Terrible First Lesson with Year 8 - HELP

Hi!

Context:

I delivered my first lesson today as a graduate teaching assistant and to say it went bad would be generous. I was given bottom set year 8 and their behaviour was horrendous (filming me, shouting, swearing, not doing any work). This class in particular had a few students who had just come back form a referral unit so I think giving me this class when I have no experience was unfair.

Questions:

Do you have any tips for behaviour management when teaching a class full of extreme behaviour?

Any advice or encouragement in general would great - they have really knocked my confidence.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

username1230881

Primary perspective so may be useless, but from what I've learned... Is there a set scheme for bad behaviour, e.g. verbal warning, written warning, and so on? I've seen a big difference depending on whether that's strictly adhered to, or whether it's more loosely managed, such as "that's the third time I'm speaking to you, so next time will be a verbal warning" when that's supposed to be the first step. If the expectations and accountability are crystal clear rather than highly variable it can make a difference.

I've seen standard routines have a role too - five claps, which students repeat then are silent, or face consequences - so that might be worth considering, and it might be worth insisting on silence while they're completing individual work if talk is clearly going off topic.

Feel free to completely disregard as this is mostly from Year 2! It seems rather a lot to have this as your first lesson, and I'm sure it'll quickly get better.

Reply 2

Zasty

Just be an azzhole

The teachers who have the most control are the ones who give 1h45m detentions for opening a freddo frog

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 3

busquets

spank them with a paddle

Reply 4

the bear

don't blame yourself for things going wrong. these ~~little dirtbags~~ challenging young people are ~~having a massive giraffe at the expense of the taxpayer~~ acting out the issues which an uncaring society has forced on them.

Reply 5

username1339858_

You need to get down to their level to capture their attention.
Walk in with a big object which will capture their attention and which also relates to their lesson.
Get right into it. Clap your hands together and say in a loud clear voice, 'Right class... Good morning/afternoon/day, Here you can see I have... we're going to have lot's of fun, so sit down, sit quietly, let me take your names and we can get started.'

The rule is to captivate them and keep their attention. Make the lesson interesting, teach wih a passion for he subject.

Any misbehaviour, don't tolerate it from the start. With things like mobile phones etc, simply, 'you have 2 options. Give it to me or put it away in my lesson. If you choose togive it to me you won't be getting it back until (whatever the school policy is on this.)'

Something that usually works is some heavy metal at the beginnimg whilst you walk in. Something that will silence hem straight away.

Don't make the children do textbook work all lesson, plan properly. Make them laugh at some point during the lesson.

Wih behaviour, consisitency is key. If you set a reward or punishment (make sure these are suitable and not due to elation or anger), follow it through no matter what! If you say you will give detention, give a detention. If you say you will give a prize, give a prize no matter what.

If they're all talking, you need to silence hem before you teach. If you need to give them a lesson on silence so be it. Tell them to be quiet amd anyonewho isn't has to put their fingers on their lips and anyone who is will get a sweet today at the end of the lessn. Make sure not to forget anyone.

It all takes a lot of experience. Maybe onserve a few teachers, or ask a fewteachers what they find useful for a particular class/student.
Students like to test the boundares with new teachers, so you need to stick to your rules rigidly.

Reply 6

happyy

Original post by doctorwhofan98

Thanks for the advice. They were acting like I would expected young children to so some of these may work. I'll be sure to check up on behaviour policies, I think that's what you are hinting at :smile:

Reply 7

happyy

Original post by busquets

spank them with a paddle

Haha I don't feel like getting banned before I've even qualified :smile:

Reply 8

happyy

Thank you for the tips. :smile:

Reply 9

Muttley79

Original post by happyy

If you are a TA you should not be in sole charge of a class ...

Reply 10

Reality Check

Original post by happyy

Have you heard of Tom Bennett on TES? He's a whizz on behaviour management, and it's worth reading some of his stuff.

Don't be afraid to scrap the lesson content for the behaviour. Get that on track, even if you need to scrap a whole lesson's content - if you've not got the behaviour, you've got nothing.

What's the school's behaviour management policy? Do you have a warning system and can get kids out of your lesson via SLT? And do you (a) use the behaviour management system and (b) feel confident and supported in using it (i.e. is SLT just going to chuck the kid back into the class after 10 minutes!)

Reply 11

happyy

I literally felt like crying, which shouldn't be how it ends. I think it's extra difficult for me because I was really well behaved at school so I'm struggling to see why they are misbehaving. There was a big variety to the work and I had it checked over so it was appropriate.

I'm praying for a higher set class next to gain some confidence, then I can hopefully tackle lower sets more effectively. :smile:

Reply 12

username1230881

Original post by happyy

Yep, behaviour policies - the words for what I meant had slipped my mind. They need to know that filming in your lesson will have the exact same consequences as if they were filming in a lesson with the head, but that's definitely easier said than done (and easier in primary because they can rather easily be literally sent to the head!). Hopefully they'll act their age soon. May be worth seeing if any of the other teachers that have the class have any specific advice.

Reply 13

happyy

Original post by Muttley79

If you are a TA you should not be in sole charge of a class ...

TELL ME ABOUT IT. It's not what I was hired for. I am going to talk to my department head about it, because I was told I wouldn't be in this position until after Christmas at least.

I mean how can they expect someone with no experience to command the attention of 25 (moaning, shouting, crazy) 13 year olds :smile:

Glad you see it from my point of view

Reply 14

happyy

Original post by Reality Check

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check him out :smile:

I've quickly realised from this post that I don't really know the behaviour management used. That's the first thing on my list for Monday :smile:

Reply 15

Muttley79

Original post by happyy

Glad you see it from my point of view

Join a union - are you a TA or training to be a teacher? A TA should NEVER be in sole charge of a class only small groups or supporting in a classrooom. Just refuse next time - you aren't insured to do this work.

Reply 16

happyy

Original post by doctorwhofan98

The class teacher came in at the end and they suddenly acted good as gold. TYPICAL. :smile:

Reply 17

Reality Check

Original post by happyy

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check him out :smile:

I've quickly realised from this post that I don't really know the behaviour management used. That's the first thing on my list for Monday :smile:

Definitely make it a priority on Monday. There will be some sort of behaviour management policy (it usually comes under safeguarding, so is a requirement rather than an added extra for the school) - use it to your advantage. Don't hesitate to get the most disruptive kids out of the class and into isolation pronto.

Reply 18

happyy

Original post by Muttley79

I am officially a teaching assistant. I have only been there 2 weeks so I don't want to start complaining or demanding, but I really do not feel comfortable in the position they left me in. :frown:

Reply 19

Muttley79

Original post by happyy

I am officially a teaching assistant. I have only been there 2 weeks so I don't want to start complaining or demanding, but I really do not feel comfortable in the position they left me in. :frown:

As I said, join a union, you aren't insured to be in charge of a class. So if something went wrong .... surely it's not in your job description either?