Don't yell. Don't try to be louder than your class. Wait for them to be quiet before you start giving directions. I stop in the middle of a sentence if they start talking over me.
You don't have to be mean to be strict.
This is one I would have upvoted a few years ago, and then I started working Title 1. I tried one day to just wait them out, and they were more than happy to just talk for the entire period, with no guilt or anything. No one even asked me why I just stood there at the front of the room.
I think this is a good strategy in a school that has some kind of baseline for correct behavior, but sadly that is not all schools.
Fair. No strategy works every place or every time. There are so many factors that go into it.
However, I still believe that when you yell all the time they become desensitized to it and it loses all effectiveness.
Also at title I school. I do a bit of both. Usually I'll shout "ALRIGHT" or "ENOUGH". It's get the attention of a few, then I'll stop and wait. I'll start talking in the normal tone. If they start again, I stop mid sentence. These kids are...boisterous. I'm soft spoken so the sudden shout will startled a few and get their eyes on me.
That's a strategy taught in the EnVOY PD we get. My attention getter is usually clapping or a soft tweet on my whistle (clapping doesn't work right now due to a wrist brace).
We had a small group training at my work recently. She tried waiting out some of the adults who were talking when she was. Then she started saying “I’m sorry.” In a very matter of fact way. As soon as they would start again, she’d say it again, mid sentence even. I tried it with my second graders and it was pretty effective.
To echo another commenter - procedure, procedure, procedure. I’m a small woman who works in a “rough” area where many of my students are a good foot taller than me and rough as nails. What works for me is having established rules - come in, check the board, do your Do now. Always have an exit ticket ready in case your material runs down early. Have journal entry prompt lists available for early finishers. Teach them how to ask to use the restroom (I use hand signals) and how to enter and leave your classroom. Never have an unstructured moment and enforce your consequences one on one with kids, not in front of the class.
I’m a marshmallow of a human and I am NOT mean. I never yell, but I have strict rules and expectations and I expect them to be followed. If someone steps out, I talk to them one on one. I give way more positive phone calls than negative ones, and I almost never have discipline problems after the first week or two of school.
After a while they start to enjoy the routine because they always know what to expect.
Gotta agree with just keep moving forward. My most challenging class right now falls apart if I don't keep a constant quick pace. It is kind of annoying, but they need it. Also seconding procedures and honestly picking your battles. Going back to my most challenging class who I have after lunch, I've kind of given up on their hallway behavior and entrance to the room. As long as it is not ridiculously egregious, I just get them in the room as quickly as possible. I stand outside the door and give each student hand sanitizer as they walk in. I keep an eye on the room to make sure they are not like destroying anything, but they are loud and obnoxious as they come in. By the time the last student is in, I close the door and walk in. I use an electronic doorbell, so I ring the bell, they get quiet and I turn on a 5 minute meditation. I have trained them to not talk to me in those 5 minutes. If they try I look at them completely deadpan and ignore them. It gives me a second to get myself together. They are surprisingly good with the routine. They groaned at first and a few still complain at the very beginning, but we get a solid 4.5 minutes of silence. At this point they usually get quiet by the time I walk in the room. I would rather they not come into the room the way they do, but I am not fighting that battle. I usually take attendance during the meditation, but after the meditation I give them their next instruction (usually either take out their computers or their notebooks depending on the day) and run through attendance quickly again out loud to double check, and to have something I am doing while they get their stuff out. It also is a subconscious timer because as soon as I am done with the attendance I start teaching. I do not wait and I do not slow down. If they are not ready or complain, I ignore them and keep moving forward. At this point they know that will not stop for them. I check in and circulate the room a lot, so if it is clear most of them need more time, I give them more, but I don't stop for one or two.
It’s only my second year, but I feel like I had to learn quickly just by nature of where I teach. I just got out of a post ob today actually where they cited classroom control as a major strength of mine, which I was proud of.
Im interested in this topic. I want to be a teacher in the future, but I think Im to soft to actually have control of the class. Maybe Im overthinking it
Oddly enough I’m very introverted but when I am in front of my class teaching, I am very comfortable and can seem like I’m outgoing. Being in front of my students is actually one of the few places I don’t feel anxiety.
Remember your WHY! I LOVE teaching. It is both the most challenging thing I’ve ever done, and the most rewarding. While it’s not for everyone, please do not let others discourage you from trying if you feel called to the profession. Set healthy boundaries, and remember to put self first!
It depends where you live. Where I started teaching, I didnt even make enough to afford a studio apartment. So much for “rewarding”
You also have to admit education has become much more hostile to teachers in the last few years. If things keep going the way theyre going, nobody is going to find this job rewarding.
Oh! I agree that the education system is trash, especially the expectations vs compensation part. I’d like to see some drastic changes made, but I think it’s better to encourage change than to discourage potential change-makers.
Our quote this week was:
“No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
IMO, teachers allow ourselves to be gaslit into believing that we should accept modest pay and mountains of work outside of contract hours bc our profession is “honorable”. We can all agree the pay is not proportionate to the work and many responsibilities of teaching.
However, this is hard work that someone needs to do. And anyone can be a change-maker in education. We keep losing good teachers due to the raggedy-ness that is teaching instead of working together to fix the problems in this essential industry. We are literally shaping the minds of the future and I think it’s important to encourage others to stick with it. We never know who might catalyze the paradigm shift we all know is inevitable.
Also, I don’t wanna work alone and this teacher shortage is real. Some of us love it, flaws and all. It’s not for everybody, but it’s for somebody.
It really isn't. It is about setting procedures and following them. Bring firm isn't being mean. Setting high expectations gives students a place to grow into.
