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What kind of strategies do teachers need for classroom discipline? I need your opinion. I'm trying to learn new strategies. If your a parent or teacher please respond.
Do you feel that disciplining kids today is easier or harder than back in the day? Why? Who's fault is it to blame?
by lostsubteacher
May 28, 2012
Okay,
From what I’ve read, I know I am approaching this the wrong way, but what would you suggest? I have a teaching credential and was hoping to enter as a first time teacher, but I’ve had to take jobs substitute teaching. I’m signed up with an automated system my city uses, and the majority of the assignments it offers me are at th...See MoreOkay,
From what I’ve read, I know I am approaching this the wrong way, but what would you suggest? I have a teaching credential and was hoping to enter as a first time teacher, but I’ve had to take jobs substitute teaching. I’m signed up with an automated system my city uses, and the majority of the assignments it offers me are at the middle school level. My teacher preparation program mainly prepared me to teach high school.
I’ve found that during subbing, although the high school students do try to take advantage of me occasionally, I usually have a better time with them. I can interact with older teens comfortably, tell jokes that they understand, trust them to talk without insulting each other and tearing each other to shreds emotionally, and allow them out of the room without worrying that they are up to mischief.
Contrast this with the middle school students! It’s mostly inner-city, and they are an honest headache. If I try to ignore them and let them concentrate on their work, they will make silly comments about the way I look and the way I’m dressed. If I try to speak to defend myself, my low voice will be mocked by some attention-seeking student who wants to make the class laugh. If I allow them to talk, they will constantly insult each other; it must be painful for the students receiving that kind of treatment. I know I don’t even like it, and I’m an adult, and forget allowing them out of the room in most cases. They are so immature that they will go to other teachers’ rooms and try to start conversations with their buddies! I’ve even been in some middle schools where the students would find out that they had a sub and try to tear the classroom up by standing on desks and throwing books at each other. It is an honest headache!
What I usually do when I sub middle school is make a seating chart when I call roll so that I know how to identify the students. Then, I explain my rules, “no talking”, “don’t get out of your seat without permission”, and “respect yourselves and others.” I give them two warnings, and if they continue to violate my rules, they are put out of the classroom and sent to the office. I sometimes have horrible things happen in my classroom, though, such as students mocking me mercilessly, silly pranks being played in the classroom, accusations of racism, and profanity being scrawled on the board when I’m not looking. Also, sometimes whole groups of students violate my rules. Since I can’t punish the whole class, I usually find one or two to send to the office as examples. I guess this is a bad system, but they won’t let me approach them in a laid-back manner. They treat me like an intruder, really.
I’ve read Harry Wong’s “The First Days of School”, but I do not see how it applies to substitute teaching. I’ve brainstormed ideas for my classroom based on the experiences I’ve had as a sub, and, although I think I can do a better job that I've done in the past, I haven’t really found an answer. Right now, I can sometimes keep order by being mean, but they obviously resent me for it. What’s going on here? Would someone give me an idea of the students’ perspective?
More about me: I’m a white female in my mid-twenties. According to the kids, though, I look like a teenager.
by lostsubteacher
Jun 1, 2012
First of all,
I know that I have complained a lot about middle school students and their immaturity in the past, but before you write me off as a "troll" just trying to start a commotion, please listen to what I have to say, because I really do want to do well wherever I am employed, whether it is a high school or middle school, assuming ...See MoreFirst of all,
I know that I have complained a lot about middle school students and their immaturity in the past, but before you write me off as a "troll" just trying to start a commotion, please listen to what I have to say, because I really do want to do well wherever I am employed, whether it is a high school or middle school, assuming I get a job teaching at all in this city.
Last year, I graduated from a teacher education program in my city and got my teaching license. I was understandably very excited and went and applied to almost every school I could think of. I got plenty of interviews but no call- backs. I signed up as a substitute teacher in interim to hopefully get more experience with the students. At first, I took mostly high school assignments and, although I was pretty naive and the students took advantage of me, kind of enjoyed it.
Later, I started taking middle school assignments. Needless to say, things did not go very smoothly. Most of the middle schools were inner-city schools, and the students literally seemed to think they could do whatever they desired when there was a sub; I had no control over them. My first few days doing middle school, I kind of dismissed their childish and rude behavior, but, as time went on, and I started accepting more middle school assignments, things got worse.
