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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to walk out of this school today

182 replies

Coronationstreet · 07/09/2022 07:00

I'm only covering a couple of weeks' leave as a supply teacher so my last day is a week on Friday, but even that seems impossible.
The year 7 and 8 classes are good. Not perfect,but manageable.
9 are ok. Year 10, it depends.
Year 11 however are absolutely despicable.
It's a massive top set, 34 of them. Didn't even have enough desks yesterday

OP posts:
stemthetide · 07/09/2022 09:39

That's appalling, and I'm shocked that you have so many in a class. Where I taught that wouldn't have been allowed.

If you get no support I wouldn't stay.

SavingsThreads · 07/09/2022 09:42

What punishment did the scissor pointer get? I'd make an example of the rowdiest/worst.

IStandWithMaya · 07/09/2022 09:44

Hope today is a better day, OP.

Lorrymum · 07/09/2022 09:46

The school have let you down, don't feel guilty about walking away.
I was a TA for 24 years and totally recognise the scenario you describe. Head teachers and SMT breath a collective sigh of relief just to have a "body" in front of a feral class.
It's a vicious circle in some schools. The class teacher is totally overwhelmed by the pupils, is then off sick with stress and a series of supplies are brought in. The class becomes more uninterested and behaviour slips to whatever they feel they can get away with.

ShepherdMoons · 07/09/2022 09:56

Yes I would leave, nothing is worth you feeling intimidated and threatened.

Choconut · 07/09/2022 09:59

If they consider their teacher really strict could you use that to your advantage? Tell them she has set the work and will want to see exactly what they have done when she gets back - so she is the one they will have to answer to. Write it up on the board before lesson if necessary. Tell them you suspect many of them already have a lot of catching up to do before then and that you will be letting her know whose books she needs to check unless things improve drastically and that you suspect she may be phoning home to those who haven't done the work. Make sure you know their names, and appear to be making notes on them to give to their teacher. Praise the well behaved ones and tell them you will be mentioning their names to the teacher - then do leave written notes to the teacher to let her know what has been going on.

Original poster
Coronationstreet · 07/09/2022 10:00

Thanks a lot, this support has really helped me. I'm going to give it one last lesson then contact my agency.

OP posts:
Original poster
Coronationstreet · 07/09/2022 10:01

I have told them that Mrs X will be checking their work when she's back but they don't seem to care sadly. I will try again today though, will tell them that she's asked for a report and that I'll be giving names today and she'll be contacting parents.

OP posts:
Original poster
Coronationstreet · 07/09/2022 10:02

I have another year 11 group who can be very difficult but there are 15 of them so much easier to manage. 34 is ridiculous, I can't even speak to them it's like trying to speak normally in a noisy club or something

OP posts:
Wombat27A · 07/09/2022 10:06

I was in a class like this when I was in school and it's a pack mentality. Once there are too many, like police do in riots, you can't control them, only contain them.

I invigilated in a rough school too and that was blinkin scary and I'm a naturally brave person!

Dixiechickonhols · 07/09/2022 10:07

It sounds awful. Unless you are desperate for money I’d leave.
Is there a system where they can’t go to prom etc if they get too many behaviour points? No skin off your nose if you give them 50 each you are out of there on Friday. Maybe point that out to them.

PollyEsther · 07/09/2022 10:10

Gerdticker · 07/09/2022 08:15

I find it appalling that you are expected to teach in this environment, it must be intimidating with a class of 34 boisterous young men.

I would definitely walk out. And massively whistle blow in any way you can - Teachers should be able to teach, you're not a prison officer for christ's sake! No supply teacher can be expected to fix those kind of deep cultural issues.

I find the work of the Michaela school and katherine birbalsingh really interesting. The discipline structure is so watertight that teachers can just focus on the teaching, as it should be..

Good luck x

The irony of describing the teacher as 'not a prison officer' and then bestowing praise upon the methods of Michaela. lol.

OP, I would do as others say and tell SLT you will teach, but not Y11 and if they don't agree then just leave. They need you far more than you need them.

ItsJustLittleOlMe · 07/09/2022 10:18

KentuckyDerbyandJoan · 07/09/2022 08:08

Describing students as ‘despicable’ (deserving hatred and contempt) is grim, yes walk out for their sakes.

But they are despicable. These boys sound past wishy washy language and behavioural techniques.

Kennykenkencat · 07/09/2022 10:23

Take in a whistle or a foghorn and every time the noise levels get unacceptable, blow it till they do stop talking.
We had a teacher who would use a whistle in class. He would also throw stuff like the blackboard rubber, or the stapler or his car keys at us if we stepped out of line. It was the 70s and if you dared complain to your parents they would give you a smack for complaining.

