paid as a full time teacher for half the year. I worked the entire summer, emailed 90 principals in my scramble to get rehired as a teacher, and got my second teaching job 1 working day bef...See MoreI'm having an extremely rough year. After my first year of teaching, I could not afford to take the summer off, because I began as a long-term sub, and was only paid as a full time teacher for half the year. I worked the entire summer, emailed 90 principals in my scramble to get rehired as a teacher, and got my second teaching job 1 working day before the school year started.
My second class was going great. I didn't have much time to prepare, but it was my first time getting to start a class from the beginning of the year, and things were going pretty well.
Sadly, my district displaced me. After 5 weeks, they removed me from my class, and put another teacher there instead. I was given 7 choices of alternative job offers, with limited information and limited time to make my decision. I decided on a 3rd grade class at another school nearby.
It has been a total nightmare. I had to take over a class that had already been started, and had two substitute teachers before me. The class liked their previous teacher, and I think many of them have never accepted me as their new teacher. At this school, all teachers of the same grade level are expected to be working on the same thing at the same time. I felt pressure to keep up with academics, so I only glossed over my rules and expectations, and did not spend much time training the class on procedures. It's hard enough having to take over a class in the 6th week, because it means I'm starting behind, but that isn't even my biggest challenge.
The behavior of the class has been unruly. Although it is my second year teaching, it is my eighth year working with children in many capacities (teacher, substitute teacher, student teacher, afterschool programs, camp counselor, etc.) and I have worked with thousands of children. This class disrespects, ignores, and defies me to an extent that I have very rarely been before. There are about 11 or so kids with persistent behavior issues, some obviously more so than others. My most challenging among those are either highly disruptive (LOUDLY and persistently interrupting my attempts to teach), defiant (deliberately and consistently ignoring instructions), or even dangerous (A chair was thrown and hit another student while I was trying to help other students).
I have other students who are respectful and ready to learn, but the rest of the students distract them, or just make it borderline impossible to teach the rest of the class with their disruption. Sometimes I try to teach through it so that those students can learn, but then sometimes the behavior escalates to a point where I no longer can.
I have tried the following things:
Classroom Management:
-Initially began with classdojo
-Later stopped classdojo in favor of a ticket-based token economy with a -prize raffle at the end of the week
-Implemented a three strike system. Second strike resulted in a loss of recess. Third strike resulted in a partial loss of fun Friday time at the end of the week.
-Later implemented a behavior reflection sheet filled out by students during lunch recess if they reach a third strikes
-Began a biweekly morning circle session during which students get to share their thoughts about how things are going in class and can have their voice be heard.
Efforts to Increase Fairness to Students:
-Held a class meeting where I listened, without interrupting, about things the students felt were unfair, and things they wanted in the class room, some of which were implemented.
-Gave students the privilege of choosing partners to work with, instead of always assigning them.
-Allowed students on certain days free choice of their spot during Independent Reading.
-Revised loss of recess consequence into partial loss of recess.
-Changed my tone and approach to behavior redirection, so that even when students misbehave, I treat students respectfully and do not yell.
Incentives:
-Fun Friday
-Weekly raffle, from tickets earned during the week.
-Candy, potentially earnable as a whole class each day (rarely happens)
-A marble jar, with marbles potentially earnable as a whole class each day. Movie party when full.
-Pizza party, for mastering multiplication facts up to 12.
Further Behavior interventions:
-Individual behavior contracts
-Whole class behavior system similar to a behavior contract, in which a happy, so-so, or sad face is placed next to each section of the schedule, to reflect the class' behavior for each part of the day. Tied to the candy earning mentioned above.
Sadly, with my persistently challenging behavior students, much of this has failed horribly. If anything, they have run all over my attempts to be respectful and fair, whereas before I was very strict and no-nonsense. They have now become entitled. They talk excessively when I try to do whole group instruction, to the point where I sometimes have literally half the class literally just talking amongst each other when I try to teach. It's not from getting bored after long periods of time either. It is within often within 5 minutes, and sometimes almost immediately. They often drag their feet, or just waste a lot of time getting started on work, ignoring my redirections to get to work, and often getting very little done. They basically treat the class as a social hangout, and ignore me to the extent that they can. The sad honest truth at this point is these kids really just don't respect me, and I have very rarely experienced this to such an extent.
The academics of the entire class, and not just the challenging students, are deteriorating as a result. I can barely teach, and much of my time when I don't have students is taken up working on behavior interventions or communicating with parents, instead of working on instruction.
