Is there a way I can make students take me seriously AFTER I have already lost any control on their behaviour?

Answer 1

First, apologize for not taking THEM seriously.
Second, tell them things are going to change. You've obviously lost respect for each other, tell them you are going to earn it from them, just as they are going to earn it from you. Treat them respectfully, but do NOT give them excuses to push your limits. Let them know you are in control now. Do not be a pushover or play favorites. Be strict and understanding. If you make a rule NEVER make exceptions. Be helpful to your students and they will help you.

*I hope this works out, good luck, I'd love to hear how this works, if you decide to try my method

Answer 2

I think you need to have a serious discussion with them. Come up with what some of the problems that are occuring in the class and what the consequences of this behavior is - consequences such as not a good learning environment, not meeting the outcomes which will affect their understanding in further grades.
Then come up with a code of conduct for your class together. Be specific and don't use negatives. So instead of saying "No talking"- say "Talking about assignments is acceptable." "Respect others by listening when they are talking", etc.
You will be suprised by how much the students know about approrpiate behavior.
You may also want to set up a reward system with them. They can earn points each day/period for folloiwng the code of conduct. You can brainstorm with them ideas for what they want for rewards. They can be individual rewards (when you hit 50 points, you can have a recess inside on the computer) and class rewards (when everyone hits 150 points - a free gym period). That way students who regularly follow the code of conduct will have their individual rewards, but their is also some peer pressure to follow class rules.
Good luck!

Answer 3

No problem....start applying consequences for poor behavior. The consequences should be immediate and consistent.

I give a warning and after that students who choose to "earn" a teacher detention quickly find out that they don't want to earn another one.

What makes my detentions soooo bad? A great CD of "American Folk Songs." It includes little diddys such as Raw Hide and Oh Susanna.

Word gets around pretty quick that, "you don't want to get stuck on Ms. B's detention. The music is awful." I seldom have more than 2 students each year who earn detention. ; )

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Answer 4

Yes. I like to call it the Schuck method, not because it's called that, but because the person who used it was Prof. Schuck.

A teacher who is loud and has to scream to get student's attention is one that will lose respect quickly. Also, one who needs to help of other teachers and faculty is not displaying a strong authoratative vibe.

Instead, a teacher should NEVER be loud, even when the class is in complete chaos. The Schuck method works in the following ways:

1. The teacher sits at her desk, ALL the time, and looks at the students directly, never looking towards the board to write anything. If there is writing to do, the teacher should do it before the students enter the classroom. Any additional writing that will need to be done, the teacher will call on students and present a question, which the student will answer on the board.

Method: This works wonders, since children will never have the opportunity to speak when the teacher is not looking, because the teacher is always looking and knows who is talking. Secondly, the noise level in the class is relatively low to nearly quiet. If a student is to start talking, he or she will stand out like a sore thumb. Instead, students are forced to pay attention to the student who is writing on the board, answering questions, or the teacher who is talking.

2. The teacher should always talk in a low voice.

Method: This will lower the noise level in the classroom, and makes students try to listen to what you have to say. It will also strip any student of the opportunity of disrupting the class.

3. The teacher should take action against students who are disruptive to the class, not through direct means alone! When a student is disruptive, stop what you are doing and simply look at them until the class is quiet. Make them know that they have caught your attention without saying a word, just by the look on your face. Then, ask them "would you like to share something with the rest of the class"? When the student says no, you will say, "that's a shame, I guess you'll have to stay after school and share it with your journal."

Method: A punishment journal is perhaps one of the most brilliant forms of child dicipline. It's not harsh, it's not violent, but it's highly effective. Disruptive children are usually seeking attention from fellow students. This aims to cut off this vessel of attention. When a student is disruptive for the first time, he or she will be forced to stay afterschool and write why he was being disruptive in class and why he or she thinks his behavior did or did not relate to the class. The journal will then be kept by the teacher. The next time the student is disruptive, he or she will be kindly asked to leave the classroom and wait in the principal or dean's office. After he or she is recommended to the dean, he or she will again be required to stay after school and write in the journal.