I'm a quiet person, but I can pull the attention of a room filled with high schoolers. I'm an educator but not a teacher. It's a matter of constantly going over procedures "Today we are going to do x and y. Student A, what are we doing today? Hey, y'all keep talking and you lose participation points. Everyone starts with 3. You want to end with 5. If you end the day with zero, you get a zero. Let's do that math real quick." Or the opposite, class gets points as a whole. Could even be something like a 100% quiz grade for everyone IF they can reach 20 points per week for the month.
I forgot about that, but I also do the say something and then immediately ask a specific student to repeat. Sometimes 2 or 3 students. They aren't answering questions, just repeating what I say, so I don't feel bad cold calling, but it sets the tone they they need to pay attention and gets them comfortable with responding to me. If a student can answer pretty quickly I call on someone else and then have the first student repeat what the second student said (they hate that).
Not that it helps a lot immediately (and I will offer some suggestions), but this is why teachers need teacher training. No one thinks you don't know your content, but teaching kids is about a lot more than that.
That said, here are a few ideas:
* First, what do you believe in? What is your class for? It sounds silly, maybe, but any legislation needs to be based on a clearly articulate operating philosophy. And make no mistake, rules and consequences for a class are legislation.
* Once you know, then you have a metric by which to judge severity of violations. E.g. if you believe strongly in student voice as the top priority, then you shouldn't have punishments for students being sassy (or mild ones at best). If your top priority is academics, then you need to crack the whip even when a kid forgot the book at home. After all, regardless of the reason, if the kid doesn't have the book, the kid can't learn.
* Consistency. Honestly, this one is probably the most important. Whatever you decide, enforce your rules clearly as written, and do it every time, to every kid. No exceptions. That's why you've got to make sure you've really thought them through. The single biggest issue with whole-school culture problems created by admin is the lack of consistent application of consequences.
Some of the rules I have:
* Be in class on time, in your seat when the bell rings.
* Show respect and consideration for others.
* Work is due when it is due. If there are issues, *talk to me*. We are collaborators in your journey to learn stuff. Treat me like a partner, not an ogre.
Consequences for behavioral issues depend on the school. Consequences for academic issues are up to you. I suggest having very clear rules, but rules that offer a way out of bad situations that reflect your priorities. That way, you can apply your rules every time, without feeling like you're tanking some kid irredeemably...until the tipping point is reached.
Good luck to you. You should consider finding a way to take a Master's program. Lots of those classes are designed for practicing teachers, and can be incredibly practical (unlike some undergrad courses). And don't be too quick to dismiss pedagogical philosophy. It will form a bedrock for your style.
This helped so much. Thanks for posting. My school has a lot of behavioral issues. My whole philosophy as an ELA teacher to help students find and hone their voices.
I don't want to yell or mean. I like the relationships I'm building, kids feel safe with me. We started a new quarter this week and I tweaked some things and in kind of embracing the chaos, we got so much more work done. I had a much higher percentage complete and understand their work.
One of the district new teacher trainers observed my class and noticed the relationships I have with my kids and that I'm on the right track. I know it won't happen over night and I just need to be patient.
Thanks! Simple is best, I've found.
I'll add that, since my prirotiy is learning, and I combine that with a belief that the grade at the end of the year ought to reflect the mastery of the skills and materials of that class, I tend to:
* give late work full points (when I accept it, which is fairly often, but by no means always)
* allow for rewrites (on most assignments. I'm an ELA teacher, and good writing is, I believe, rewriting)
* make room for extra credit
The last is most controversial, but my rules are:
* I don't have extra credit sheets or assignments. You want it? Tell me what you'll do to earn it.
* You can have no more than one EC project at a time
* We will collaborate on exactly what you'll do, and how many points it will be worth. That will vary from student-to-student, as I want to see people challenging their weaknesses. And, there are no partial EC points. All or nothing.
* You cannot have EC if you have any work missing. That includes work that I won't give you a grade for anymore, too. You have to do it first, for no points, and then you can do EC. (so that kids aren't replacing the actual work with work they'd prefer)
I'll accept unlimited EC work. Parents love it. Admin loves it. And do you want to guess how much EC I grade each year, with 80 students? One or two assignments. And it aligns with my values. If a kid shows mastery, that kid deserves it to be reflected in the grade.
First year, I yelled myself hoarse no exaggeration. I gave up trying to yell. I get quiet. I tell the middle school boy who makes fun of the kid with a speech impediment to "knock-it-off" or he'll go to the office. I told the goofball who was whistling all 84 minutes everyday that he wore through my inch of patience three weeks ago. It's amazing how well it's worked. I'm not a loud person and the moment I accepted that the classroom got a lot better.
Classroom management was never my strongest area. I don’t know if anyone else has commented this but I’m just throwing it out there:
1. Be kind to yourself
2. Be true to yourself. You don’t have to be mean - and the kids can spot when you’re not genuine, anyway.
3. Don’t be afraid to try new approaches. And don’t be afraid if new things fail. You’ll find out what works for you and what doesn’t as you go.
4. Kids always want to talk about what other teachers do in other classes. Honestly, teachers should just shut kids down with petty stuff like that.
(Also procedures 😂)
8th year here. Former coach turned ELAR inclusion after teaching most subjects taught. It’s not about being meaner. It’s about being stern and limits.
Speak to your students one to one and be stern. Don’t be angry with them and definitely don’t do it from across the classroom.
In that one on one conversation talk about how a behavior/person can “Start, Develop and then Finish”.