My seating charts didn't work, because they would get up and move around while I was calling roll. They also got angry with me when I identified them by name or called them out for bad behavior. Instead of the students accepting that they did wrong, the students would frequently argue with me, or worse, ignore me like they did nothing wrong at all. They seemed to enjoy causing chaos and making me anxious and would sometimes find pranks to play in protest of me being in the classroom. I had no idea how to respond to all of this, and sometimes ignoring it would only cause them to make more noise and try to get me into trouble. As
I tried everything that I could, but nothing really ever worked well. I brought candy to give to the good kids, but sometimes the kids would fight over it or misbehave anyway and then beg for candy. I found nothing but chaos and disruption at almost every middle school in the area. There was loud talking, rude things said to me and their classmates, and an unbelievable level of immaturity; the elementary school students were better behaved!
Now, it's the end of the school year and I'm still without a teaching job. Why did those students react to me the way they did? I have a teaching credential, and I'm in grad school. I know my subject very well and can teach pretty well provided attention is paid to what I'm saying. I feel very insulted, and I kind of feel like I earned a college degree in Education for nothing.
I haven't hsd a lot of trouble with the high school students while subbing, but I wonder if that means anything. I feel like I need to be competent with middle school and high school students to be ready. What do I do if they completely ignore me, though?
What do you do if a student is making noise - whistling, tapping ... and it is distracting, but you don't know who it is? Do you stop the class to find out who it is? But they won't tell on each other (I teach high school). Do you punish the whole class? Any good suggestions? Thank you!
I'm into my 3rd week of school and finally had some time to check the chatboards. Why no posts on this one since July? Isn't there anything to discuss?
Hi, I am really getting stress with a group of senior class. I have been teaching 9 and 10th grade (which I enjoy). But this year I have been given a senior class. This class is very chatty and get distracted very easily (some of them have IEP). I know last year this seniors gave a lot of trouble to some teachers. This year, I talked to another tea...See MoreHi, I am really getting stress with a group of senior class. I have been teaching 9 and 10th grade (which I enjoy). But this year I have been given a senior class. This class is very chatty and get distracted very easily (some of them have IEP). I know last year this seniors gave a lot of trouble to some teachers. This year, I talked to another teacher who teach them and she told me that they are very chatty in her class too. I already have given detention to some of the seniors and they seem to not care. What I am doing now is recording who talk the most everyday, because I could not pin point who starts talking. Some of them have noticed and asked what I am doing and I tell them that I am giving extra credit to those who are working quietly. But I still have around 7 or 8 that keep talking, even if I call their name, give them detention or change seats. Is like they don't care. My other option now is to start calling parents.
Also, I have a couple of "good" students who have told me that they can't concentrate in class and that they will be reading the book. I feel really bad when they say this, because is like saying, you can't handle this class.
I am not sure what to do. If anybody has dealt with this before and have suggestions. Thank you.
It is my first year in a new school. I had been teaching but decided to make a change in the population I work with. I currently work with low-cognitive high school students on the autism spectrum. It is a completely new experience for me, who up until this point, taught students at the other end of the spectrum. I have faced many new challenges, b...See MoreIt is my first year in a new school. I had been teaching but decided to make a change in the population I work with. I currently work with low-cognitive high school students on the autism spectrum. It is a completely new experience for me, who up until this point, taught students at the other end of the spectrum. I have faced many new challenges, but the one that fills me with the most anxiety is how to handle a paraprofessional that won't work. I am new to the school and don't want to stir the pot in an already somewhat volatile environment (lots of resentment and general meanness to the new kids on the block). Let me describe the para's behaviors: He either reads a newspaper all day or does something on a small notepad that involves stocks, and will occassionally talk about the need to own business because the econmoy is going to hell, my favorite, that administration is after him. So when I say, Hey Can you please work with so so. He acts shocked every time, completes the task for the student and goes right back to the paper. It is well known that this is a habit of his. I am not assertive and don't feel comfortable approaching him and saying, read you paper somewhere else. Advice please?
Help my first graders won't stop talking.
I have high school seniors and juniors who won't stop swearing in front of me, usually during homework time. Any stimple suggestions for a quick and effective consequence?
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