End of the year behavior issues

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Classroom Management Chatboard

End of the year behavior issues

by Daniel Hanson

May 5, 2011

Hi, all!

Well, it’s the last month of school for me and it seems as each year goes by, I seem to dislike this time of the school year more and more. I think the reason for this feeling is I see some kids start to “crash and burn”, both academically and behavior wise. Do you have any suggestions on how to combat this mentality?

Let me say that having more variety during the last month of the school year would help. And I know some teachers do huge point projects, etc., at the end of the year. However, part of me is saying that I shouldn’t have to entertain the students just because it’s the end of the school year, nor should make huge projects for the kids to do because what we do all semester is important. While I was a student in high school and in college, we were not entertained at the end of the school year. We were expected to work until the end.

In terms of administrative actions, during the last month of school, teachers can’t enforce teach...See MoreHi, all!

Well, it’s the last month of school for me and it seems as each year goes by, I seem to dislike this time of the school year more and more. I think the reason for this feeling is I see some kids start to “crash and burn”, both academically and behavior wise. Do you have any suggestions on how to combat this mentality?

Let me say that having more variety during the last month of the school year would help. And I know some teachers do huge point projects, etc., at the end of the year. However, part of me is saying that I shouldn’t have to entertain the students just because it’s the end of the school year, nor should make huge projects for the kids to do because what we do all semester is important. While I was a student in high school and in college, we were not entertained at the end of the school year. We were expected to work until the end.

In terms of administrative actions, during the last month of school, teachers can’t enforce teacher detentions, meaning, we can turn them into the office, but the office will only document them in the computer system. They won’t assign Saturday School or an administrative detention because it’s too late for them to process the paper work. So, that just leaves teachers with the option of suspending the kid from class for that period or having a teacher-parent conference.

At this time of the year, I feel like I use “ignoring the behavior” as a default tactic as well as nagging because at this point in the year, my only options are to kick the kid out of class for the period or try and set up a teacher-parent conference. There is no middle ground, like giving a teacher detention. Also, I think the kids pick up on the fact that the administration doesn’t process stuff like teacher detentions at the end of the school year. Some kids get really wound up this time of year, I tell ya.

Like I said, I am open to ideas.

Thanks for listening, Daniel Hanson Public High School Spanish Teacher Atwater, California, USA

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marjoryt Every semester, I get a new group of students, so end of the year arrives more often. Here are some things I do with my students; perhaps you can find some inspiration:

1) Review the textbook and other materials - yes, it's a writing assignment, but they get to "grade" the book and sections. It's especially fun if they can grade it against...See More

May 9, 2011

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NJ/4th I think at this point in the year it might be best to cut your loses, so to speak. I don't now what subject you teach, but if you assign an interactive project it will keep the students engaged and interested for the rest of the year. I teach fourth grade and we have field trips, assemblies, field day, etc to "hold over" the students' heads. In add...See More

May 9, 2011

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Ben I had this problem when I started teaching. You can make no progress at the end. The end of the year is when they present their projects in the form of oral reports and we do lots of Regents prep.

The only behavior that gets worse is the behavior that wasn't addressed in the begining, so if a kid was absent from class a lot, he'll be even ...See More

