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

Nope, a union is there to help you when your boss won't. It's a way of protecting yourself so if something does happen (ie one day you just walk out) then you have someone fighting your corner. Please at least try, as I said, a good employer will expect their staff to be protected.

Please get support from your head of department.

As you are a capable teacher and it is just this one class then you don't have anything to fear.

Seating plan. Boy/Girl? Nice child/difficult child?

I cried in a lesson a while ago and I just got promoted so there is no need to feel like a failure or that this could be the end of your career xx

OP you have drawn a short straw with this class. If your class room management is good with other classes this is just one of those shitty groups that comes along and you need support with. I had one myself years ago. I cracked them and ended up enjoying the little buggers but the difference was I got the HOy on side to back me up. I was then able to tell them they would be copying from the board for 2 years unless they got a grip and if they so much as squeaked or looked crooked at me the Hoy would be all over them like a rash. With a dynamic like this you need support in a way that gives you back your confidence to discipline them hard until they realise you mean business. But first you need a break.

Nasty, cruel little brats. So sorry to hear all this OP, am not a teacher but really feel for you.

Go to your GP and get some help dealing with intense stress you are under.

Tell the SLT that you are being treated for stress. They have a duty of care not to put you in a situation which would cause you further damage. If they refuse to support you - speak to your union.

Document everything. Sue them if necessary. What they are doing is not compatible with being responsible employers and they should not be allowed to break you just because they can't be asked to deal with the situation.

If your department won't support you and SLT won't support you then you should be looking for another job regardless of this class.

In the meantime, phone in sick tomorrow if you can't face them.

They want to wind you up and see you rattled. The best way to respond to wind-up tactics is utter boredom.

Absolutely vile being bullied and made to feel crap at work . Am so sorry. Please take tomorrow off, and please go and see your GP. You are sounding unwell ( and who wouldn't be with what you're facing). But if they won't support you at school, you do need to find someone who will look after you for a little while. Am sending a virtual hug. Have been bullied at work and know how frightening it is and how small it makes you feel. But it will pass xxx

A few quick suggestions:
Think about strategically picking them off. Can you identify any ring leaders? Who are those 'in the middle', the followers?
I would concentrate on good planning and targeting the solid middle group.
Stressful classes de-skill us and we teach defensively and often lessons become 'boring' - because we don't dare do group work and interesting active learning, pupils can become passive and it's easy for them to be hostile towards the adult in charge.
You have to embark on a process of wooing and engaging them - especially the solid middle. If they've turned against you, you need to demonstrate that you're on their side because you are passionate about their learning and, if they follow you, can guarantee that they'll succeed.
I would mark books with some intensive marking, spot things they're dong well and tell them (corridor conversations - 'I marked your book last night and really liked.... - can't wait to show you in the lesson').
Make sure that they understand that they'll get a good deal from your lessons and you know and care about their learning - that's your job - doesn't matter if they don't like you - you just need to be determined that they'll succeed and plan your lessons for that.
And a no to whole class detentions - they're the quickest way to piss off the silent majority - 'why should I bother to behave, I'm going to be punished because of others so I may as well join in'.
You can turn a difficult class round but it's hard work - especially with the planning and marking.
Is there another friendly HoD who can give you an insight into this class & their attitudes in their department?
Hopefully you're now asleep but have sent you a PM for tomorrow.

There are lots of great classroom management strategies / suggestions on here BUT my gut feeling is that the OP is currently completely worn down and just needs a break and some headspace. So OP don't start fretting about what you should or shouldn't be doing. Take a day or two off and just give yourself some time to sleep / cry / eat properly / phone the union and talkline. Don't try and figure out a master plan just yet. Just take some time to care for yourself.

Our department also rally round anyone who is having a hard time. It tends to be the younger teachers that this happens to, the students don't give the long standing older members of staff any trouble. Is there a deputy head or senior teacher that you get on well with that could help with this class? Can you email to them to come and remove anyone who is doing the dumb insolence routine?

The students who want to do well in Y11 will thank you for getting the trouble makers removed until they can behave.

We would pull out anyone who was not giving their all to the lesson, would give them an earful and contact parents. They would be signing behavior contracts and having to beg to be allowed in the lesson. Our school is extremely strict so this is very rare.

PS another vote for hanging in there but looking to move ASAP. Don't just walk out but do look for a new post for Easter. Life is too short to work in this sort of situation, it will ruin your health.

No job is worth feeling that shit for. Get signed off as you sound mentally exhausted and unable to cope, then when you are feeling more "together" start your job hunt. Fuck it, if it was that bad I would take a job doing anything to tide me over while I looked for my "proper" job. Seriously-it's not worth it.

Could you not get the mobile number of the person you would need to phone to get the worst pupil(s) removed? Warn them before the lesson that you might need to use it, then at least you can bypass the problem of leaving the classroom to use the internal system.

Good luck.

Is it English? Perhaps one of us has taught the text you're teaching at the moment and has a SOW? Certainly I have SOW which were planned for classes like this.....

It sounds like loads of people here have been in similar circumstances to you. This can definitely happen to good teachers. Perhaps we could share resources?

Op this is the worst fortnight of the year to e teaching year 10.

So sorry you feel like this. I have a really difficult class this year (primary age) and have been teaching for 15 years and I feel as if I can't teach eventhough I never usually have any problems like this. Thankfully others have had them and agree they are particularly hard work, ALL individually lovely children but as a group a nightmare.

I am finding I have to be very regimented in my classroomroutines (I am normally very relaxed) and I have to reiterate my expectations before almost every single activity including lining up. I keep them extremely busy and am more severe with the challenging one than I've ever been with any children. It's like you have to demonstrate that you mean business otherwise the other challenging children will take advantage.

