[MnToCa]

I am in my 2nd year teaching and found myself on a terrible situation. My class has 5 severe behavior problems put of 27 students, and I have zero support from my principal. She isn't offering me tenure since she says even though those 5 students are misbehaving the rest of your class should be perfect. Just an FYI those 5 students have behaviors like yelling, screaming, crying, throwing stuff, flipping desks, saying F you to me, and theft. Two of my students were yelling at each other during my observation with my principal, with one cringing under her desk at the conclusion when I told her to move to a different seat, yet my principal still says she's an outlier and the other students should've been perfect while that was going on.

Anyway. I am writing this to ask for advice. What do I do if I have 22 students standing in line relatively perfect and 5 students are talking pushing etc.? I have incentive programs that I reward with and I disciple with as well buy nothing seems to work. Then what happens is those 22 students start to turn to the dark side if those 5 students are misbehaving since they see them get away woth stuff so they think then it's ok.

[daffodils]

Are the five students with behavior problems on an IEP or 504 plan? If so, does it address behavior? If it does, follow what it says. If not, the plan should be re-addressed and behavior goals added in.

If the students are NOT on IEP or 504 plans, then discipline them promptly and sternly and do the same for any child not following the rules. Obviously your P isn't supportive, but I'd have very strict If this____ then this ____. Practice the rules and the consequences and enforce them.

When I had a humdinger student with no IEP or 504 plan, he missed out on a lot of fun activities because he couldn't follow my rules--instead of going in and sitting at his seat and getting out his science items before an experiment, he'd run around and yell. So he had to watch the experiment rather than participate in it because he hadn't heard the directions. Try to make consequences logical when possible, though reward systems are fine if they're working!

[MnToCa]

Thank you for your input. All 5 of them do not have IEPS bur one is getting tested.

[catandturtle]

It's hard if you have no support because if your kids are like some of mine, they don't accept your consequence. No recess? Nope, I'm going anyway, and you can't stop me. Then what?


I suggest looking for another school.

[frazzledtchr]

is that kids don't care if they miss recess. There's little we can do to punish them anymore, and they know it. :-\

[cooper5]

I'm not sure what your behavior mgmt program is but I would have very clear rewards and consequences and stick to them. But for some of the behavior you mentioned should involve the guidance counselor and/or time in the office. You CAN'T have kids in the class doing things that is dangerous to others and also significantly take away learning time for the rest of the class. They need to be out of your class....period!!! If I were a parent of another "good" student, I would be furious!! If they are swearing, stealing, throwing things, etc...why aren't they being suspended?? I would take away their recess, get the parents in, not allow them ANY special privileges and DEFINITELY not let them go on any field trips unless they earn the right. If they can't behave in the classroom, you know they'll be worse on a field trip!!

Are other teachers having problems like this? Sounds to me like the principal doesn't have a behavior mgmt system for the school! Is there an assistant principal or guidance counselor?

[jady_marie]

Get the book Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids. It has many great ideas!

http://www.hoodriver.k12.or.us/cms/l...le%20Brain.pdf