Im an awsome teacher, but this year I got three of satan's offspring...do I have to deal with it?

Question

I have talked to the parents and nothing good came of it. I've taken it to administration and nothing substantive has been done. I'm told that since they are not designated with any special needs that it was just the luck of the draw that I got them. Do I really have one year of hell on earth? is there a law on my side? they are going to burn me out in no time.

Answer 1

I totally understand what you are saying. I work in an environment where the students are not classified as special needs, but they all have retained more than once... for one reason or another. The building I work in is an Alternative Education building and I have what most would classify as "the worst of the worst"... However, they won't work with you, until they know you care about them. Find a connection - however small it may be, and latch onto it!

Since you can't change them - change yourself! Obviously, with a lack of administrative or parental support, you really have your work cut out for you.

My suggestion.... work with what you have, and DON'T try to be something you're not. If you are very matter of fact kind of teacher... talk to your students about the expectations, and what you all want toget out of this year - now, how are you going to get there? If you are more of a relaxed teacher, find ways to allow the students to explore learning through their interests (make Rap songs for language arts... flash card for math.... models for science) - there are a TON of things you can try. Most students that seem unruly are the ones that need more energetic lessons -hands on type stuff!

I have worked in "regular education" classrooms as well as at my current job. I have found that students are more likely to respond if you give them what they perceive to be choices.

Just today, I gave the student the "choice" - do you want to do your work quietly, OR do you want me to call home. I had the phone in hand, and the child made the wise choice of getting back to work!

Even though, there might not be much in terms of follow through at home, continuing to contact the family and DOCUMENTING it -will eventually get some results! I know it sounds tideous, but it really works in the long run!

Good luck with such a trying class, and keep at it. Remember, you also have 20+ other children that seem to be positive... when you are getting frustrated, look at the majority of your students as working hard, and trying! You may just be the change in your student's lives they all need!

Answer 2

My daughter was teaching in high school her 1st and 2nd years as a teacher, being young and tiny looking more like a senior classman than the teacher, she set in motion from day one that she had rules and they were posted on the wall. Such as come with your books, leave the cussing in the hall, just because the bell rings your are not dismissed until released, raise your hand, step up to the desk when permission is granted. She had students that may have been unruly in other classrooms that were good in hers. She made (and still does) learning fun and has a genuine interest in the student. I hope you will let your kids know that they matter to you and each one has an opportunity to learn and those that prefer to disrupt the class will be asked to sit at the front so they can read the rules everyday. Most people are good, but they bring some bad stuff from home. Some are undiagnosed ADHD and you might be the one to recommend them be tested by their doctor. Now teach!

Answer 3

Consider these quotes:

"... a boy was not only eager to run an errand to the office but in fact "would do anything to get out of the room" where she was teaching. Rather than reflecting on what this might say about the kind of classroom she had created, the author merely pounces on the possibility of using such errands as rewards to control the student's future behaviour." (Bluestein 1988, p. 115-116)

"If discipline programs studiously refrain from exploring whether an adult's request was reasonable and, more generally, how the environment created by the adult might have contributed to the student's response, their most salient omission must surely be the curriculum. A huge proportion of unwelcome behaviours can be traced to a problem with what students are being asked to learn." (Kohn 1996, p. 18)

"Punishment models the use of power- as opposed to reason or cooperation- and this can profoundly affect a child's developing value structure. Specifically, the child learns that when you don't like the way someone is acting, you just make something bad happen to that person until he gives in: Do this or here's what I'm going to do to you." (Kohn 1996, p. 27)

"In the Classical Pygmalion experiment, teachers are led to believe that several of their students have exceptionally high potential for achievement in the near future. In fact, those designated as having high potential are selected at random. The results? Students live up, or down, to their teachers' expectations of them." (Baxter and Bowers, 1985)

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT WHEN YOU THINK OF YOUR STUDENTS AS BEING "SATAN'S OFFSPRING"? These students can surely sense your dislike of them and are acting accordingly. It's not appropriate to get the law involved unless these students pose a real threat to the safety of yourself, your colleagues or the other students in the school. Remember when you were studying to obtain your B.Ed? Now is the time to test a new theory of classroom management that you might have dismissed during your studies, because the one you're using now sure ain't working.

What do I think you should do? I think you should talk to the teachers who taught these students last year and find out what worked and what didn't. Personally, I would also arrange a sit-down, one-on-one meeting with each of the students. Break down the power barriers of teacher/student and have a real conversation. Use open-ended questions. "I know we didn't get off on a good foot this year. What can we do to make sure the rest of the year goes more smoothly?" "What kind of things would you like to learn about and do in class this year?"

Answer 4

Have you expressed to your administration that you feel that you will "burn out"? You need to let them know that you are serious about the conflict in personalities. Speak to your counselors as well. It is not good for you or for those students to be in an atmosphere of "dislike" and anger. If you are thinking of them as "Satan's offspring" and you can just imagine what they say of you...then you all need to be sent to separate rooms. There is no reason that they cannot be reassigned to another faculty. Our school does it all of the time. There are other teachers who can get along with these students. Also, are they in the same class period? Some times, just sending them into a different hour when they can't all feed off of one another's attitudes is enough to help...you know, divide and conquer. Finally, if all else fails, just keep using the discipline policy in place at your school. If you write them up enough times, they are going to be out of the classroom. You cannot allow yourself to be put at the end of your rope by students who may not wish to be there..while allowing those who need you to suffer. I tell my students that they have a right to their ignorance and to choose not to participate, but they do not have the right to interfere with another student's education. Good luck!

Answer 5

as an educator you must know that you can turn the heat up on them as high as they turn it up on you. either you will break them or send them on their way to another teacher next year who will either do the same or put up with it. check to see what your rules are for detention and suspension. what has to be the action that allows for you to do either? in my school if a student swears at me or repeatedly disrupts the class i have the ability to put them in "in-school" detention. you are in a school - not a daycare. there are other students that are not getting their education because you are wasting your time doing everything but teaching. can you put them in the hallway? can you send them to the principal? the squeaky wheel gets greased but make sure you have something to back up every action you take against the student. also...repeatedly calling the parents to pick up and take an unruly child has an effect. at first the parent will not like being called out of work but eventually they will put the kid in line and things may get easier. this is all contingent up on the age and the rules in your school.

Answer 6

Try looking into some of these links, they have very decent ideas on classroom management:
http://drwilliampmartin.tripod.com/classm.html
...Every time I get stuck with a problem like this and I feel it's too much, I just close my eyes and think : Thank God they are not my children! Good luck!

Answer 7

You really have no options here. Some years you'll have a class of angels, and then some years will just suck. Try not to get burned out though. Try changing your approach to teaching- find things that interest the troublesome students and build your lessons around them (i.e., baseball, pets, dancing, etc.) You will be amazed at the number of lesson plans that you can tweak by writing a math word problem using baseball and you will hook the child immediately!

Answer 8

I don't know how old these kids are but I've been watching Super Nanny and believe it or not, she has some excellent ideas for dealing with "problem children". My daughter just started teaching 2nd grade and I keep telling her that she needs to watch this show. I truly believe that you might find this very valuable. Check it out and let us know (if you can, somehow) if it helps.

Answer 9

no ,you don't let them sounds like they need love ,but those are the ones you get your reward from ,stand your ground, unless they put their hands on you (then its on like pop corn ) but they will find if they can't break you they will settle down. but honestly those are the ones who are always there ,never miss a day.pray
be all that you can be , a good teacher, Good Luck

Answer 10

If your a good teacher I'm sure you will find a good way to get through to them. Good luck!