What you need is either you (if you think they will listen for 5 minutes) or preferably a teacher who they know doesn’t take any shit to come in and tell them that you couldn’t give a shit if they pass their GCSEs or not you are just the supply teacher.
And explain that GCSEs aren’t really that important in the grand scheme of things. However if at any point in their lives they decide they would like to do a course at college to do a trade or something they think they would be good at or they see a job that pays well and they like the look of but you need 5 or 8 or 10 GCSEs. It doesn’t matter how disconnected the GCSE subject matter is from the course or the job they won’t stand a chance at getting on it or earning more money in a job they would be great at.
If they want to do GCSEs later to get the required amount for the job or course then it will cost them money and over all that will impact their lives more than yours.
Them thinking they are the dogs bollocks and think they are getting one over on the supply teacher for a few hours over the next couple of weeks is no skin off your nose. You are being paid to sit in the classroom. They are not. It is though long term going to cost them money in more ways than they think.

LakieLady · 07/09/2022 10:26

KentuckyDerbyandJoan · 07/09/2022 08:08

Describing students as ‘despicable’ (deserving hatred and contempt) is grim, yes walk out for their sakes.

I think pointing scissors at someone is despicable. And if it was done as a threat, it should be a criminal matter.

They sound like an awful class, but I wonder how much is down to a few ringleaders? Would it be worth getting the worst of them to leave the class make a difference?

It's probably not allowed, but a short suspension for some of them might be an idea.

BestTeacherMug · 07/09/2022 10:30

This is horrendous OP. Keep yourself safe, first and foremost.

Theres nothing to be embarrassed of! Sending you love x

Notaboutthebass · 07/09/2022 10:31

Agree with the whistle idea, something they can't bear the noise of!

BestTeacherMug · 07/09/2022 10:36

@Kennykenkencat your post reminded me that one of our teachers threw a chair across the classroom. This was 2001.

A definite scary hulk moment.

😱 1/4 of my class are now in prison. Says a lot about my school life (as a pupil).

loudlylikealion · 07/09/2022 10:37

Air horn?

Wishihadanalgorithm · 07/09/2022 10:40

Just leave. These kids (in the main) don’t deserve a teacher. The management of the school is clearly weak and for them to give you this class without support means you haven’t been valued by either management or pupils.

Be clear with the agency why you won’t return.

mmmflakycrust81 · 07/09/2022 10:48

God OP, I am not a teacher but honestly it sounds bloody scary! 34 testosterone raging nitwits in one room - I can smell the Lynx Africa from here.

I do not have any suggestions other than when I was at school in the 90s, fear was the only thing that kept certain classes in line. There were one or two teachers who put the absolute fear of fucking god into even the mouthiest beasts and the ringleaders were always removed. Without the alpha, the rest didnt have the balls to carry on.

TheEponymousGrub · 07/09/2022 10:53

Bordesleyhills · 07/09/2022 08:29

Go- I did not worth the hassle . Decent teacher who left and picked up supply. Kids had a string of supply as they were wild. They recruited on the golden group…. Poor lady has just got out. Do a good job… your supply , a bad… your supply and the pay is dreadful

What does this gibberish even mean? I hope that person's not a teacher.

MercurialMonday · 07/09/2022 10:55

*All boys.
They literally act as if I'm not there. There's no point in me speaking to them as they can't hear me.
There are about 5 or 6 who will listen, be quiet when asked and that is it. The rest just do not respect me.

I wonder if this is DS Top set English class - he's at his wits end.

The other top set is all girls - and has some spiteful/bullying characters in according to DS and they won't let him move down a set.

3 months without a teacher last year - it's Wales so he was doing an English Lit in 12 months.

He got A for stuff done with teacher and C without giving grade B - he was very good and did fair bit at home with us but it wasn't a strong subject for him despite being in top set and it's hard to see how lack of teacher hasn't adversely affected him.

I get why it's frustrating to teach and why as supply you'd walk - and hopefully DS class has a permanent teacher this year so it's actually not his class but it's so hard fro few who do want to learn and do well.

lanthanum · 07/09/2022 10:55

If the other classes are okay, then I would suggest to the agency that you would be happy to continue without that group (or with a selected subset of it). If it's their only way to get a subject specialist, they might be prepared to have a member of SLT babysit that group in the interests of other groups getting taught. You might want to say that you would still want to be paid for the full day. (It's not unknown for supply teachers to squeeze better pay out of schools with difficult-to-fill gaps.)

superplumb · 07/09/2022 10:56

God this sounds horrific. I'm not a teacher and I couldnt be one. Is there anyway you can identify the worst ones, like any leaders and get rid of them...might make the others calm down.
Hats of to teachers with classes like this. Noway I could manage it