My form are awful (Y9)

[friendswithacat]

I've had to take them over due to another teacher being on long term sick.

It's as if I'm not there. They yell and shout across the room, ask questions ('miss. Miss. Miss. MISS!' when I'm trying to get quiet and then do that incredibly fucking annoying thing of flinging their arms in the air in mock- outrage when I ask them to wait, come in late and make it a huge drama.

I'm starting to dread seeing them. And I have them twice a day!!!

[Harvestmoonsobig]

Feel your pain. Year 9 are the biggest pita

[MaureenMLove]

You are not alone! We have a yr 9 art class, who have driven a very good teacher to absolute hell! She had the same group in yr 7 and they were wonderful, all year. Yr 9 - bloody awful! And they will only get worse, since it's an option subject and suddenly they become even more aware that they're not taking it and everything is 'so pointless Miss!!'

I feel for you. Have you got a big enough year group, that the real trouble makers can be separated into different tutor groups? We've only got 9 tutor groups, so it's virtually impossible to spread them out enough!

[Cleebope]

Yep, I have felt like this every year with my third year classes and it is even worse when you are their form teacher. I try to keep the ringleaders behind after class to have one on one chats and desperately try to keep up a rapport! then in fourth form they suddenly wise up. Take one day at a time and switch off from them as much as possible. Use videos, copying down, head in text book to shut them up and give your head peace. Group work is noisy but at least they can talk between themselves and you don't have to lead the class. Ask middle management to pop in for extra support- no shame in that. We all have a class we struggle with from time to time.

[friendswithacat]

One of the problems is there aren't really any ringleaders! They are all pretty nice individually but en masse are horrific and so fucking LOUD!

[RidiculousVehicle]

OK, I have had this before with this age group (actually I have this with some year 13s at the moment on bad days, but that's another story).

Suggestions:

I) competitive activities - kids like this sometimes respond well to a game or competition. Even better if you rig it so the quiet ones (who listen to the instructions so you may not even have to) win often.
2) make frequent use of video clips - for some reason noisy annoying children give much more respect to speakers who aren't actually in the room
3) try to find them funny - funny is better than feeling angry
4) if all else fails make a giant calendar at home and cross through each lesson/day when completed with the largest permanent marker you have - works for me
5) oh yes - classical CDs, as soporific as possible - if it works to calm down Brixton tube, presumably it'll work on year 9...
6) finally, a great tip I got on Mumsnet is to offer an interesting activity to the one who do behave and concentrate and let the rest get on with something boring - sometimes they join in out of intrigue to see what's going on

Good luck, it's not you, it's their hormones...

[OsMalleytheCat]

I feel you! This works for me -
Buy a big bag of starburst from the pound shop. Don't tell them. When one of them is demonstrating desirable behaviour throw (so it's public!) them a sweet. Cue cries of "that's not fair! where's mine!" Etc and then explain why X got a reward and they didn't. And continue, I progress it so the rewards become fewer but bigger (ie a bar of choc from the pound shop) but only the one who's behaviour has been the best and they're all straining for it.

And public sanctions "for every time I have to tell you to be quiet I take a minute into your break" so when little Johnny starts nattering the rest of the class tell him to shut up because they want their break

Good luck!
Nearly Christmas

[MayhemandMadness01]

Sponsored silence with a prize going to whoever can raise the most money for a good cause.

Yr 9 is a horrible year.

[elephantoverthehill]

My assumption is that as their form tutor you are registering them am and pm and expected to do some sort of 10 -15 min activity in the morning, unless there is an assembly. My advice would be to reinforce the basics tomorrow morning. Line the class up, do not allow them into the room unless they are quiet, make sure they enter quietly and are silent for the register. If they cannot do it then repeat ad nauseum. If students are late make them wait until you have settled those who are on time. Really use the schools reward system for those who are towing the line and on one morning a week show the forms rewards chart / point system. Good luck.