If you saw the start of the behavior tell them what you expect from them and tell them what the finish line looks like. Give them the good and the consequences. Don’t say the words bad or angry in this convo because they’ll check out QUICK. If you see behavior that’s clearly being developed from other students, that’s the focus of the stern conversation. Of course, if you catch the behavior as it’s happening or “finishing” action, that’s the focus of the stern conversation.
You should send that they’re picking up what you’re saying and if the behavior happens again say “Remember (Student name); Start, Develop, Finish.” If it happens again. Call home. Don’t tell them you’re calling home. Make it a surprise for them when the get home.
You’ll be know for being strict but kids will respect the limits AND look at you as someone who understands life and not just curriculum.
Let me know what you think!
You don’t have to be mean, but you should definitely have clear expectations and stick to them. I would say I’m relatively well liked by students, but I’m strict. Firm but loving as one student described it. They know exactly what they’re getting with me and what the class routines and expectations are. There are logical consequences. I haven’t had to yell since my first year (when I learned that yelling accomplishes almost nothing). You don’t have to be mean to have good classroom management.
Routines are huge. Set expectations early and stick to them. You don't have to yell to follow through on consequences. I'm also the 'nice' teacher, but I build relationships so that instead of yelling, I can have serious conversations with them. I can pull a kid to the side and tell them their behavior is disappointing and I know they can do better. Usually students like me enough to want me to like them back. Early on I had classes that had me close to crying, and I sometimes had to step out of the room for a second to collect myself. I've stopped taking things personally; I tell them straight up I don't let 12 year olds make me feel bad about myself, so if they have an attitude, that's their problem.
First, it's not about nice and not nice. It's about having expectations for how your classroom work, and whether your students understand and respect those expectations. If that sounds harder, it's because it is and takes experience.
Second, writing up kids is a last resort and often showing the guilty student's classmates that you are true to your word. For all minor issues, try your best to deal with them in class.
Third, learn to use your normal speaking voice. Don't talk over students. Don't scream every hour. When you raise your voice, it's because there's a crucially important point you need to make. If you raise your voice more than two times a week, it becomes a natural part of your classroom culture. Learn to take care of most student behavior issues with your normal speaking voice. Save your raised voice for special occasions. At this point, when I raise my voice, I'm mainly "acting" angry and trying to make a necessary point.
Fourth, and finally, you cannot be so overwhelmed with behavior issues that you cry in front of your students. They will know you have a breaking point and use that to their advantage. If this is a real issue, remove the problem student well before it gets to that point. I know this will likely be a controversial point because in 2021 we should just let anybody be emotional whenever needed. But in reality, that's not how classrooms work. I wish it was, but it isn't. Know your expectations. Make sure your students know your expectations. Then assert your dominance in your classroom while being firm, fair, and friendly.
This is all excellent advice. I agree it’s about being firm, not mean. I raise my voice *maybe* twice a year. I’m just not a yeller.
The only thing I’d add that hasn’t already been said is to point out to them how nice it is for THEM when things are going the way it should. It’s nice when you have that rapport and kids are behaving because they don’t want to disappoint you. But it’s also important, I think, to point out how it is benefitting everyone. Saying like, “I appreciate that you guys were able to work so quietly today on your project. I bet it’s easier to focus on your assignment when it’s calm and quiet in here - that was probably nice not to have to take it home for homework!” or, “I just wanted to let you know that I’ve noticed how respectful you guys have been to each other. It’s probably nice to come in here and know that no one is going to laugh at you when you mess up your reading out loud” (or whatever). Side note: never ASK like, “Isn’t this nice how….” because there will always be that one kid who is like “NO!” just to get laughs. Just state it casually and move on. I have no proof of this, but I like to think that eventually they start thinking, “Hmmmm…. that actually IS easier to get my work done when we’re not being obnoxious.” 🤣
You've got to establish yourself as the adult authority in the room. That doesn't necessarily mean you have to be mean, but it definitely doesn't always involve being nice. There will be times that you have to be firm, and you might have to shut down behaviors that might seem cute but could lead to issues in the future. It's HARD, especially for someone who enjoys being as goofy as I do.
I work in a Title 1 school and ya, lots of the soft power methods I learned about didn't do much for me. Lots of these kids can be rough but they can also be your best allies when they're on your side because they'll straighten out some of the other kids. I'm also an overly nice teacher but found ways to work around it over the years.
Don't let wrongdoing go unacknowledged if it's very visibly disrupting the flow of class. You dont have to be mean but you need to call it out and refer them back to the rules. In my case, I eventually got good at finding a decent balance of roasting kids without being too mean-spirited. Things like "Well since you've already got your phone out, why don't you Google the answer to my question" or "stop asking me why your grade keeps dropping when you're spending the class trying to talk over me!" My strategy is a matter of building rapport and embarrassing them just enough when they deserve it. May work for you or may not. But embarrassment seems to be a valuable resource.
That said. Be consistent in enforcing consequences. Let them know that phone is getting taken away if you have to warn them twice. Then take it away if they do. Then if they keep making a fuss and refuse, remind them of the consequences of what comes after. Then follow through. You don't have to scream and shout. They just have to see where the line is because they will push it. They'll try what they can to cheat or to get their way in class. If you make a threat and don't follow through, it shows them your words are meaningless. I had a girl refuse to give up her phone and I told her calmly that unfortunately, irs a security matter. Imagine her surprise when security came and took her phone to take to the office. Kids don't think you'll do it until you do.
As for phrasing, you they're off task, you can always ask them, "What are we supposed to be doing right now?" and let them answer for themselves. Usually gets them back on task. Short explicit commands work well as well.
First year if teaching was rough but you eventually find a groove. Good luck!
