to desperately want to leave my job (on verge of walking out) because of this?

[woodlandfairycreature]

Help.

I do hang around here, mainly on the weight loss chat boards, but I've had to name-change due to the content.

I am a teacher and I am hugely struggling with one of my classes, to the extent that I am going home crying whenever I have them (three times a week.)

It is a GCSE class. For some reason they have no respect for me and treat me like i'm a big joke. It's very hard to put into words - constant smirks, shaking with laughter, covering mouths, looking away (as clearly looking at me would be so hilarious they just wouldn't be able to cope.) Shouting across the room, then when I follow the school system arguments ensue - "OH MY GOD, I was only TELLING x that I wanted to lend his pen off him!" then discussions with other students about the unfairness of it "She just gave me DETENTION for asking x to lend his pen!" which leads, sometimes, to arguments from others - "You're being unfair!" I do follow the system we have (two warnings/detention) but we can only remove a child in extreme cases and I'd have to go out, phone for help and fill in a referral form and to be honest it's difficult (impossible, really) to do that with four/five kids.

Have contacted home, to no avail. It worked temporarily - most things have a temporary effect - but while I can deal with the more obvious disruption (shouting out) it is the more insidious forms of behaviour that are really upsetting me just now - the constant laughing at me, the mocking of my voice, the accusations that I don't teach them well.

I have them twice tomorrow - I hate Wednesdays.

I will have them this year and next unless they all leave or I do and I just don't know, I have had the most awful year and came close to just walking out Monday. I cannot cope with it any more. Please help me

New posts appearing sorry for x-post.

I really do appreciate it, only I can't just leave; I'm on my own, I have payments I need to make - I have to live. So I can't just walk out, although I really did semi seriously consider it on Monday.

I have no experience of teaching but I do have some experience of teenagers (I run a guide unit - so easier to exclude them than in schools but still a drastic thing). When I have had issues similar to this I have taken a step back from my feelings and observed the behaviour for a couple of weeks, recorded it and monitored the situation to get evidence. Then when I have gathered it I have challenged them with it. Called them on the bullying and asked why they think this behaviour is acceptable or funny. This may not work but it is a way of you taking control.

As it is just this class it is them, not you. You need to find a better way to deal with your own reaction to it or it will drive you down (this is not to excuse their behaviour - they are to blame for their ridiculous behaviour, not you). I wish you well. Don't let these little bullies drum you out of a job you love!

I could have written your post. I had an awful time at my last job, it was so hideous and every time I spoke to my line manager, assistant head etc, it was always turned around to be my fault ie I was too strict/not strict enough. The kids could do no wrong and it was so awful. It was a private school and there was no HT dept, even a vague whiff of negativity got back to the head and they made my life so miserable. I'm even fairly sure that it was the reason I couldn't get pregnant, I felt like I was fighting all the time and losing, and I got so stressed out.

In the end I got another job (and had a baby!) and it was hands down the best thing I've ever done. I feel shaky even now at the thought of going back.

So, with the benefit of retrospect, this is my advice to you : if your school won't help you, join a union. A workplace with nothing to hide should support you protecting yourself. Request a meeting with the head and take a union rep with you. Do NOTHING you are not happy with until the situation is resolved. Put everything in writing and, if it really does come to it, speak to your GP about a stress-related sickness break.

Sorry this is so long, but I really feel awful for you. I remember so clearly how trapped and scared I was constantly and I couldn't bear to go back to that. Good luck!

could you give the whole class detention. when i was in school this worked .
The whole class was warned any inappropriate behavior that would happen, every single time. I think by the 3rd detention we all told the person who it was to shut up.

It sounds like in this type of situation whole class detention would be detrimental as I imagine the worst offenders would just kick off and make the situation worse.

OP - when you do give detentions what do you do in them? Have to spoken to the children one to one about their actions and their unacceptable behaviour? Sometimes this can help to spell out exactly what you dislike about their behaviour and what you expect to see.

I definitely agree with a day off tomorrow though and potentially going to see your GP as they will be able to offer you support.

Miss - individual teachers issue the detention but they are manned on a rotation basis (kids have to sit in absolute silence!) I have spoken to them individually of course: hasn't made a difference, or when it has it has made a difference for one lesson then they've gone back to the old ways.

