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Do you have behavior issues in your classroom that hinders your ability to teach your students? Can other students learn when others disrupt? If the answer is no then I have a solution. Its called "Time to Teach which is a research based method for classroom management and student engagement. For more information please contact me at ranthonyconsult@gmail.com or visit my Facebook page at RAnthony Consult Enterprise, LLC. Look forward to working with you and your district.
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If he hasn't been referred to some kind of RTI/MTSS/at risk/etc. already, he really needs to be. So glad to hear about your office space. I have a corner of my 6th grade special ed room that serves the same purpose, though not really helpful with a storming child. Is there another adult that can at least come into your room as a witness/safety person while you wait for admin? I would want a witness if I were you (not just for the lying - your kids can vouch for you there). I have a child who was like this earlier this year, multiple times a week, but I could handle it differently because I am his special ed teacher.
One thing that helped immensely was a visual schedule for him - at this time we are doing this, at this time we are doing that... Then when he would complain about not wanting to transition to a certain subject, I could point him to his schedule. At this time we do this. When it gets to this time, then you have a choice to do this or this. You can't do (whatever the request is) until this time. Also, I allow him one five-minute "break" per period, which he usually chooses to use to go to the restroom and then just gets right back to work.
Today he didn't want to do math, so I offered him a bargain: if you want to do your writing now, you can, but that means at x:xx you have to do your math. He flew to his chair to get his math done instead! He does understand sometimes the schedule must change, but having this on an index card or paper for him has made an unbelievable difference with him. It doesn't mean he's perfect now, but it does mean things are much more manageable. I haven't had a screaming the roof down episode in a couple of months. Good luck to you!
Thanks for this. I appreciate the ideas. I already have their schedules laid out for them, but he doesn't really seem to care about this. It's really just a matter of him settling into his day (and how his morning started at home). He is on a 504 plan already and we follow it, but like you said, if he's storming there's not a lot we can do. It's like he shuts out all others when he's in this "zone."
Hello,.. we have a wild student who is running the school! He is a first grader and can do anything he wants! Ridiculous!! His teacher has already exited this year.. no one should have to deal with abusive, dangerous students in a normal elementary school setting. Administration needs to step up and grow a pair!!!
This is so hard and painful. I have a coworker who went through a year of pure hell with a student like this. It took a ridiculous amount of time to get the student removed and to get the help he needed. One thing that was very important was to document everything. Is there anyone in the district you can reach out to to observe this student for more than a day and who can give you support? Where are the parents in all this?
I’m glad I joined this online community because I am learning quite a bit about what our elementary school teachers are experiencing. I am very sorry that your nurturing classroom environments are being corrupted by all this dysfunctional behavior. (I read another post about kids spreading feces on bathroom walls!) What you describe is WORSE than any behavior I ever saw in an outpatient program at a psych hospital when I first graduated from college. Now this dysfunction is in our public schools, and I fear that the kids who ARE in stable situations will be harmed emotionally and academically by witnessing all this. Thank you to K-5 teachers for doing the best you can to teach these difficult kids. I truly understand why you would want to consider another career. 😢💕
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❤❤❤ Thank you for this. ❤❤❤
I feel like many think the same ("elementary school can't be that rough"), not because they don't believe us necessarily but just because they don't know. I do think the fact that the younger grades are so important to social development has a hand in what we are experiencing, because leaders "don't want to do emotional damage by enacting negative consequences, so we should only practice positive enforcement for their good behaviors and ignore the bad behavior," but life doesn't work like that, and we are doing them no favors by taking such a mindset. My heart is broken for my other kids, because I have some who *really* love learning and enjoy our classroom lessons - when we can have them without these stressful situations. I am lucky enough to have a classroom with an office, so I have setup my office space for kids to go to when they need to take a break (ie. need to breathe, to deescalate, to take out their anger by beating up a pillow, etc.) because frankly, I get it. I used to be the kid who got into fights when I was angry, but school wasn't like this when I was a kid. My behavior wasn't tolerated, and I'm *glad* it wasn't. I had to learn how to respect the time and space of others, and I am grateful for the people in my life who taught me how to manage myself when I wanted to go off on people. I try to be that person for my kids, and I actually *like* getting those tough kids because I'm good at relationship-building (which is a major factor for these kids), but there is something different going on here. The same demographic that I used to get (the ones who will fight you, but by the end of the year will fight FOR you) responded so well once we connected. But these kids don't know how to connect with other human beings. My most powerful tool in my toolbox is like throwing gasoline on a fire instead of water... I do everything I can to bring care and attention to my other kiddos, but sometimes it's just not enough.
Again, thanks. Your support is appreciated.
Texas…I agree !!!! We never think about the other kids who have to pull up with these difficult students, who miss time and support from their teacher, who witness these behaviors and who sometimes become stressed and do not want to go to school anymore. I understand that we need to take care of everyone but at some point, someone needs to tell the difficult kids that there are some rules… anyway, it is just my opinion.
Florida.. I am so sorry.
Aggghhhh.... I hate to say this, but I agree, too. The other kids are stressed, have anxiety issues, are traumatized. It's like being in an abusive school family, and no matter how the teacher smoothes, explains, balances, and manages the situations, the unexpected and explosive behaviors affect the other children emotionally and academically, too. Children need a safe and consistent environment to learn in, and although that may be met for the child who is unpredictable, that requirement is not met for the others. It's cause and effect.