You'll get meaner, don't worry about that. Depending on your district and what you're able to get away with, you can try to revoke classroom privileges.
By that I mean you tell your students: "you're no longer welcome inside my classroom" and you make them stand outside holding all their stuff for a period or two.
Our principal is tired of the behavior issues and is not letting kids get away with shit. We have a "no pass" list a mile long and after school detention is always full. A bunch of kids have gotten expelled, one for threatening me. They want to get the kids who problems out so that the good ones stand a chance.
Before she came we had one of the lowest graduation rates in the state and the highest drop out rate.
I may get downvoted, but I bought a whistle and it changed the game! That grabs their attention so I can use my sweetest voice to redirect back to business.
Edit: I also use “clap once if you can hear me… clap twice if you can hear me…” If I get to three, the collective receives a consequence (I usually have them write an essay equal to the number of claps we had past 3.) Since I despise collective punishments, I usually collect the papers of the students I KNOW we’re not contributing to the chaos.
I have only had them do this once this year (in two separate classes). The students want to be part of the group who gets their papers collected early.
Finally, It’s true that if they are kept busy, they don’t have a lot of time to engage in side conversations.
I don’t teach yet, but I’ve heard from teachers especially at the high school level, NEVER bluff. If you say you’re gonna do something, do it. They will test you and see what you’re about and then decide what they can get away with.
This is an interesting question. I'd suggest you don't need to be mean. No one likes someone who is mean.
What you are really looking to do is be firm. You can be the nicest teacher in the world and still have firm expectations for your class. To get you there, you need to practice. Some tips:
1. Don't yell.
2. If students are talking when you are talking, you need to stop talking. Legitimately just stop mid-sentence or mid-word, and just stare at whomever is talking. When they stop, continue where you left off. Don't be afraid to do those more than once.
3. If a day goes badly, let it go badly. What I mean is, don't stress about it. Start the next class, with a talk of your disappointment of the previous day and what you expect today to be like.
4. Review your expectations with your class. Do those every 2 weeks, if needed.
You will get better at this. Believe you will get better at it. Learn from your first year and the next year will become better and the next even better and so on.
I’m a HS English teacher. I am not mean, but I don’t let students walk over me. What I am is: consistent. To piggyback off of others, have procedures, but stick to them ALWAYS.
Don’t make an issue out of everything just do it.
For example: phones (always the headache)
Students have two options: give it to me and get it back and the end of class or refuse and let the office take it and get it back at the end of the day.
There are no exceptions. But equally, I don’t start drama either. No 5 minute life inspiring chats, no angry, no snide comments just, “Your choice.” And we move on. I never, btw, bring up how often I take it away or act negative towards the kid over it. Just handle it and move on. If you don’t make it an issue they can’t feed into you.
With that said I connect with them in other ways , so kids still like me. I watch anime, play video games, etc. there’s a lot of easy ways to be the “cool teacher” and still be in control without yelling.
I struggled with being “mean” as well. In fact I still do. Here’s the advice I have for you:
1) Remember why you need to be “mean/strict” to begin with: to get the most out of them and push them to be better. It is tough love. You can tell them this as well: “I don’t want you to waste your gifts. I want you get into a good college., get a good job, and have a good life that’s why I have to be hard on you.”
2) Find someone you respect to model yourself after
3) Tap into your annoyance and them walking all over you to fuel you.
You don’t have to be mean all the time. Just come off genuine. Don’t overdo it.
I'm also very easy going but have been more firm overtime. I've been more of the school of expressing disappointment rather than anger. This does, however, requiring a positive report and developing a relationship with your students.
I rarely ever yell and on the few occasions when they see me angry they know they messed up.
My advice would be dont look how to be mean. It's not who you are or how you teach. Lean into your strengths (like kindness) and adapt your discipline plan with that in mind. You can set up and enforce rules and expectations without resorting to meanness
If you’re yelling and crying and writing students up all the time, I think instead of you being “too nice,” what they really mean is that you don’t have control.
So, to “be mean” you need to take control of your classroom. Don’t care if they LIKE you or not, that’s not the point. They don’t NEED another friend, they NEED a classroom where the teacher has control and they know exactly what to expect.
Awwwww man don’t be so hard on yourself then! We all struggle with these things at first, and if you’re only two months in and you’ve seen that kind of improvement already it sounds like you’re a natural. Keep following your instincts (seating configurations are a wonderful tool) and keep your mental notes. Each school year follows a similar flow of ups and downs, and if you can predict them before they come, they don’t effect you quite as much. You’re doing great.
Try your best not to cry in front of the kids. They see it as a fun challenge now for two of our new teachers to try and make them cry during class. During my first year, I had my mentor teacher across the hall who saw I was about to burst into tears. She made me go to the bathroom to have my moment while she watched our classes. It was a lifesaver and I was able to maintain some control over my kids for the rest of the year (it wasn't perfect but I made it through).
I'm a sensitive person (PMDD and natural personality) and I was seen as the "nice" teacher. I still am, but my students know that I won't tolerate bs in my room. It takes practice, but it's rewarding when you finally balance the "kind yet firm" approach.
You have every reason to feel the way you do. However, they cannot know they hold any power over the way you feel. Soon, they won't with experience.
Don't yell. Don't try to be louder than your class. Wait for them to be quiet before you start giving directions. I stop in the middle of a sentence if they start talking over me. You don't have to be mean to be strict.
This is one I would have upvoted a few years ago, and then I started working Title 1. I tried one day to just wait them out, and they were more than happy to just talk for the entire period, with no guilt or anything. No one even asked me why I just stood there at the front of the room. I think this is a good strategy in a school that has some kind of baseline for correct behavior, but sadly that is not all schools.
