Worst day ever.

[koshe]

I thought I had had bad days but this one topped them all.

Been doing supply now for about 3 months. Before that I had my own classes with their fair share of children with challenging behavior.

So, year 3-4 that were awful right from the get go. Normally I like year 3-4. First thing I did after the register was discuss their class rules and my rules (like always). Once that was over it was as if they went out of their way to break every single one.. not caring a jot about whether I took time of their golden time, kept them in at play, gave them behavior warnings etc. If I praised someone for doing the right thing putting their name up etc the others would escalate what they were doing. (throwing pens, screaming in short bursts, drawing on the work of the person next to them, hiding under the table, tackling another to the floor because a pen was thrown at them and so on. A senior staff member came in and spoke to them and once she left if anything they were worse!

I got through the day somehow. We got hardly any work done and not to a good standard, and now I am a wreck. I just can't figure out where it went wrong... and worse, I don't know what I would do in that situation again to calm them down - since none of the usual things were working today.

[NuttySupplier]

Oh gosh. It sounds like you had a lot of giddy kippers in class today!
One thing I would have done (asking a senior staff member if it was ok first) is to send a 'ring leader' to another class for the rest of that lesson. It's easier if you know the other teachers, I got to know as quickly as possible who the children admired the most in the teaching staff - and sent them there.
They perhaps have learned from previous supply days that their regular teacher doesn't enforce lost golden time etc. that has been taken by a supply teacher, so any misbehaviour has little consequence.
It's tough, you have my sympathy, you also need to go in harder maybe next time... they are children at the end of the day, and tough as the class is, you are in charge, and you dictate what happens... surprise them by learning names asap (I knew them all by breaktime, every class I had) and keep the pace up, up, up... I never discussed their class rules and my rules with a class for longer than a minute... This is my rule, you stick to it. Everything else is common courtesy, and you should do it anyway. Keep it short and snappy, don't lose their attention ever! Be consistent, don't ignore bad behaviour, don't forget to respond to good behaviour...

And that's it Koshe, you've had your bad day... it can only get better from now, and you don't have to have that class again if you choose not to!!!

[koshe]

Thanks Nutty..

Didn't help matters that it was a new school for me - So I wasn't familiar with the school staff or its policies. I was called in at the very very last minute - if I left straight away i'd be there for 8.50 and I couldn't see their timetable so their normal routine would have been out of whack as well.... But.. golden time was today, so the time I took off it they missed. I do follow through when I make a threat.

I just feel bad about it all.. you are right though, it can only get better now.

[janeb]

Just wanted to add my support... through the medium of chocolate...
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!!

The day was probably worse because of your enforced late arrival and the children just decided to push you to your limit - delightful
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ls!

So, pour yourself a glass of something wet and forget about it!