a tough class-help please

petunia1 · #1 (**permalink**) 13-11-2008, 09:57 AM

Today I taught a very tough class I used all the behaviour strategies I could think of and nothing worked. A few months ago I had the privelege of doing a course the ten microskills to teaching a behaviour managment pd course, However even the techniques taught to me by those professionals did not work on these children. I spent the day raising my voice to a classroom of children who refused to follow directions and whom consisently would back chat me.

I found I was literally shouting at them a techique I do not like doing and know full well is extremely unethical. I also have a voice problem spasmodic dysphonia and cannot afford to yell. Therefore can anyone please give some advice on how to handle extremely difficult children .
PS, I know I ve asked for advice before but I seem to be sent to some very tough schools and where I live if I took all the tough ones off my list I would have no work. So I need to find a way of dealing with difficult students. Your help would be really appreciated.. petunia.

thanks
petunia1

Footiegirl · #2 (**permalink**) 13-11-2008, 11:09 AM

Hey, dont worry about as
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for advice! Thats the whole purpose of this site (besides discussing chocolate of course!!). Cant really give any adivce expect what you are probably already doing:

List your expectations at
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t of day
Follow schools policy & find out where main trouble makers can be removed to
Praise good behaviour
Sad/happy faces
Miss some of break/lunch/golden time
Speak to worse offenders 1-1 outside classroom

I am sure they are all things you are doing, besides more. The others will add more to the list no doubt, mines gone blank.

But if all else fails, just remember 2 things:

1) be thankful that they are not your class permenantly!
2) theres that bar of chocolate waiting for you when you get home!!

NuttySupplier · #3 (**permalink**) 13-11-2008, 05:13 PM

And make sure you make use of adults/sanctions outside the classroom... you cannot teach if there's a kid in there preventing you from wor
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! Think of the other kids in the classroom and remove that one.

If these are tough schools, then you really have to just stick with it... don't fob one technique off if it doesn't work after an hour, stick with it for a few weeks - the kids will soon get the message that you're not confident if you keep swapping and changing. They're probably like that for their own teachers, so don't beat yourself up if you didn't have them sat in silence reading The Secret Garden by 3:30pm, be thankful your day's over!!!

petunia1 · #4 (**permalink**) 15-11-2008, 06:36 AM

Thank you for replying to my message for help nuttie and footie .

After posting my message, I had a really great day on Friday I was sent to this really good school a little further away from where I live, the children were just beautiful and I did not have to raise my voice once to them.

I will however use your advice and I think your right Nuttie it is important to be consistant with the techniques I'm using, rather than s
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ing them every five minutes. I have learnt a valuable lesson which is worth noting. If you raise your voice to children it only breeds contempt and more disruption. The louder you get the louder they get. It is best to use sensible behaviour managment strategies and also perhaps even remove the trouble makers for the day.

Ps. I also think it is worth ta
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a St John Wart before you setout,
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Pack a huge cadbury's bar and a
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of tea bags .

Then when you get home make sure you have whisky or brandy in the cupboard.
Im passing two
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s to you both as I think you derserve them.
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NuttySupplier · #5 (**permalink**) 15-11-2008, 05:10 PM

Thank you very much! I'm glad you have a better day on Friday Petunia1...

Paul Farnham · #6 (**permalink**) 16-11-2008, 02:33 PM

Hi - I did supply teaching many years ago in Bristol. Seemed to get the worst classes and I was fresh out of graduating. My sympathies for the struggle with difficult children. I nearly failed had I not used a simple method. I didn't say their name out loud - just wrote their name on the board. After writing up the main culprits, they seemd to calm down out of shock. Yes I then talked with them privately. I would pace small ticks beside the names if they offended repeatedly and erase at the end of the day.

Ten years of class teaching expereince left me with a resolve not to shout or hardly raise my voice. Apart from anything I wanted to be friends not enemies with the kids. Definitely shouting is a rough road. I prefer to quieten the class. Isolate the problem and deter with a fresh task for the person involved with a reward promised for improvement. Isolating a child in a way that doesn't look like he/she is being quaranteened is sometimes necessary. Getting them to sit nearer to you or just tal
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to them sympathetically about any deeper issues.

I would also have a colleague or another teacher who you can send a note to if things get out of hand or look rough. Teachers tend to think they have to be lone rangers but sharing the conflict is a trouble halved sometimes.

Just a few thouhts. Hope things improve.

petunia1 · #7 (**permalink**) 19-11-2008, 07:52 AM

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Thanks Paul,

Have been using similar strategies had a better day today still had some ratty children but did not go home pulling hair out .

Thanks for your reply and I will keep what you said in mind, It does help to be consistant with expectations and your right about the yelling it doesnt help it only exaserbates the problem.

Footiegirl · #8 (**permalink**) 19-11-2008, 10:49 AM

Glad you have had better days since then. Thanks for the chocolate - yum! x

Karen_sparkle · #9 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 06:54 PM

Hello all!

I know this is a rather old therad now but still very current in my mind. Having had continual supply work since I
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ted a
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of weeks ago, am
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ting to feel grounded and abit more confident.

However, there is one thing that is troubling me.

I have been in a particulary difficult Year 6 class - ironically its a smaller class but they seem to have put all the ifficult children in the same class - under achievers mixed with behaviour issues (not sure thats the best way as rarely is there a peer role model)

Anyway, I had to exhaust many beh.man. techniques today and yesterday but I was wondering if anyone had any advice for reacting to bad behaviour emotionally. As a fresh graduate, I feel sometimes that my frustration does externalise itself, and although I am in control and not shouting, I don't want to feel angry with the class. I stopped a lesson and
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ted a circle time session about their behaviour and we had a good conversation, and to my horror, I actually
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ted to feel myself well up.

Has anyone else felt like this and when does the time come that you stop ta
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all this so personal?!!

xxx Karen xxx

NuttySupplier · #10 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karen_sparkle
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Has anyone else felt like this

Absolutely

and when does the time come that you stop ta
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all this so personal?!!

Many, many years from now probably, depending on your character!! They're kids, they can be cute, they can get on your nerves, and you're human.

Why don't you want to feel angry with the class??? I've given old classes 3 hour long lectures at times when I've been angry with them - and had chocolate and flowers brought in the next day! Go for it!

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