There are only 3 and a half months left in this school year, but I'm about to turn in my grades for the second term, and they aren't good. I'm worried about parent reactions and opinions. The class is hard, but to parents, it would probably just appear to be my incompetence. I'm worried about the future implications of my career, and worried that I could end up being fired.
I asking for any and all advice or help that anyone can offer. I apologize for the long message, and know that not everyone may want to read it, but I wanted to paint as clear a picture of the situation as I possibly could.
Hey all. I honestly feel a bit shaken by the violence in schools nowadays, not just the shootings, but there generally seems to be a lot of major issues in city schools. I used to welcome quiet kids, now I fear some of them, not in a nervous way, but in a suspicious way. I think, as a community, we need to do something cuz I shouldnt be afraid to g...See MoreHey all. I honestly feel a bit shaken by the violence in schools nowadays, not just the shootings, but there generally seems to be a lot of major issues in city schools. I used to welcome quiet kids, now I fear some of them, not in a nervous way, but in a suspicious way. I think, as a community, we need to do something cuz I shouldnt be afraid to go to class anytime I hear someone has been picked on earlier in the week. I've been listening to lots of opinions and they all seem split, which I don't get (this guy seems to have articulated this phenomenon well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQfV2tLAOk8&feature=youtu.be , but I dont see us rallying to do anything like that nowadays). But it seems like all my co-workers kinda just shrug everything off as "that's the way it goes" and I feel like that's wrong. Already the talk has died down about school violence, merely a week after an atrocious shooting, and anytime I do see something, it one extreme reaction or another (i.e. like Kurt Russel walking off the set of an interview for being asked about guns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaupkJPw8wE). Now the conversation is all about guns, not about schools, and I feel hopeless to help whatever problems might exist in my community cuz no one seems to care beyond a mere shrug.
It feels like I have no control or contributions to make and it seems no one really wants to fix anything, and it makes me question why I'm a teacher in a society that doesnt learn. I just wanted to see if this is a common response everywhere or just in my circle... Anyone care to share their perspective?
by Barb S. hs/ret
Mar 5, 2018
Each moment is a place we've never been.
~ Mark Strand
by Barb S. hs/ret
Mar 5, 2018
Always be open to the miracle of the second chance.
~ Reverend David Stier
by Barb S. hs/ret
Feb 28, 2018
It's been well documented that there is a growing sense of entitlement among young people today.
~ Randy Pausch
I'm a new teacher and don't have my own class yet. I've been charged with assisting teachers in the English department. I'm to help LEP (Limited English Proficiency) students with essay writing. However, of the 7 periods and 40 students I'm to help, only 1 student would be considered LEP but it is related to a learning disability not the aquisition...See MoreI'm a new teacher and don't have my own class yet. I've been charged with assisting teachers in the English department. I'm to help LEP (Limited English Proficiency) students with essay writing. However, of the 7 periods and 40 students I'm to help, only 1 student would be considered LEP but it is related to a learning disability not the aquisition of English. The rest of the students have been in school since Kindergarten in the United States. In working with the teacher, I was told that these students are labeled LEP because their parents speak Spanish and the children don't want to take the test so they write a sentence or two or simply skip on the TELPAS test date.
In addition, I have spent 3 weeks listening to 7 different teachers, teach expository and persuasive essays in every way possible. Every teacher is using the same materials, prompts, fill in the blanks, etc. They have done everything short of writing the essay themselves and have the children memorize it. All the students are learning this in 9th and 10th grade because the STAAR test starts in 2 weeks. So the LEP children will write 2 essays: one for TELPAS another one for STAAR.
Someone please tell me how I can motivate or encourage these children to write the practice essays that they are given for a grade. We have had some students wad up the paper, throw it out and walk out of class. They speak, read and write perfect English. I just don't know what to do. Calling the Parents does not make a difference. I'm regretting this career choice and am seriously considering g voting against Dreamers since our school consists of 70% Dreamers and only 17% of them make a passing grade. The others are getting their grades manipulated so they can get out of the school.
Someone please help. I've already tried the Assistant Principal, Principal and Superintendent with no luck. "They appreciate my willingness to improve education and will look at my notes to see what can be done". In other words: pat my head and send me back to the same thing. Can anyone give practical advice that will motivate these kids? I WILL NOT REWARD THEM WITH CANDY BECAUSE THEY WRITE ONE SENTENCE OR BUY PIZZA FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY FINISHED THE ESSAY OUTLINE THAT WAS DUE LAST WEEK.
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