Teacher needs help disciplining 4th grade students?

Question

Hello people, Since this is a great place to hear other peoples thoughts, I am asking for opinions for a friend of mine who is now a 4th grade teacher.

Her problem started when she was crying and upset at the fact that her first day was horrible. She told me that students were out of control, speaking out of line, using profanity, and making fun of my friend due to her nationality. I asked her if she had given any diciplinary actions and she told me every time the students misbehave, she would take out 1 minute of their recess time. I gave her my own advice but i think it is too extreme. Any ideas or ways she can be creative and still be effective?

Answer 1

I know when I was that age and if i ever was threatened by a teacher stating they are going to call my parents that sure scared me and I was sure to behave having an Italian father hmmm never liked the belt! LOL

Answer 2

First of all my remarks are for "inauspici..". You've got to be kidding me! Why don't we do the same for prisoners ? Really ..get a grip. Rewarding bad behavior? Even if that's not what you mean,t it sure comes off that way. Also, these children today seem to think that's what teachers have to do--be entertainers all the time. Please. I agree that positive behaviors should be reinforced. There are many ways of doing that. You can have a chart hung up. Each time a student is caught doing something well or behaving in a way that's commendable the teacher can put a sticker next to their name. At the end of a week any student who gets so may stars gets a reward of some type. Maybe they can get a homework pass for one assignment that's good for a week. Or extra free time outside when another teacher has recess. Or give thaem an icecream at lunch on the following Monday! This usually works with most classes. The troublesome students usually start getting the hint. Some students never change however! That's ok too. They just never get rewarded--nothing extra for them.

Good luck to you friend!

Answer 3

I have done this with my 4th grade students. First of all there would be no recess or free time until the students respected and listen to you. They would also have homework every night until their behavior improved. If a certain student was acting up and constantly not listening and acting out they would call their parents in front of the class. Only do this when you have sent a note home to inform the parents that this is the next step for behavioral problem students. Also I would get the OK from the principal to have the students not have a lunch recess. They will either stay with you and eat and then during recess they would sit with their heads down. They would also be on a behavioral contract, so when the students they have to take it home and have it signed before they will get their free time privileges back.

I tried this and by the second week they were perfect angels.

Answer 4

several ideas here....first set up a level system in your classroom.this is a great opportunity to reward the students who are doing well instead of wasting there time for others misbehaving. each level has a detailed list of what that student can and can not do when on that level. i used a 3 level system w/ level one being the lowest w/ no privileges, level 2 had some, level 3 had all. make it worth while...something they want. also set up a school store in your room. you dint have to spend a lot of money and you might be able to get parents to donate some supplies. when you see a student being good you give them some sort of toke, i.e. ticket, monopoly money, or whatever. this rewards them right there and then. then hold and auction with your class store. only let those on the top level participate in the auction. i never held the auction on the same day that way they did not behave only on auction days.

for those who continue bad behaviors, call parents and assign detentions. sending them out of your room might be what they want....just remember you are the adult.... this comes from someone who taught alternative ed, emotional support, and p.e. w/ rural and inner-city students all age levels. i also agree taking time from outside or p.e. is not the best practice. it will take time and behaviors may get worse, research says it will, but stick to what you say and keep your plan in place...good luck

Answer 5

I would agree with Corrado about calling the parents, but things have changed since I went to school. I don't think parents care as much. And, I also believe a lot of the racial overtures come from the home. Why doesn't she send them to the principal's office? They keep acting out because she's allowing them to get away with it. Let the principal or dean deal with it and call their parents. A few detentions or suspensions might get their attention. The profanity and racial comments should be handled very strictly by the school, IMO automatic suspension. Let the parents figure out what to do for daycare for the rotten little brats. If she sends one kid down to the principal, just order him/her out of the room and to the office, and that get ends up with at least a detention, the other's will start to pay attention to that.

Answer 6

Personally I think most teachers are a little too punitive in their dealings with children and that's what makes the kids react badly. Taking away the recess of a child who clearly has too much extra energy is counterproductive. These kids need outlets for that energy.
I think if it's a boisterous group some stenuous gym time first period would be in order. This doesn't have to be in the gym take them outside for a run around the grounds. have fun with them - look for bugs - do some science at the same time! If it's winter play in the snow. They will come to see that you care for them, that you are willing to let them be kids and most importantly (to you) they will be physically ready to sit and listen for longer when they come in.
I realize these ideas are a little out there. We seem to think we aren't good teachers unless we have quiet classrooms with robot kids sitting in desks - but authentic learning is not confined to a classroom and it's scary how sedentary kids are getting. That's our fault! we want them to sit quietly for hours at a time and then we take away their free time as punishment for not being able to do this! This is not in their nature and they are going to rebel!
All that being said, profanity and racial remarks are not ok. The teacher needs to realize that it's her job to turn out good citizens since it doesn't seem like the parents are doing this job. That's why calling the parents won't work. Kids who are raised in loving homes where they are taught that all people are valuable no matter what the colour of their skin, will NOT behave this way in the first place. You cannot "tell" someone not to be racist or punish it out of them...you have to show them a better way. It takes commitment to the kids (who are only reacting to their environment and the values that they have learned at home)The teacher will have to engage these children as individuals that she truely cares about and they will respond to that.
Teaching is hard work!

Answer 7

Something I have used that is EXTREMELY effective (but keep in mind 4th grade is different from middle/high school band) is if a student is consistently disrespectful I make that child call their parents immediately in front of the whole class. The phone is not on speaker phone so there is privacy between the me, the parent and the child, but you would be surprised how much that element of embarrassment can keep them in line. If you consider calling in front of the class too extreme, keep them out of recess and make them call their parents privately during that time. Either way, I would get the parents and your principal (who is hopefully supportive) involved.

I understand how difficult it can be. Tell her to hang in there, building a reputation and sticking with it will make things much better.

Answer 8

First of all I think you have to use a bit of psychology,

1. Tell the kids if they do not listen and pass this class they will have to come back and start it all over next year.
2. Let them know that the government is thinking of proposing the military draft and if they dont graduate for school they will be the first ones to go to war if needed....lol...
3. Let them know that they will not be able to have video games on the pc, nor a cell phone when they grow up...lol

Answer 9

Tell her to send them to the office, and let the Principal
or V.P to take care of those kids.

Answer 10

Warn the kids that she will have to bring in the princable.