4. Rewards as a means of providing incentives to students. The two most effective rewards a teacher can give to motivate students are the "Top-Net" awards. The Top awards are purely informational, yet attract the attention of disruptive students, because they attract the attention of every other student. Top awards are a simple list of the top 15% of the class. For instance if your class size is 40 children, the list will show the 5-6 highest test scores with the student's name next to them. After each quarter, it will show the top 5-6 students with the highest average. The Net award aims to give the disruptive students an opportunity to be part of the Top list. The Net award is a list, it takes lists the three students with the highest change in grades from one exam to an other, and from one quarter to an other. All three students are given the option of dropping the lowest test grade, or making up any missed homework (within the quarter); or automatically given 5 extra points to thier final grade if they improve from quarter to quarter.

Method: The Net award gives a beacon of hope to the disruptive students which feel that academic achievment is hopeless, and that attention is the only chance they have to stand out amung other students. It gives a goal to these students for something to work towards, and they already have a clear advantage; a large gap in grades! The Top award is the ultimate goal for the entire class, but now, with the help of the Net award, even the weaker students can stand a chance. This will allow for you to teach a class which is fully motivated to do their absolute best!

5. This final action any teacher can take; call up the parents.

Method: Show the parents the punishment journal and explain to them what conditions a student must meet to be forced to write in the journal. Show and explain to the parents the Top-Net awards and how their child can make it on the Top list. Brown-nose the parents by telling them that their child can do it, and they he or she has the ability to be at least in the top 3 students of the class. The point is to motivate the parents enough, so that they may motivate the child. Do NOT scare the parents! Some parents who are scared by teachers result to beating their children, something all of us teachers would like to see being done more often I suppose to disruptive students, but it can be detrimental to a student's learning ability and motivation to preform well for him/herself. Motivate the parents and let them know that their child should stop being disruptive and wasting the opportunity he or she has now to go into the path of being a good student.

The method works within the first day if done correctly, in respect to getting the students to be quiet. The most this should take is 5 school days. You should see overall improvement in student grades and preformance by the end of the next full quarterly grading period. The latest it should take for any student to improve is half a year.

I hope this helped. I wish you the best of luck with all your classes and with each and every student.

Answer 5

sir, am a student and as i see you are a teacher, i have a big question and i hope you can help me and i hope you have time to read my story. im one of that students that don't like math at all, i need to pass my math taks if i want to graduate, this past months i tried my best to play attention in class and to learn about that complicated subject, finally that day to take the taks came and i wassure i was going to pass it i was real confitent. after the weeks came by i stared to think that i wasn't giong to be close to pass it, finally we got the resuts and yes, i didn't pass it put i was real close only by 5 questions, yes i feel bad !!!! but happy at the same time because i thought that i wasn't going to be close now i sure next time i'm going to pass it. now sir what can i do to make this taks more esrier for me?
sincerely, one of too many students in this world

ps. and about your student
i dont know what you teach,but let him know that you are a teacher that without you he is nothing (in a good way, you know what i mean?)

Answer 6

You need to address the behavior issue directly. Appeal to their sense of fairness. Then maybe if you're lucky one of them will confront you. Can his fanny as fast as possible, right out of the room.
The real issue is to expect them to behave in a manner which will allow you to convey your subject matter.
Personally I prefer humor. Part of the lets get to know each other ceremony IMHO is having each one stand before the class and give a 2 minute talk about themselves. Now you have a personalized image of each one, to use as reference while teaching.

Answer 7

I promise the more you respect them the more they will respect you...dont be moody, but dont try to be their best friend. Just get excited about what you teach! You can make kids have fun even if they arent a big fan of the subject just by loving what you do :)

Answer 8

Star anew and keep a disciplined structure
Rely on the school system of commendation and reprimand
Ask for advice from your mentor too
Keep the formtutor or head of year in the picture so they can support you

Answer 9

Yes first u have to Remember that
u were a Student an What it was like than figure it out from.
there an what u didn't like an don't repeat History.
Next get involved an see where they are coming from.
you might be sUrprised.(What MAKES THEM TICK)
after all u must like kids ur a teacher good luck

Answer 10

Find a way that they recognize and get ashamed about their own behaviour and then do not put blame on them or punish them, but show them your generosity, magnanimity - their respect for you not having bawled them down will reawaken