Get Schooled

By jim d

April 13, 2006 03:33 PM | Link to this

Patti,

Ever seen a snowball rolling down hill?

One disruptive student can cause much the same affect.

By JimD

April 13, 2006 03:34 PM | Link to this

SNY,

Ever watched a snowball roll down hill? Yes one bad apple can get a class in complete turmoil.

By another teacher

April 13, 2006 03:35 PM | Link to this

Are you kidding me? How can you ignore someone who’s answering their cellphone in class, pounding their lotion bottles on the desk, trying to have a conversation across the room, getting up and down out of their seat, etc. etc. etc….. All this while I’m trying to teach a lesson.

By George

April 13, 2006 03:51 PM | Link to this

Its obvious the either 1) the writer has no children, or 2) it this person’s child that is disrupting the classroom. The writer obviously takes no stake in correcting the child’s poor behavior and is “just ignoring” the child. That way their life is “simple”, right?

By Amy

April 13, 2006 04:36 PM | Link to this

Children feed on the behavior of other children. I teach just 4 kids once a week in a science class. If one of them is in a silly mood, it can quickly escalate to the point that they are all telling jokes and being funny. You have to nip it in the bud with the first kid if you have any hope of maintaining control.
I do not envy public school teachers who have to control large classrooms of kids ranging from those who are interested to those who are only there because they have to be.

By teach overseas

April 14, 2006 08:13 AM | Link to this

This writer is thinking of when they were in school and “disruptive” student behavior was passing notes and daydreaming in class.

Disruptive behavior today is students shouting across the room- - taking cell phone calls during class- calling out to the teacher that “her t** are lookin’ fine today” (happened to a teacher down the hall) students hitting each other- shouting rude and disgusting comments- hitting their head on the desk or on the wall. And the one that got me out of public school teaching forever— when one girl squirted another student with breastmilk during class.

No- we really cannot just ignore this kind of behavior.

By SNY

April 14, 2006 09:29 AM | Link to this

George,

1) Yes, I do have children, I have a daughter who is only 8 but in the 3rd grade. A smart child by the way.

2) No, she better not be the one in class acting an a** because her father and I would seriously hurt her.

Instead of you giving me the benefit of the doubt, you just attacked me and I don’t think that’s fair. Of course I believe in correcting a child’s poor behavior but just as “teach overseas” pointed out, I just assumed that it was passing notes or talking to your neighbor during a test. Something small like that.

I had no idea that kids were answering cell phones, screaming across the room (my daughter did that once, she’ll never do it again:)

My daughter also attends private school, maybe that’s why I am so naive about the process. She is also only in elementary school. These problems sound like high school problems. And before anyone says it, I know that the problems start when they are young and grow as they do.

In my defense, I did start off my blog admitting that I may be a little naive about what is going on in the classroom.

George, sorry I got you so worked up. It was just a simple question to the teachers. I hope that you aren’t a teacher and approach your students the way you approached my comment.

By Gonna Quit This Job

April 14, 2006 09:31 AM | Link to this

Breast Milk? Awesome! I once had a kid urinate in another kid’s face and I even had one boy force another boy to perform oral sex on him, not as a means of sexual gratification but as a means of power…the age of being considered an adult needs to be dropped to 14, it’s when they start thinking that they’re adults anyway…

By SNY

April 14, 2006 09:39 AM | Link to this

OKAY,

I give up, there is no way that anyone should have to put up with this type of behavior. It sounds like you guys have to be wardens, not teachers. I’m sorry, I had no idea that children were that out of control. I guess you can’t ignore it and move on.

Thanks for answering my question and that you for reminding me that I am doing the right thing by working out of the home to be able to afford private school for my daughter. My son is almost 3 and he will go to private school. I might have to get a second job. Ha Ha!!!

By Susie

April 14, 2006 09:47 AM | Link to this

No, they can’t ignore them, because the other students can’t ignore them. When the students become parents,(or maybe it just comes with age!) they’ll develop “tuning out” abilities that they don’t possess now. A disruptive student disrupts the whole class, not just the teacher’s ability to teach.

If the teacher AND the students could tune out the “fool,” then ignoring might be an option. But it’s not fair to the other students who are trying to work to ignore someone who is disturbing them. Again, at least MOST of the other students don’t have the ability to not be distracted by disruption. So, disruption needs to be stopped as quickly and with as little “ado” as possible.

By Susie

April 14, 2006 09:52 AM | Link to this

Teach Overseas, that’s unreal.

By meme

April 14, 2006 10:39 AM | Link to this

I wish we could ignore them. I teach in the middle school and I have students who talk to each other, yell across the room at each other, try to throw things to and at each other, and ask me personal quesions in the middle of class. It isn’t as bad as the hs students but it is enough to get everyone off task.

By Leia

April 14, 2006 10:58 AM | Link to this

SNY - I really hope you don’t feel picked upon. You asked a legitimate question that I bet many other people have wondered about. Many people have absolutely no idea just how bad the situation is at times. I have actually had a student setting up a drug deal in class on her cell phone!

You are right in saying that there are times I feel like more of a warden than a teacher. More people need to know exactly what is going on in the classrooms.

By SNY

April 14, 2006 11:12 AM | Link to this

Leia,

Thanks for your kind words. I don’t really feel picked on, except for by George. I’m sure that alot of people never go into their childs school for any reason except for on conference days. Maybe if we had more parents to go into different classrooms throughout their childs school and help out, just to help keep the peace, things would get better. I remember growing up and my mom was at the school but may not have been in my class. She would spend about 30-45 minutes in other classrooms just helping out.