OP, you HoD has a professional responsibility to ensure that behaviour is acceptable is his/her department. You need to be supported with this class via observations, team-teaching and sitting down with your HoD and working out a strategy.

As for the class? They are performing a well-rehearsed script. Have you got the opportunity to observe them in other settings? You could gain insight into how they operate without having to interact with them.

Good luck, OP. If you don't get any of the help outlined above, consider moving schools (but not profession!).

Yoko thanks but I am the HOD.

Firstly. Take tomorrow off sick. You are in no fit state to deal with them, and you need the headspace. Start with that. One step at a time.
Is the HoY any good? Do you have monitoring report type systems?

It sounds hideous. And I think I would have exploded at them by now! When I was at school disruptive pupils were sent out of class. Teachers refused to teach them. Can't do that these days I assume.

Do you think you could change the tack with your head? After all these brats are not just affecting you - they are disrupting the teaching for those other students who want to learn. I would take that route.

Can you do icy cold disdainful sarcasm? Act it. Fake it till you make it. So one of them laughs or makes a comment. You look at them directly. Pretend you are the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey. Look down your nose and ask would they like to share their comment with everyone else.

I had one teacher who did this. No messing around in her classes. She could silence with a glance.

The stress you are under is really coming through in your posts, and I really feel for you. I'm not in teaching, but I have just left a job where I would sit outside the office in the car quite unable to go in, like I was paralysed with the anticipation of how awful it was. I'd spend weekends dreading Monday, and on occasion vomited before leaving the house. It was truly awful. I knew something had to give and that I couldn't continue in that vein. I finally left last month, and have found something in a related field - less money, but with a heck of a lot less stress. I'm a different person already to what I was two months ago.

A close friend of mine left teaching several years ago on account of very similar circumstances to what you describe. She had been utterly devoted to her career for many years, but was pushed to the limit by one of her Y10 classes. She knew when she shouted at one of them to 'fuck off' that her time was up in teaching. I know she bitterly regretted losing control like that but, privately, I'm only surprised she lasted as long as she did, given the stress she faced on a daily basis.

I've no helpful advice OP, but hope you manage to find a way through this.

There are lots of tricks to managing a class like this, but you really do need some support.

Are there lead practitioners in your school who you could observe with a challenging class for your CPD? Are the class setted, could some changes take place?

The best way I've found to crack a class like this is to do busy work that requires minimum input from you e.g. exam questions, note-making. Then you focus just on the behaviour. You can squash it as it starts, be a machine, just repetitive in your instructions and expectations. "I was only...", response "Maybe, but get on with your work", just repeated and repeated. Have detention slips pre-printed so you don't have to get distracted to issue them.

Do not take it personally, it is mob mentality and if they can see they are getting to you they will only be encouraged. You have to show you are more persistent than them in the end.

Good luck, it is soul destroying but you can get through this.

OK. I have a vile class once a year.

1. How are they with everybody else? Does anybody else have this exact class? Observe them. Get tips.

1. Book an inset day on a wednesday next term to give yourself a treat.....and set rubbish cover work so they kick off. Your HOD will see they're vile and you'l get support.

1. Stop interacting. Over plan all lessons as very speedy, no talking ppts. All instructions written on the slides and you just read them. Lots of test conditions and working in silence. No groupwork. I know this is anti-OfSTED, but they sound at that socially awkward stage when they're not very good together anyway. They'll probably prefer learning in this way.

1. Can you give them a test or something. What's their ability level? Normally middle sets are like this. I would say they could do with a shock of the 'well done, that's a G grade' variety.

1. Positive praise? Postcards home,

Now congratulations. You are more than a sixth of the way through their course. Don't quit.

The little shits!!

definitely speak to your line manager, or whatever the equivalent is. They shouldn't make you feel it's your fault, and if they do, then you can point out that you have nop problem with any other class. It sounds like you have completely lost confidence over this and I'll bet you're not the only teacher having issues with this class. Can the perpetrators perhaps be split up / moved into different classes? They might not be so cocky without their little gang.

I agree with busywork. Classes like this need the listening to be minimal. Worksheet based tasks which start simple and get harder. You think SMT won't like it, but if behaviour is improving they can make progress.

Hello OP
I'm a secondary teacher of 10years experience too. I taught for 8 years classes like this so I know how awful it is.
I was also in a school like yours and sadly you're right, involving SLT is a no-go.