[teacher54321]

I get you with the so LOUD thing. That's what I find the hardest some days! I've got a tricky class at the moment and have had a couple of tiny breakthroughs-things that have worked include:
Being at the door to welcome them with an activity on the board, you can greet them individually and get them to comply with school rules as they walk past you (chewing gum out/tuck shirts in etc). With this group I can't have my back to them putting stuff on the board as they walk in, they go wild.
Group work-they can't cope with whole class explanations, have a task on the board to get on with in groups straightaway and then go round and talk to them individually. They're much nicer when they're not all shouting out!

Good luck

[friendswithacat]

Honestly elephant I do that every morning but it disintegrates within five minutes as the bellowing starts.

Sweets would lead to utter pandemonium. Seriously, I'd have a riot on my hands if I did that.

It's impossible to actually do anything with them (!) (Names changed to protect the innocent)

Sarah's sitting with her chair pushed back and sideways on squealing at ear piercing level at Michael. Michael is leaning back on his seat and insulting Sarah and Nicola ('flirting' ) Nicola is shouting at Michael in support of Sarah, who is still shrieking in mock outrage. Anthony gets out of his seat laughing to go and see what the girls are screaming at. They are ignoring me telling them to shut up and sit properly X 100.

Lucy comes in late just when I've got Anthony, Michael, Nicola and Sarah quiet. Michael restarts the flirting by shouting that Lucy should be put on detention and this is accompanied by howls of laughter from Anthony. Sarah and Nicola start screaming again and Lucy joins in.

Ryan also comes in late, helpless with laughter and chased in by an irate sixth former. He is told curtly by me to sit down and flings his arm out in mock outrage. 'WHAT? But it wasn't ME, it was that Chloe from year 12, right, and I just went to the IT room to print off my science homework for Mr Jones (Kelly squeaks and starts asking her friends loudly if they had homework) and then that Chloe from year 12 told me to get to form right, so I told her I did cause I knew you would let me, then she says she's getting Mr Smith out and so it's HER fault ...' Ryan is getting a chair out whilst talking and making crash, boom, scrape noises.

Richard and Fred, who are actually quite nice boys but have recently had their voices break both decide to tell me something urgent in the middle of Ryan's monologue so Ryan's speech is accompanied by heckling to rival the House of Commons: Miss, Miss, Miss, Miss, Miss, Miss, MISS. When I eventually crack my calm facade and shout WHAT they ask for a tissue

Anna has got a bottle of Dr Pepper out. I ask her nicely to put it away. Anna shouts 'for gods sake, why is everyone in this school always on my case?' Michael says 'Oooh!' (The shrieking girls and the laughing boys have been as loud as ever throughout the above row.)

Ian at the back decides he wants to move seats, scrapes his chair loudly then stands up with such force that it falls back, crash, clatter clatter scrape, repeat as he gets a new chair. In exasperation I shout at him to sit down at once. He flings his arms out in disbelief at this injustice. 'I was only sitting down!'

Damian at the front randomly starts singing Honey G. I tell him to be quiet at once. He chuckles to himself. My patience runs out and I raise my voice, tell them their behaviour is dreadful and to be quiet at once while I do the register or I will get senior management.

Silence falls. Bliss.

I go to the register.
'Adam?'
'Here!'
Jane then shouts 'miss!'
'No, I'm doing the register.'
'But miss it's really important. Is it chips today in the canteen?'

Dear fucking Lord.

[derektheladyhamster]

Not sure if it would work with such pandemonium, but we use a 'last man standing'
Any calling out, lateness ect means their name is crossed off the list. At the end of reg/day/week anyone whose name is still on gets a biscuit/sweet
Names could be on the board, could be told today and start on Monday?
I have quite competitive girls though!

[fatowl]

I'm not a Y9 tutor but I have two year 9 English classes. I hear you (and my Y9s are pretty well behaved really)

Your "Dear fucking lord" at the end took me right back to when I had a Y9 tutor group.
Yes, it's a difficult year.

My dd was in Y9 last year, and they were all bloody hideous to each other. Barely a term into Y10 and they're already coming out of the Y9 horrible haze and treating each other a bit better.