Maybe if the kids see extra eyes on them, SOME of them will behave better.

Just another thought.

By hs sped

April 14, 2006 11:44 AM | Link to this

I used to work in Clayton County, just after they moved all the project kids out of Atlanta for the Olympics….so, overseas and gonna quit….I can relate!!!!

By Leia

April 14, 2006 11:48 AM | Link to this

hs sped - I don’t teach anywhere near any projects, but, I can relate as well. I once had a student at my upper-class suburban high school who defecated on the hood of his ex-girlfriend’s car!

By SNY

April 14, 2006 11:50 AM | Link to this

hs sped,

you cannot blame all of the problems on just the “project kids”. I refuse to believe that you guys had no problems before that. And BTW, what does being a project kid have to do with anything? They are not all bad. If you keep refering to them in such a negative way, they are going to keep acting negative. They need someone to show them that being from the projects is 1st - not their fault and 2nd - not necessarily a bad thing. Project kids can teach suburban kids a few things as well you know. It’s not just the other way around.

By Robert

April 14, 2006 12:02 PM | Link to this

Ignore them???? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!

How can you ignore someone determined to disrupt the entire class. Even if a teacher can ignor them, would this be fair to the other students in the area that are distracted - cannot hear the teacher, etc.

By SNY

April 14, 2006 12:40 PM | Link to this

Robert,

Are you just seeing this blog? I cannot believe you came on this blog so late and want to scream at me. I asked a question. It is that plain and simple. I had no idea that the older children were behaving this badly. If you would have read the earlier postings, you would have understood that. Calm down and read what everyone else has taken the time to write and the rest of my responses and you will see that I now understand some of the problems these teachers are facing. I HONESTLY had no clue that things were this bad. Again, my daughter is only 8 and in elementary school. I would apologize for upsetting you like I did to George earlier but I won’t. His remarks were posted long before anyone explained the true horrors of middle and high school to me. You don’t deserve an apology from me.

By Robert

April 14, 2006 01:03 PM | Link to this

SNY -

Huh? I did not attack you or anyone! I am responding to a blog posted by Patti…

By SNY

April 14, 2006 01:06 PM | Link to this

The question came from me yesterday. Sorry, I thought you knew that. Now I do owe you an apology. I’m sorry. Really.

By Reader

April 14, 2006 04:39 PM | Link to this

First: yes, I’ve read all the posts. All I want to do is participate in a discussion.

Speaking as a former student (as I assume many of you are :) ), I used to hate being in the classroom of teachers who “just ignored” a disruptive student. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when that may be the most productive course of action. But a teacher should never just hand over control to the h3ll-raisers. All the other students deserve better treatment.

By Jeff

April 17, 2006 10:59 AM | Link to this

Ignoring just makes the problem worse. Correcting just takes educational time from the other kids. Solution: Removal from the classroom. Problem: Administration that won’t do it…

By HSTeach

April 17, 2006 11:16 AM | Link to this

It’s weird…I teach in a predominantly African-American school. Therefore, most of the “problems” are African-American students acting out (its a matter of numbers, nothing else). However, when something is to be done about it (i.e. suspension, removal from classroom, expulsion for chronic behavior) the race card is played immediately. You know, sometimes I think the educational system brought this on itself. The “system” hugged those project kids too much and coddled the rich ones. Everyone worried about their self-esteem. Now, both groups of kids think they can do anything they want, and this is the result….I wonder how good they’ll feel about themselves in a few years when they are 30 and can’t read, write, or get a job? Go ahead and ask most of the professors at UGA, even most of the kids that make it there from Georgia are far behind the ones from out of state. Look at the numbers that lose HOPE. And yes, one kid can ruin an entire class. After one was FINALLY removed, my class is back to “normal.”

By Jeff

April 17, 2006 11:37 AM | Link to this

I had a problem child withdraw on me today… actually looking forward to his class now! (Somewhat, there are others…)

By Mrs. G

April 18, 2006 04:32 PM | Link to this

Private schools are not immune to this type of issue. Often, tuition based schools accept students because they need the money. I have 3 huge behavorial students in my class at a private school this year. Good students are forced to deal with it daily. I agree, ignore it…wish I could, deal with the behavior….continuously, let the others sit and wait, send them out, wish I could….administration doesn’t know what to do either. Remember when teaching was fun and rewarding?

By ES Teacher

April 25, 2006 09:48 AM | Link to this

It is extremely difficult for individuals who are not teachers or in some type of profession requiring interaction with children to understand what it is like to teach in a classroom of what my co-worker and myself call the 21st century students. These students are unmotivated, unconcerned with standard-based bulletin boards, and uninterested in the material. It really does not count if you’re a parent and not a teacher because children tend to perform the desirable behavior with parents in the home setting because they know you expect nothing less. They also are aware that you have the first opportunity to discipline in a more “firmer” way than what a teacher can do in the classroom (i.e. spanking or strict consequences).

To the original comment, the days of ignoring a disruptive student by removing them from the classroom are over. Today’s law requires that you implement positive consequences and rewards to deter undesirable behavior. The law protects these students to have an appropriate education at any cost. Ignoring is not an option. Some behaviors that are displayed by these 21st century students are so far beyond little things such tapping a pencil, talking out loud, or tattling on other student. These undesirable behaviors are beyond anything you could image. From students writing explicit letters detailing sexual acts to using profanity toward a teacher to let him or her know what they can’t and will not do. And this is in the elementary setting.

The best advice to provide is for parents to not only take an active role in the welfare of the children at home, but visit them at school and talk with their teachers. These behaviors can be prevented if parents concern themselves with their children and not preoccupy their time with other things.