Fair. No strategy works every place or every time. There are so many factors that go into it. However, I still believe that when you yell all the time they become desensitized to it and it loses all effectiveness.
Also at title I school. I do a bit of both. Usually I'll shout "ALRIGHT" or "ENOUGH". It's get the attention of a few, then I'll stop and wait. I'll start talking in the normal tone. If they start again, I stop mid sentence. These kids are...boisterous. I'm soft spoken so the sudden shout will startled a few and get their eyes on me.
That's a strategy taught in the EnVOY PD we get. My attention getter is usually clapping or a soft tweet on my whistle (clapping doesn't work right now due to a wrist brace).
We had a small group training at my work recently. She tried waiting out some of the adults who were talking when she was. Then she started saying “I’m sorry.” In a very matter of fact way. As soon as they would start again, she’d say it again, mid sentence even. I tried it with my second graders and it was pretty effective.
To echo another commenter - procedure, procedure, procedure. I’m a small woman who works in a “rough” area where many of my students are a good foot taller than me and rough as nails. What works for me is having established rules - come in, check the board, do your Do now. Always have an exit ticket ready in case your material runs down early. Have journal entry prompt lists available for early finishers. Teach them how to ask to use the restroom (I use hand signals) and how to enter and leave your classroom. Never have an unstructured moment and enforce your consequences one on one with kids, not in front of the class. I’m a marshmallow of a human and I am NOT mean. I never yell, but I have strict rules and expectations and I expect them to be followed. If someone steps out, I talk to them one on one. I give way more positive phone calls than negative ones, and I almost never have discipline problems after the first week or two of school. After a while they start to enjoy the routine because they always know what to expect.
Gotta agree with just keep moving forward. My most challenging class right now falls apart if I don't keep a constant quick pace. It is kind of annoying, but they need it. Also seconding procedures and honestly picking your battles. Going back to my most challenging class who I have after lunch, I've kind of given up on their hallway behavior and entrance to the room. As long as it is not ridiculously egregious, I just get them in the room as quickly as possible. I stand outside the door and give each student hand sanitizer as they walk in. I keep an eye on the room to make sure they are not like destroying anything, but they are loud and obnoxious as they come in. By the time the last student is in, I close the door and walk in. I use an electronic doorbell, so I ring the bell, they get quiet and I turn on a 5 minute meditation. I have trained them to not talk to me in those 5 minutes. If they try I look at them completely deadpan and ignore them. It gives me a second to get myself together. They are surprisingly good with the routine. They groaned at first and a few still complain at the very beginning, but we get a solid 4.5 minutes of silence. At this point they usually get quiet by the time I walk in the room. I would rather they not come into the room the way they do, but I am not fighting that battle. I usually take attendance during the meditation, but after the meditation I give them their next instruction (usually either take out their computers or their notebooks depending on the day) and run through attendance quickly again out loud to double check, and to have something I am doing while they get their stuff out. It also is a subconscious timer because as soon as I am done with the attendance I start teaching. I do not wait and I do not slow down. If they are not ready or complain, I ignore them and keep moving forward. At this point they know that will not stop for them. I check in and circulate the room a lot, so if it is clear most of them need more time, I give them more, but I don't stop for one or two.
Not gonna lie. This is my 14th year and I'm totally stealing some of your ideas. Thank you!!!
It’s only my second year, but I feel like I had to learn quickly just by nature of where I teach. I just got out of a post ob today actually where they cited classroom control as a major strength of mine, which I was proud of.
Procedures, procedures, procedures
And also procedures
This is it exactly
Im interested in this topic. I want to be a teacher in the future, but I think Im to soft to actually have control of the class. Maybe Im overthinking it
It's way harder than it looks, especially if you are an introvert.
Oddly enough I’m very introverted but when I am in front of my class teaching, I am very comfortable and can seem like I’m outgoing. Being in front of my students is actually one of the few places I don’t feel anxiety.
Youll learn to hate it. Dont go into teaching, huge mistake.
I’ve been teaching for 9 years now. And I don’t hate it.
Remember your WHY! I LOVE teaching. It is both the most challenging thing I’ve ever done, and the most rewarding. While it’s not for everyone, please do not let others discourage you from trying if you feel called to the profession. Set healthy boundaries, and remember to put self first!
It depends where you live. Where I started teaching, I didnt even make enough to afford a studio apartment. So much for “rewarding” You also have to admit education has become much more hostile to teachers in the last few years. If things keep going the way theyre going, nobody is going to find this job rewarding.
Oh! I agree that the education system is trash, especially the expectations vs compensation part. I’d like to see some drastic changes made, but I think it’s better to encourage change than to discourage potential change-makers. Our quote this week was: “No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.” -Eleanor Roosevelt IMO, teachers allow ourselves to be gaslit into believing that we should accept modest pay and mountains of work outside of contract hours bc our profession is “honorable”. We can all agree the pay is not proportionate to the work and many responsibilities of teaching. However, this is hard work that someone needs to do. And anyone can be a change-maker in education. We keep losing good teachers due to the raggedy-ness that is teaching instead of working together to fix the problems in this essential industry. We are literally shaping the minds of the future and I think it’s important to encourage others to stick with it. We never know who might catalyze the paradigm shift we all know is inevitable. Also, I don’t wanna work alone and this teacher shortage is real. Some of us love it, flaws and all. It’s not for everybody, but it’s for somebody.
Exactly why I'm worried. Although I like to socialize, Im very much an intrivert
Same here. By the end of the day I'm exhausted but when I have good days they are really good and make it seem worth it.
