Regaining control of a class

[SaratheSlytherin]

I'm very concerned with a situation in one of my classes.

I love teaching and love my life, but the behavior problems in this class are extremely frustrating, and I have tried a series of things but the kids continue to act up- they don't listen to me, they talk when they are supposed to be quiet, and they are constantly out of their seats when they're not supposed to be.

This has been the most daunting challenge of my entire career

I want to be a successful teacher very, VERY badly, and in some ways I AM good... but I am struggling with discipline issues in this class.

In retrospect I realize that I should have done things differently, from DAY ONE; I should have established the expectations and been strict from the start.

Is there any way to regain control?

Thanks if you can help.

[Sheila Collins]

Why don't you try organising a class where they don't have to be in their seats, where they get to talk as much as possible, and where they decide what they're going to do so they don't have to listen to you (or, at least, they don't know they're listening to you)?

Sometimes being a good teacher involves knowing when to stop teaching and just facilitate. Save the discipline for when you really need it.

Albert Cullum wrote an excellent book called Push Back The Desks. See if you can find a copy; it may help put the "discipline problems" into perspective.

[Sally Olsen]

There are leaders of this class even if you don't think you are one of them. Find a place to observe the class where they can't see you and see who they are. Try to see the class work with another teacher in charge and see who the leaders are. Then arrange to have those students (there probably won't be more than two or three) do something out of the classroom for awhile. Ask the principal or other teachers to assign them something useful to do in the library or office for a week or so.

You have to make sure that your lessons are interesting and inclusive of the remaining students of course.

Once you feel you have control, let one leader at a time back into the classroom after a serious individual talk with you. Ask them what is on their minds when they come into the classroom and explain the situation from your perspective. Ask if they can come back and respect your leadership. Of course, don't beg or whine. Just say that you are uncomfortable with the situation and don't think that the students are learning English and that is your prime mission. If they can help you with that, then they can come back, but if not, they will have to study on their own (not with the other two or three but in isolation).

I agree that students need more input into the classroom and will have more invested if they have a say in what is done as long as it coincides with the goals of learning.

Put a mirror some place you can see it easily and smile whenever you can. You tend to tense up when things are going wrong and that doesn't help the situation. You are getting paid for what you love to do and this is just one of things that you will feel good about when you feel more comfortable.

[lip420]

Hi~
Here's an article on solutions to classroom management problems.