Yes, in the long term I think you'd be happier elsewhere. Start looking after Xmas.

In the medium term, if its unbearable, leave and do supply work. I did this, money great (£150 a day after tax), although as hols weren't paid I also did exam marking and private tuition. PM me if you want more info on that, I can recommend a good website.

In the short term (tomorrow!) I advise that you stop interacting COMPLETELY with the whole class. They are continuing because you react. Go in with a pile of boring worksheets / past papers. Make sure its something they can easily do with no help from you. Hand them out and say (not shout, it doesn't matter if they're talking), that you cannot teach them until they listen, so they will be spending every lesson from now on doing silent past papers. Tell them that those who want to succeed will benefit from the practice, those who don't are beyond your help. You can bring a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Tell them you'll mark any that have been attempted (and do). Then write what you've just said on the board for the benefit of the good kids who may not have heard above the bedlam, then sit down and do your marking / look busy. DO NOT be tempted to get in to conversation. I promise you they'll get bored after 10 mins, some will start bemoaning their lack of education (at which point you point to your message on the board), others will just go to sleep / play on their phones. Ignore all. Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.

At the end of the lesson, take in all worksheets (including the ones with nothing but graffiti), and inform them that they will be your evidence for meetings with parents / SLT about their attitude to learning.
Some may threaten that they're going to complain about your lack of teaching. Smile and tell them how much you'll look forward to the opportunity to share x 's work completes this lesson.

Do it every lesson for a week, then reassess .,, it always worked for me. good luck!

The OP has already said that if she were to set boring "busy" work she would be reprimanded.

And you can't just "book an INSET day off" to suit.

OK, my experience is limited and post-secondary so really just brainstorming... you sound like a great teacher in a really tough situation and I hope you can find a way out of it! Don't let them win.
Do they have any anti-bullying programmes? Would it be worth being totally straightforward - this is an asshole move and they know it and some of them are no doubt ashamed of it. This is bullying plain and simple and it shouldn't be tolerated in any workplace, from anyone.
Or what about a perverse move - give the ringleaders some kind of recognition for whatever they have done really well, or put yourself in a position where they want/need your recognition, where you have some power? Are there roles in a popular musical or play or team or certificates or awards or anything they care about? Priveledges to be won? Then in undermining you, they would undermine themselves...
Or just stay silent whenever it happens, stony glare, until it stops, noting that for every minute of silence before it stops, you'll have another pop quiz? or some other consequence that is fully in your control ..
You could show them this video: of Emily Graslie, commenting on how women get responses about their appearance. Maybe that's too direct. But you are NOT alone, re comments on your appearance. It happened to me, but it was much easier because it was on comments on student evaluations after the course. The video could be a starting point for discussion, re women and appearance and how both women and men undermine women in many roles by making comments about our appearance that would very rarely be made about men (and then would be less hurtful, because it's accepted that their appearance isn't tantamount to their worth, ability, status, judgement, ability to be in control, and all the other crap that gets dumped on our appearance).

Anyway I totally feel for you. Secondary was miserable for me at the time, pretty much, and I don't think I could manage it now!

Ah sorry OP - then your line manager. It is a whole-school issue that a class behaves this way and should not be happening in isolation. I'm 100% certain that other teachers will be struggling to deal with the same characters, every lesson of every day.

Yes, Sooty, but if the behaviour in the class is this bad she'll be reprimanded for that. Busy work is only necessary for a couple of lessons until she has them under control again. Anyway, exam questions and past papers are vital at GCSE, I do at least one a week with all my GCSE classes, don't most teachers?

OP perhaps remind them of the implications of disrupting teaching and learning - potential failure of their GCSE. Perhaps remind them that you would go above and beyond your job to ensure that you support those who want to pass, but that you wont't make that effort with pupils who cannot behave and that their failure is A Guarantee.

I don't see how smt will know about one worksheet lesson. Ot can still be challenging and differentiated. Just don't require listening from them.

Sorry its so hard.

If you are Head of Department, can you rearrange the schedules of your fellow teachers so that someone else takes this class from now on?

Otherwise, somehow you need to sort out the catch-22 of the internal phone that is outside the room. For one or two weeks, can you find from anywhere in the school a person who can take each offending individual out of the room and to the phone? (even if its a dinner lady or something!) ()