Placemarking for good Y9 strategies

[MrsGuyOfGisbo]

Sorry had to laugh at the scenario - oh yes - Y9!
I am supply teacher so mercifully mostly don't get a tutor group, although at one school I do always get them, so definitely feel your pain.
Problem with last man standing is that once their name is off the list there is no incentive to be civilised - I prefer the alternative approach of earning it - still not foolproof but at least means not all burnt out at the beginning.
Meet and greet, and let them in individually one by one when they are quiet, no gum or earbuds, uniform up to scratch.
Activity on board - maybe a puzzle. First one to crack it gets to choose the Youtube, and sit @ teacher's desk.

[SagelyNodding]

God I feel your pain-I've just taken on 2 year 9 classes and 3 year 7 classes as a supply teacher in a foreign country. I've had them since October and am likely to have them until July...I am already tearing my hair out over the Y9s! The other teachers find them difficult but with me the bad behaviour is on a whole other level!

I cried when they left the classroom at lunchtime today. I have given detentions, called parents, seen heads of year, given extra work...Nothing seems to change.

I have decided to stop trying so hard. Lessons will mostly now be copying from the board and grammar activities (written). All oral assessments will be postponed until I can get a handle on the class. I'm very over-invested in the whole thing and I need to take a step back to save my sanity I think...

[derektheladyhamster]

Yes the last man standing does have that issue, but if you run it every day, they might get the hang of it! And it will reward the few well behaved ones at least 😁

[Harvestmoonsobig]

This thread is so heartening. Of course I KNOW Year 9 are vile but like PP have to be reminded or too easy to take their behaviour personally

[PumpkinPie2016]

Sympathies OP - I have a year 9 class (set 4 of 5) and they bloody exhaust me!

Like you say - it's the noise-they actually give me a headache!

Your description of the session could have been written by me. I did a test with them today and even that was bloody hard work.

As individuals they are actually nice kids but all together they are a challenge!

My only saving grace is that two days a week I teach sixth form after them so I get an hour of pleasant quiet!!

[tinytemper66]

I am head of Year 9 in my school and I am losing the will to live!

[LottieDoubtie]

Was there something in the water today my year nine were equally shit

20 fecking minutes I was in the classroom after the bell for the end of school with 4 jokers who couldn't get a handle on the instruction 'I will let you leave just as soon as all four of you stand silently behind your chair'.

[SugarMiceInTheRain]

Laughing at your description because it's so accurate. I quit teaching early on but had a year 9 form that were a nightmare (and don't get me started on my Year 9 bottom set for German, including pupils who were hungover and/ or literally high as kites). I also ran a youth group through church until recently and that age were a nightmare - 12/13 ok 14/15 aaarrrgh, 16/17 fine again. I feel for you. Just remember, it's not you, it's THEM!

[friendswithacat]

HOY whisked Ryan, Anna, Lucy, Anthony,
Michael and Ian away.

Fucking bliss. Jane was still wittering about chips, though

Now I've just got to stop year 8 from falling out. Who'd be a teacher!

[elephantoverthehill]

OP I think you could consider script writing instead of teaching, your description was so accurate. Sorry if I sounded a bit sanctimonious last night. A certain group of year 8s hit me today. Not good.

[DandelionAndBedrock]

I'm primary, so in theory very different (but they sound similar!).

If the class are noisy, I silently add tally marks to the board. At the end of the session, they owe me that number of minutes back.

I had to cover y6 once for about 15 minutes (unprompted). I sat the ringleader in the teacher's chair and said "control your friends please." He yelled "shuttt uppppp....Miss, they're ignoring me?" "Make them listen." Eventually he settled them and I took over. He enjoyed the 'power', I got the reward. Would any of yours want to do that?

[friendswithacat]

you didn't at all, worry not.

Y8 are hideous. Lost the cute enthusiastic kid factor. Not yet old enough to be getting to be nice young adults. Argue constantly (we can go from zero to riot in the spate of ten seconds because SHE LOOKED AT MEEEEE!)

[elephantoverthehill]

Change the room (if poss) and/or change the seating plan. Keep the students on the back foot although be careful with anyone ASD that they know what you are doing in advance.