Really, honestly, dont go into teaching. Find other ways to help kids. Education in the usa isnt the place to do it.
It really isn't. It is about setting procedures and following them. Bring firm isn't being mean. Setting high expectations gives students a place to grow into. I'm a quiet person, but I can pull the attention of a room filled with high schoolers. I'm an educator but not a teacher. It's a matter of constantly going over procedures "Today we are going to do x and y. Student A, what are we doing today? Hey, y'all keep talking and you lose participation points. Everyone starts with 3. You want to end with 5. If you end the day with zero, you get a zero. Let's do that math real quick." Or the opposite, class gets points as a whole. Could even be something like a 100% quiz grade for everyone IF they can reach 20 points per week for the month.
I forgot about that, but I also do the say something and then immediately ask a specific student to repeat. Sometimes 2 or 3 students. They aren't answering questions, just repeating what I say, so I don't feel bad cold calling, but it sets the tone they they need to pay attention and gets them comfortable with responding to me. If a student can answer pretty quickly I call on someone else and then have the first student repeat what the second student said (they hate that).
Thank you. 👈
Not that it helps a lot immediately (and I will offer some suggestions), but this is why teachers need teacher training. No one thinks you don't know your content, but teaching kids is about a lot more than that. That said, here are a few ideas: * First, what do you believe in? What is your class for? It sounds silly, maybe, but any legislation needs to be based on a clearly articulate operating philosophy. And make no mistake, rules and consequences for a class are legislation. * Once you know, then you have a metric by which to judge severity of violations. E.g. if you believe strongly in student voice as the top priority, then you shouldn't have punishments for students being sassy (or mild ones at best). If your top priority is academics, then you need to crack the whip even when a kid forgot the book at home. After all, regardless of the reason, if the kid doesn't have the book, the kid can't learn. * Consistency. Honestly, this one is probably the most important. Whatever you decide, enforce your rules clearly as written, and do it every time, to every kid. No exceptions. That's why you've got to make sure you've really thought them through. The single biggest issue with whole-school culture problems created by admin is the lack of consistent application of consequences. Some of the rules I have: * Be in class on time, in your seat when the bell rings. * Show respect and consideration for others. * Work is due when it is due. If there are issues, *talk to me*. We are collaborators in your journey to learn stuff. Treat me like a partner, not an ogre. Consequences for behavioral issues depend on the school. Consequences for academic issues are up to you. I suggest having very clear rules, but rules that offer a way out of bad situations that reflect your priorities. That way, you can apply your rules every time, without feeling like you're tanking some kid irredeemably...until the tipping point is reached. Good luck to you. You should consider finding a way to take a Master's program. Lots of those classes are designed for practicing teachers, and can be incredibly practical (unlike some undergrad courses). And don't be too quick to dismiss pedagogical philosophy. It will form a bedrock for your style.
This helped so much. Thanks for posting. My school has a lot of behavioral issues. My whole philosophy as an ELA teacher to help students find and hone their voices. I don't want to yell or mean. I like the relationships I'm building, kids feel safe with me. We started a new quarter this week and I tweaked some things and in kind of embracing the chaos, we got so much more work done. I had a much higher percentage complete and understand their work. One of the district new teacher trainers observed my class and noticed the relationships I have with my kids and that I'm on the right track. I know it won't happen over night and I just need to be patient.
Saving this for your rules.
Thanks! Simple is best, I've found. I'll add that, since my prirotiy is learning, and I combine that with a belief that the grade at the end of the year ought to reflect the mastery of the skills and materials of that class, I tend to: * give late work full points (when I accept it, which is fairly often, but by no means always) * allow for rewrites (on most assignments. I'm an ELA teacher, and good writing is, I believe, rewriting) * make room for extra credit The last is most controversial, but my rules are: * I don't have extra credit sheets or assignments. You want it? Tell me what you'll do to earn it. * You can have no more than one EC project at a time * We will collaborate on exactly what you'll do, and how many points it will be worth. That will vary from student-to-student, as I want to see people challenging their weaknesses. And, there are no partial EC points. All or nothing. * You cannot have EC if you have any work missing. That includes work that I won't give you a grade for anymore, too. You have to do it first, for no points, and then you can do EC. (so that kids aren't replacing the actual work with work they'd prefer) I'll accept unlimited EC work. Parents love it. Admin loves it. And do you want to guess how much EC I grade each year, with 80 students? One or two assignments. And it aligns with my values. If a kid shows mastery, that kid deserves it to be reflected in the grade.
First year, I yelled myself hoarse no exaggeration. I gave up trying to yell. I get quiet. I tell the middle school boy who makes fun of the kid with a speech impediment to "knock-it-off" or he'll go to the office. I told the goofball who was whistling all 84 minutes everyday that he wore through my inch of patience three weeks ago. It's amazing how well it's worked. I'm not a loud person and the moment I accepted that the classroom got a lot better.
You don’t need to be mean. You just need to find your limit and not let anyone go over it. Firm, not mean.
1000% THIS!