May 16, 2011

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Nicole I agree that you shouldn't have to entertain the students at the end of the school year, but it does end up that way. As others have said, this is the best time of the year for group work. It gets the students up and moving and lets them be social, which is what most of us like to do when the weather is beautiful. On 5/05/11, Daniel Hanson wrote: &...See MoreI agree that you shouldn't have to entertain the students at the end of the school year, but it does end up that way. As others have said, this is the best time of the year for group work. It gets the students up and moving and lets them be social, which is what most of us like to do when the weather is beautiful. On 5/05/11, Daniel Hanson wrote: > Hi, all! > > Well, it’s the last month of school for me and it seems as > each year goes by, I seem to dislike this time of the school > year more and more. I think the reason for this feeling is I > see some kids start to “crash and burn”, both academically > and behavior wise. Do you have any suggestions on how to > combat this mentality? > > Let me say that having more variety during the last month > of the school year would help. And I know some teachers do > huge point projects, etc., at the end of the year. However, > part of me is saying that I shouldn’t have to entertain the > students just because it’s the end of the school year, nor > should make huge projects for the kids to do because what we > do all semester is important. While I was a student in high > school and in college, we were not entertained at the end of > the school year. We were expected to work until the end. > > In terms of administrative actions, during the last month > of school, teachers can’t enforce teacher detentions, > meaning, we can turn them into the office, but the office > will only document them in the computer system. They won’t > assign Saturday School or an administrative detention > because it’s too late for them to process the paper work. > So, that just leaves teachers with the option of suspending > the kid from class for that period or having a > teacher-parent conference. > > At this time of the year, I feel like I use “ignoring the > behavior” as a default tactic as well as nagging because at > this point in the year, my only options are to kick the kid > out of class for the period or try and set up a > teacher-parent conference. There is no middle ground, like > giving a teacher detention. Also, I think the kids pick up > on the fact that the administration doesn’t process stuff > like teacher detentions at the end of the school year. Some > kids get really wound up this time of year, I tell ya. > > Like I said, I am open to ideas. > > > Thanks for listening, > Daniel Hanson > Public High School Spanish Teacher > Atwater, California, USA

May 22, 2011

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GIna On 5/05/11, Daniel Hanson wrote: > Hi, all! > > Well, it’s the last month of school for me and it seems as > each year goes by, I seem to dislike this time of the school > year more and more. I think the reason for this feeling is I > see some kids start to “crash and burn”, both academically > and behavior wise. Do you ...See MoreOn 5/05/11, Daniel Hanson wrote: > Hi, all! > > Well, it’s the last month of school for me and it seems as > each year goes by, I seem to dislike this time of the school > year more and more. I think the reason for this feeling is I > see some kids start to “crash and burn”, both academically > and behavior wise. Do you have any suggestions on how to > combat this mentality? > > Let me say that having more variety during the last month > of the school year would help. And I know some teachers do > huge point projects, etc., at the end of the year. However, > part of me is saying that I shouldn’t have to entertain the > students just because it’s the end of the school year, nor > should make huge projects for the kids to do because what we > do all semester is important. While I was a student in high > school and in college, we were not entertained at the end of > the school year. We were expected to work until the end. > > In terms of administrative actions, during the last month > of school, teachers can’t enforce teacher detentions, > meaning, we can turn them into the office, but the office > will only document them in the computer system. They won’t > assign Saturday School or an administrative detention > because it’s too late for them to process the paper work. > So, that just leaves teachers with the option of suspending > the kid from class for that period or having a > teacher-parent conference. > > At this time of the year, I feel like I use “ignoring the > behavior” as a default tactic as well as nagging because at > this point in the year, my only options are to kick the kid > out of class for the period or try and set up a > teacher-parent conference. There is no middle ground, like > giving a teacher detention. Also, I think the kids pick up > on the fact that the administration doesn’t process stuff > like teacher detentions at the end of the school year. Some > kids get really wound up this time of year, I tell ya. > > Like I said, I am open to ideas. > > > Thanks for listening, > Daniel Hanson > Public High School Spanish Teacher > Atwater, California, USA

Hi Daniel,

Just so you know I do not teach high school students, I currently teach 4th grade and the end of the year is rough. My students have taken so many state tests that they are "stick a fork in them" done. So many of them have worked so hard and I want to reward them. However my students who have been lazy all year are what you could say, catching themselves up. So I plan computer projects for the upper students, then plan some cut and paste projects for my students that need fine motor practice. Finally, for my students who need practice for all subjects I create a culminating activity for them to work on. This keeps them all engaged but they can't cheat because they are all for the most part working on something different. This year my projects are going to be related to curriculum because we are not done teaching what they need to know for the end of the year. Hope this helps you in some way. Good Luck and enjoy your summer!

Gina

May 22, 2011

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