And I don't know what the solution is because there are more and more emotionally disturbed students each year. Maybe it's a much bigger societal issue.
I do my best to maintain 0 tolerance for another student disrupting another’s learning. Spending the first week or two just going over routine and expectations makes things go a little smoother. If a student repeatedly does this I try to have them removed permanently from class. This is after attempts to connect with student to find the cause of the behavior. It’s not always a given they can control how they act or treat others, but I protect others right to an education at the best of my ability. If admin does not back me up (mine do) I would find another district.
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What you're describing sounds like teacher 101. Yes, we have gone over expectations and modeled them. Yes, we have implemented routines and structures that work for us. Theoretically, I agree. In practice, it's a bit more complicated. I don't tolerate nonsense. I take proactive steps the best I can and certainly contact administration to remove students from my room when necessary so as to protect the learning of others. But please tell me, when they take 20 minutes to arrive, how do you protect the learning of others during that time frame? And what about when they bring them back? We are not allowed to refuse the child an education, especially when they have deescalated and are now "ready" to learn. Bare in mind, I have space for the student to leave and throw their tantrum regardless of admin timing, but if they refuse to throw it there and continue disrupting my class?
To be fair, these things are happening all over my school, so it is likely they were leaving one crisis to come deal with mine (possibly what took so long getting there). Regardless. This is where we are right now. This is the circumstance. I can only control what I can control, and I have no control over how a student chooses to behave or how an administration deals with kids or how the district deals with these matters as well.
I get it. I hope the kid throwing furniture is in a behavioral unit. If not it sounds like he should be. This stuff happens everyday with the ABS units. It’s rough. I’m sorry
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Oh no, it's a Gen Ed classroom. I could come to expect/understand it more in behavioral units, but this is not that.
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*OFF
Has me so frustrated I can't even spell. 🙄
Really really hope you are using suspension as a tool! I teach kindergarten and have two students who do that constantly and I suspend time after time hoping the parents will get the message.
Not much you can do when they have an IEP. Many students know this as well.
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Maybe Florida should write a bill making it illegal for parents to not hold their children accountable for their behavior? Since we all know THAT actually happens on a second by second basis.
This is excellent advice. What happens just before the melt downs? What do you think could be the triggers? It would be great if you could follow Iowa's advice and document the day for 2 weeks to see if there are any changes. Do you know if the student has any allergies or changes in medication? If the outbursts happen once or twice a week could the student be on medication without your knowledge and missing doses on the outburst days?
I don't know about triggers, but it's really just a matter of him settling into his day (and how his morning started at home). He is on a 504 plan already and we follow it. We've contacted the parent and he now takes his meds when I arrives at school. Seems he was not doing this on the days mom had to leave for work before he did for school.
I feel for you. That can't be easy for you or the students that are behaving. Could you consult the school psychologist? Maybe have him/her observe the class? Have any of the students acting out been evaluated? Do they have IEPs? What did previous teachers do with them?
Chief
Maybe Florida should write a bill making it illegal for parents to not hold their children accountable for their behavior? Since we all know THAT actually happens on a second by second basis.
Sorry you're going through this, I know it's tough and mentally exhausting.You are tying your best and showing up. I'm sure the other students appreciate you for all that you do. Do you think there's a chance they'll remove the student from your class entirely? Throwing furniture is a huge offense.
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We are allowed to have one student removed during the year if we feel personally threatened. But he's not my worst, and would not be my request if I made it. Some days he's *great.* Days like today, a nightmare.
Hang in there! A few more months until summer vacation, and you'll have time to regroup. What grade do you teach? I am a bit shocked you are experiencing this in Elementary school.
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Thanks. I teach 5th Grade - which is its own subgroup of elementary school kids. Some of them are twelve years old, some already going through puberty. They all (OK, not all, but many) have middle school attitudes and "senioritis" at this point in the year.
Ugh I am so sorry. I feel your pain. Hang in there! You can do it!
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Thank you.
Chief
Wow, what grade?!
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5th Grade
Sorry you’re experiencing this. We have one that’s overly defiant. Throws himself on the floor when he don’t get his way. Just a few more months….
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Thank you. It's ridiculous what they get away with right now...
I’m so sorry 😢
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Thank you.
I wouldn't stay in that position. I've never had a day like that in 21 years of teaching high school. Surely you can find another school with better discipline. I think a lot of that depends on the building principal and assistant principal.
Chief
Yes, it does. Thanks for explaining.
Is this a special ed classroom? I work in a special ed classroom and throwing furniture is fairly common. We call the social workers, school psychologist, nurse and admin - whoever is available. Sometimes no one is available and we have to restrain the child as best as possible. Sometimes we need to clear the room . We have a reflection room with padded walls in our class. If we can get the offending child in the room, more often than not, the child is exhausted and goes to sleep. When the child wakes up he/she doesn't always remember the incident. If the child does remember, appropriate action is taken, parent is notified. Our kids are angry, come from very fractured homes...... sometimes something triggers these kids and they snap.....often an incident happens at home and they bring it to school and it festers until the child simply breaks.
@THS1,
"Ticking time bomb" is the perfect description for what's happening here.