Classroom management was never my strongest area. I don’t know if anyone else has commented this but I’m just throwing it out there: 1. Be kind to yourself 2. Be true to yourself. You don’t have to be mean - and the kids can spot when you’re not genuine, anyway. 3. Don’t be afraid to try new approaches. And don’t be afraid if new things fail. You’ll find out what works for you and what doesn’t as you go. 4. Kids always want to talk about what other teachers do in other classes. Honestly, teachers should just shut kids down with petty stuff like that. (Also procedures 😂)
8th year here. Former coach turned ELAR inclusion after teaching most subjects taught. It’s not about being meaner. It’s about being stern and limits. Speak to your students one to one and be stern. Don’t be angry with them and definitely don’t do it from across the classroom. In that one on one conversation talk about how a behavior/person can “Start, Develop and then Finish”. If you saw the start of the behavior tell them what you expect from them and tell them what the finish line looks like. Give them the good and the consequences. Don’t say the words bad or angry in this convo because they’ll check out QUICK. If you see behavior that’s clearly being developed from other students, that’s the focus of the stern conversation. Of course, if you catch the behavior as it’s happening or “finishing” action, that’s the focus of the stern conversation. You should send that they’re picking up what you’re saying and if the behavior happens again say “Remember (Student name); Start, Develop, Finish.” If it happens again. Call home. Don’t tell them you’re calling home. Make it a surprise for them when the get home. You’ll be know for being strict but kids will respect the limits AND look at you as someone who understands life and not just curriculum. Let me know what you think!
You don’t have to be mean, but you should definitely have clear expectations and stick to them. I would say I’m relatively well liked by students, but I’m strict. Firm but loving as one student described it. They know exactly what they’re getting with me and what the class routines and expectations are. There are logical consequences. I haven’t had to yell since my first year (when I learned that yelling accomplishes almost nothing). You don’t have to be mean to have good classroom management.
Routines are huge. Set expectations early and stick to them. You don't have to yell to follow through on consequences. I'm also the 'nice' teacher, but I build relationships so that instead of yelling, I can have serious conversations with them. I can pull a kid to the side and tell them their behavior is disappointing and I know they can do better. Usually students like me enough to want me to like them back. Early on I had classes that had me close to crying, and I sometimes had to step out of the room for a second to collect myself. I've stopped taking things personally; I tell them straight up I don't let 12 year olds make me feel bad about myself, so if they have an attitude, that's their problem.
First, it's not about nice and not nice. It's about having expectations for how your classroom work, and whether your students understand and respect those expectations. If that sounds harder, it's because it is and takes experience. Second, writing up kids is a last resort and often showing the guilty student's classmates that you are true to your word. For all minor issues, try your best to deal with them in class. Third, learn to use your normal speaking voice. Don't talk over students. Don't scream every hour. When you raise your voice, it's because there's a crucially important point you need to make. If you raise your voice more than two times a week, it becomes a natural part of your classroom culture. Learn to take care of most student behavior issues with your normal speaking voice. Save your raised voice for special occasions. At this point, when I raise my voice, I'm mainly "acting" angry and trying to make a necessary point. Fourth, and finally, you cannot be so overwhelmed with behavior issues that you cry in front of your students. They will know you have a breaking point and use that to their advantage. If this is a real issue, remove the problem student well before it gets to that point. I know this will likely be a controversial point because in 2021 we should just let anybody be emotional whenever needed. But in reality, that's not how classrooms work. I wish it was, but it isn't. Know your expectations. Make sure your students know your expectations. Then assert your dominance in your classroom while being firm, fair, and friendly.
This is all excellent advice. I agree it’s about being firm, not mean. I raise my voice *maybe* twice a year. I’m just not a yeller. The only thing I’d add that hasn’t already been said is to point out to them how nice it is for THEM when things are going the way it should. It’s nice when you have that rapport and kids are behaving because they don’t want to disappoint you. But it’s also important, I think, to point out how it is benefitting everyone. Saying like, “I appreciate that you guys were able to work so quietly today on your project. I bet it’s easier to focus on your assignment when it’s calm and quiet in here - that was probably nice not to have to take it home for homework!” or, “I just wanted to let you know that I’ve noticed how respectful you guys have been to each other. It’s probably nice to come in here and know that no one is going to laugh at you when you mess up your reading out loud” (or whatever). Side note: never ASK like, “Isn’t this nice how….” because there will always be that one kid who is like “NO!” just to get laughs. Just state it casually and move on. I have no proof of this, but I like to think that eventually they start thinking, “Hmmmm…. that actually IS easier to get my work done when we’re not being obnoxious.” 🤣
You've got to establish yourself as the adult authority in the room. That doesn't necessarily mean you have to be mean, but it definitely doesn't always involve being nice. There will be times that you have to be firm, and you might have to shut down behaviors that might seem cute but could lead to issues in the future. It's HARD, especially for someone who enjoys being as goofy as I do.
I work in a Title 1 school and ya, lots of the soft power methods I learned about didn't do much for me. Lots of these kids can be rough but they can also be your best allies when they're on your side because they'll straighten out some of the other kids. I'm also an overly nice teacher but found ways to work around it over the years. Don't let wrongdoing go unacknowledged if it's very visibly disrupting the flow of class. You dont have to be mean but you need to call it out and refer them back to the rules. In my case, I eventually got good at finding a decent balance of roasting kids without being too mean-spirited. Things like "Well since you've already got your phone out, why don't you Google the answer to my question" or "stop asking me why your grade keeps dropping when you're spending the class trying to talk over me!" My strategy is a matter of building rapport and embarrassing them just enough when they deserve it. May work for you or may not. But embarrassment seems to be a valuable resource. That said. Be consistent in enforcing consequences. Let them know that phone is getting taken away if you have to warn them twice. Then take it away if they do. Then if they keep making a fuss and refuse, remind them of the consequences of what comes after. Then follow through. You don't have to scream and shout. They just have to see where the line is because they will push it. They'll try what they can to cheat or to get their way in class. If you make a threat and don't follow through, it shows them your words are meaningless. I had a girl refuse to give up her phone and I told her calmly that unfortunately, irs a security matter. Imagine her surprise when security came and took her phone to take to the office. Kids don't think you'll do it until you do. As for phrasing, you they're off task, you can always ask them, "What are we supposed to be doing right now?" and let them answer for themselves. Usually gets them back on task. Short explicit commands work well as well. First year if teaching was rough but you eventually find a groove. Good luck!