I use our usual positive behaviour management strategies for those doing well,rewards etc and when things get really bad I send children out. Even with all this we are having difficult days...I am counting the days till the end of term. I'm exhausted but I know this happens to every teacher at some point. Next year will be better.

You are not alone, teaching a difficult class is very very hard

OP Schmaltzing Matilda has given excellent advice.

I agree with everything she has said. It's your right to receive support here. To feel this worn down is a fucking failure on your SLT's part - to threaten you with the 'poor performer' label is an appalling cop-out on their part. It allows them to apportion blame on their staff.

Read SM's post again.

I personally wouldn't go in for the rest of the week.

Can any colleagues sit in the class to witness/discourage trouble?
Call their parents? Fail the crap out of them?

I think if you can't take a hard line it encourages them, as there are no consequences.

Can you organise students to swap classes to break up the bad group?

I work with slightly older groups, but this always works for me when i get a group like this.....
I get them to research something that they have to "teach" to the rest of the class.
They prep this during class either individually or in small groups
There is then a test set based on what they were teaching
"always puts manners on them" as someone once said!
It's actually painful watching them stand up and deliver.......and i praise them for their effort, and encourage the rest of the class to ask them questions
[evil laugh]

Really feel for you. Take care of yourself

Am so sorry you're in this situation. I'm sorry your SLT are letting you down, I can see you feel you have nowhere to turn.
Do you work at an academy? What I am going to suggest may be unworkable if you do, sorry.
As I understand it, if you are signed off by GP for a certain length of time then school have to refer you to occupational health, something to do with sick pay. They then produce a report based on conversations with you and on return to work your head is obliged to ask what are barriers to your successful return to duties and to do something about it.
I do think your union would be more helpful than you think, as someone else said the issue is not your classroom management but lack of slt support.
For now, take the day off. Your health is too important.
I know, as a conscientious teacher, you worry about the other classes you will miss but they will cope. Plan your cover work and ring in sick.
Good luck getting this sorted, remember to put your health first.

First of all, OP, my deepest sympathies. What utter cunts, and I mean the SLT as much as the pupils. I've been there when I taught in the UK, where a stellar berk of a student arced up in my class, I ejected the surly mare and I was immediately asked for my lesson plans by the HT. Ohhh... I hadn't engaged them. Silly me. I'd only been teaching for 27 years.

Anyway

It's getting near Christmas, so energy is low.

1. Start looking for another job. Meanwhile…

1. Keep a log of all misbehaviour, make a spreadsheet so you can indicate how frequent and tiresome the interruptions to learning are.

1. In all your dealings with students, SLT and parents, do not call it bad behaviour, but behaviour that prevented others from learning. This is important as it calls attention to the effects of their behaviour.

1. Call SLT on the having to leave the classroom to phone. You are in loco parentis and if any of the monsters kick off in your absence you are responsible. Spell it out to the dozy feckers in so many words. If they do not sort it in a week, get in touch with your regional, NOT your school union rep. The rules of the school are obliging you to act unprofessionally.

1. Call a meeting with the parents right after the holiday. Before if necessary. On the last day. Insist the pupil is there. Refuse the meeting if they turn up without the monster. If they raise their voices, warn, then walk. If they swear; walk. Write it all up. Have another teacher in the room with you if necessary.

1. The two warnings and detention rule is a sign of a school in trouble. The minute they do this, the arseholes barrack room lawyers in the class start calling you on due process. Time to leave.

1. In detentions, get them to copy out of the dictionary in their best handwriting. If they piss around, give them another detention. More of the same. It's important never to teach them, as learning should not be a punishment. Make sure you are MNing while they slave.

Thinking of you.

OP, there are some great behaviour management techniques being mentioned here, but you know beget than anyone what will work and what you personally can carry off.
Firstly, I really think you should have today off, you need a break from this behaviour. use it as a chance to rest, do something you enjoy doing. Do not plan lessons or spend anytime thinking about this class. make a big list of all the things you're good at and all the times when you've been a superb teacher.
Give yourself a break, you need it. Then, in a couple of days you can start thinking about how to move forward.

I had this in my second year at my current school. Fortunately, my SMT were supportive. I gave up a responsibility point so I could focus on my confidence in my teaching and they got a specialist teacher in for those lessons.
Whilst they were supportive I don't think they ever realised how bad it was, my HoD and refused to have the two ringleaders in our subject at A Level. A different boy from that (year 10) group ended up in my A Level class, he was still friends with the ring leaders. He soon realised he needed my subject knowledge and teaching to get the grades he wanted. He became a joy to teach. Students can and do change.
Just wanted to give you a happy ending story, although from the sound of your SMT, I suspect your happy ending will come at a different school. This may mean dropping back from HoD.
Teaching is awful when you face a class like this. I regressed into panic attacks and self-harming.
Go to the doctor. Get some time off and outside support and remember sometimes you need to put yourself first.

sorry haven't got time to read all posts but can you give them a test under exam conditions to do? I know you can't do this all the time but can you build one in for next Wednesday? Can you do a 10 min test at the end of each lesson? Get you get them all to make sure they have the equipment they need at the start.

Do you have a mobile? Can you use this to ring downstairs instead of leaving the room? Maybe tell your HoD and get their OK first. Can you request a TA to support the class - maybe pitch this to the head as you are concerned that the class are struggling with the course and won't achieve the C grades.

I'm not a teacher so have no idea if this would work or not. Do other teachers have the same problem with the class members, if so, go to the HoY with the other teacher to explain.