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Gimpokid
Joined: 09 Nov 2008
Location: Best Gimpo
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 Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 12:43 am Post subject: Writing off an entire class? |
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So I am having trouble with the a 6th grade camp. It started out good, but one day they decided to have a riot and I went and got their homeroom teacher and he really laid into them.
Now they come to class and sit in petrified silence and stare at their desks. I'm teaching a room full of corpses. I have to ask a question 4 or 5 times before I get a whispered "yes" or "no."
I'm not sure what I should do, here's what I've considered:
1) Having a "heart to heart" with them. Saying I don't hate them or anything and want to help them learn. I don't want to do this because I have a feeling this is combonation of spite and fear and they're not going to win, I didn't do anything wrong and I will not tolerate them lapsing back into a comfort zone where they think it's okay to juggle desks.
2) Tell them that this class is totally optional and if they won't participate then don't come.
3) Continue this tooth pulling excercise of teaching to a brick wall.
4) Write them off and just play movies for the rest of the winter. |
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jdog2050
Joined: 17 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 1:59 am Post subject: Re: Writing off an entire class? |
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| Gimpokid wrote: |
So I am having trouble with the a 6th grade camp. It started out good, but one day they decided to have a riot and I went and got their homeroom teacher and he really laid into them.
Now they come to class and sit in petrified silence and stare at their desks. I'm teaching a room full of corpses. I have to ask a question 4 or 5 times before I get a whispered "yes" or "no."
I'm not sure what I should do, here's what I've considered:
1) Having a "heart to heart" with them. Saying I don't hate them or anything and want to help them learn. I don't want to do this because I have a feeling this is combonation of spite and fear and they're not going to win, I didn't do anything wrong and I will not tolerate them lapsing back into a comfort zone where they think it's okay to juggle desks.
2) Tell them that this class is totally optional and if they won't participate then don't come.
3) Continue this tooth pulling excercise of teaching to a brick wall.
4) Write them off and just play movies for the rest of the winter. |
Write them off. I did it once (told my supervisor that I would NOT teach 6th grade anymore), and my next semester went beeeyooootifully!!! I can't even tell you how much of a relief it was not to have to teach those snotty little asses anymore. |
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Jeff's Cigarettes
Joined: 27 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 2:07 am Post subject: |
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| Is your camp material interesting and fun at all? If it isn't, that could be the problem. |
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Gimpokid
Joined: 09 Nov 2008
Location: Best Gimpo
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| Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 2:22 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah it's fun. I think that's where the problem started. The reputation spread that English camp was fun. I got new students everyday, but one day they went to far. I mean it was minutes until somebody was going to get hurt. I'm all for having entertaining classes, but these kids are old enough to know that this isn't a free for all. They were being bad and they know it, but now they're doing this preteen bullshit where "oooh whitey teacher is mean, because he won't let us practice taekwondo in the classroom." I expect a little of that, but it's getting to be too much. |
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cruisemonkey
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.
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| Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 2:49 am Post subject: |
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| I think you should have been the one punishing them. I've had entire classes out in the hallway on their knees (or doing 'A' frames) - mind you, mine is a boys middle school, not elementary. They've always calmed down, eventually apologised for their behaviour and never seem to hold a grudge. I've never involved a homeroom teacher (or even a co-teacher). |
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ED209
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 3:20 am Post subject: |
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5) Get the homeroom teacher to come back and shout at them again. In this case, so that they are petrified not to answer questions.
Seriously, try it. |
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Xuanzang
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang
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| Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 3:22 am Post subject: |
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| cruisemonkey wrote: |
| I think you should have been the one punishing them. I've had entire classes out in the hallway on their knees (or doing 'A' frames) - mind you, mine is a boys middle school, not elementary. They've always calmed down, eventually apologised for their behaviour and never seem to hold a grudge. I've never involved a homeroom teacher (or even a co-teacher). |
I`ve been told that I have to be careful about doing that or the financially poor students will sue the school board. Is that BS or what? Should I give them a lolly for being bad?  |
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Gimpokid
Joined: 09 Nov 2008
Location: Best Gimpo
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| Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 4:16 am Post subject: |
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| cruisemonkey wrote: |
| I think you should have been the one punishing them. I've had entire classes out in the hallway on their knees (or doing 'A' frames) - mind you, mine is a boys middle school, not elementary. They've always calmed down, eventually apologised for their behaviour and never seem to hold a grudge. I've never involved a homeroom teacher (or even a co-teacher). |
I agree with you, but I was fighting them all class and it hit the tipping point.
The class is kind of unique in that it's mainly a large clique of kewl girls and a handful of boys who beat each other up to impress the clique. So while I got my finger in the face of princess Soo In, little Chul An has placed another joint lock on his friend.
KOrean teachers can cut to the quick a lot easier than me, there's no pretending they don't understand. |
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