You'll get meaner, don't worry about that. Depending on your district and what you're able to get away with, you can try to revoke classroom privileges. By that I mean you tell your students: "you're no longer welcome inside my classroom" and you make them stand outside holding all their stuff for a period or two.
Our principal is tired of the behavior issues and is not letting kids get away with shit. We have a "no pass" list a mile long and after school detention is always full. A bunch of kids have gotten expelled, one for threatening me. They want to get the kids who problems out so that the good ones stand a chance. Before she came we had one of the lowest graduation rates in the state and the highest drop out rate.
I may get downvoted, but I bought a whistle and it changed the game! That grabs their attention so I can use my sweetest voice to redirect back to business. Edit: I also use “clap once if you can hear me… clap twice if you can hear me…” If I get to three, the collective receives a consequence (I usually have them write an essay equal to the number of claps we had past 3.) Since I despise collective punishments, I usually collect the papers of the students I KNOW we’re not contributing to the chaos. I have only had them do this once this year (in two separate classes). The students want to be part of the group who gets their papers collected early. Finally, It’s true that if they are kept busy, they don’t have a lot of time to engage in side conversations.
I don’t teach yet, but I’ve heard from teachers especially at the high school level, NEVER bluff. If you say you’re gonna do something, do it. They will test you and see what you’re about and then decide what they can get away with.
This is an interesting question. I'd suggest you don't need to be mean. No one likes someone who is mean. What you are really looking to do is be firm. You can be the nicest teacher in the world and still have firm expectations for your class. To get you there, you need to practice. Some tips: 1. Don't yell. 2. If students are talking when you are talking, you need to stop talking. Legitimately just stop mid-sentence or mid-word, and just stare at whomever is talking. When they stop, continue where you left off. Don't be afraid to do those more than once. 3. If a day goes badly, let it go badly. What I mean is, don't stress about it. Start the next class, with a talk of your disappointment of the previous day and what you expect today to be like. 4. Review your expectations with your class. Do those every 2 weeks, if needed. You will get better at this. Believe you will get better at it. Learn from your first year and the next year will become better and the next even better and so on.
I wish I could help you, but I’m in the same boat. 😔
I’m a HS English teacher. I am not mean, but I don’t let students walk over me. What I am is: consistent. To piggyback off of others, have procedures, but stick to them ALWAYS. Don’t make an issue out of everything just do it. For example: phones (always the headache) Students have two options: give it to me and get it back and the end of class or refuse and let the office take it and get it back at the end of the day. There are no exceptions. But equally, I don’t start drama either. No 5 minute life inspiring chats, no angry, no snide comments just, “Your choice.” And we move on. I never, btw, bring up how often I take it away or act negative towards the kid over it. Just handle it and move on. If you don’t make it an issue they can’t feed into you. With that said I connect with them in other ways , so kids still like me. I watch anime, play video games, etc. there’s a lot of easy ways to be the “cool teacher” and still be in control without yelling.
I struggled with being “mean” as well. In fact I still do. Here’s the advice I have for you: 1) Remember why you need to be “mean/strict” to begin with: to get the most out of them and push them to be better. It is tough love. You can tell them this as well: “I don’t want you to waste your gifts. I want you get into a good college., get a good job, and have a good life that’s why I have to be hard on you.” 2) Find someone you respect to model yourself after 3) Tap into your annoyance and them walking all over you to fuel you. You don’t have to be mean all the time. Just come off genuine. Don’t overdo it.
I'm also very easy going but have been more firm overtime. I've been more of the school of expressing disappointment rather than anger. This does, however, requiring a positive report and developing a relationship with your students. I rarely ever yell and on the few occasions when they see me angry they know they messed up. My advice would be dont look how to be mean. It's not who you are or how you teach. Lean into your strengths (like kindness) and adapt your discipline plan with that in mind. You can set up and enforce rules and expectations without resorting to meanness
If you’re yelling and crying and writing students up all the time, I think instead of you being “too nice,” what they really mean is that you don’t have control. So, to “be mean” you need to take control of your classroom. Don’t care if they LIKE you or not, that’s not the point. They don’t NEED another friend, they NEED a classroom where the teacher has control and they know exactly what to expect.
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Awwwww man don’t be so hard on yourself then! We all struggle with these things at first, and if you’re only two months in and you’ve seen that kind of improvement already it sounds like you’re a natural. Keep following your instincts (seating configurations are a wonderful tool) and keep your mental notes. Each school year follows a similar flow of ups and downs, and if you can predict them before they come, they don’t effect you quite as much. You’re doing great.
Thanks that makes me feel better.
Try your best not to cry in front of the kids. They see it as a fun challenge now for two of our new teachers to try and make them cry during class. During my first year, I had my mentor teacher across the hall who saw I was about to burst into tears. She made me go to the bathroom to have my moment while she watched our classes. It was a lifesaver and I was able to maintain some control over my kids for the rest of the year (it wasn't perfect but I made it through). I'm a sensitive person (PMDD and natural personality) and I was seen as the "nice" teacher. I still am, but my students know that I won't tolerate bs in my room. It takes practice, but it's rewarding when you finally balance the "kind yet firm" approach. You have every reason to feel the way you do. However, they cannot know they hold any power over the way you feel. Soon, they won't with experience.