Told my agency I wasn't going back to this school, feel guilty and unprofessional

[Cheeseburger43]

I only had 5 days left but couldn't face that.
I did post about it on here and received a lot of good advice.
The behaviour was disgusting, it felt very unfair on the good students and I made sure they were rewarded.
I've inconvenienced them as they'll have to get another supply for next week now. But I'm sure anyone would be better than me.
The noise levels were a joke, and I had older classes were 75% of them spoke to me like dirt.
I'd tell the class something and they'd all start shouting/screaming at me in protest, all at once. I couldn't hear myself speak.
What gives them the right to talk to me like that?
I followed the behaviour policies, it helped for some students but sadly not many. They just saw it as another detention or head of year speaking to under their belt.
They'd literally not look at me and just talk loudly to each other like I was invisible. I just didn't matter at all.
I'd stop talking, sit/stand and wait, just put instructions on the board, move seats etc. But some of them just didn't care.
I had a student tell me I looked like I had cancer?
One threaten me that there'd be consequences if I gave him detention as his family were well-known in the area.
Told to shut up by an 11 year old. Called a bitch.
A lot of the books as a result were not beautifully presented as the teacher had requested and I feel bad for this.
On my last day I tidied up the books I did have

I just emailed the agency and explained why I wasn't returning. They did understand, were apologetic and said they'd report it.
I gave in my lanyard at reception and told them I wasn't coming back.
I'm looking for a new career path for different reasons, I feel that I let the school down.
Honestly feel that the only teacher who could get those classes to listen to supplies is somebody they're afraid of/intimidated by, which is sad.

It's not you OP, some schools are just like that.

Poor management who try and 'get on' with the kids instead of disciplining them. Good behaviour is crucial to a well run school.

Children will try and test supply teachers, but swearing at teachers, throwing things, serious disrespect would be a suspension at my school and parents would be brought in for a face to face meeting. Totally unacceptable.

All schools have kids who act up, it's how they are dealt with and how teachers are supported in dealing with them that makes the difference.

Hope you get a better school at your next placement.

"Know when to walk away, know when to run". How you restrained yourself from unleashing the fire extinguisher on the rabble rousers I don't know.

Thanks for the advice, @SequinsandStilettos

OP you've done the right thing by walking away. A lot of teachers I have spoken to have had classes/ bullying from other staff which has meant they've left a school.

I've left a poorly run school and am now at one with very high standards. The difference to my job satisfaction and happiness has been massive.

I'd be interest to know. In schools with dreadful behaviour did you think the work was too hard for the students? In my experience it was. There were lots of brilliant teachers but many really struggled to reach the expected standard. I think we were really teaching the students they couldn't do anything. When in fact they could do a lot, just not at the standard of the curriculum.

Why are these children so feral? I just don't get it. They sounds like wild animals.

Why are these children so feral? I just don't get it. They sounds like wild animals.

@HappyPeach from one of the OP’s updates:
The advice we were given on inset day was "Don't reprimand students in front of their peers as it will embarrass them." Well they shouldn't bloody misbehave in the first place.

Explains everything to me. Whatever policy the headteacher and SLT have put in place for managing behaviour is obviously not fit for purpose. Children’s behaviour can be tricky for a variety of reasons - but with an effective behaviour policy and strong support from the head teacher and other senior leaders it can be managed and mitigated. We have children who we know are very much what you might describe as ‘feral’ at home and outside of school. They toe the line in school because our behaviour system is firm, fair and consistent - and pastoral care is well organised and underpins this too - and I think deep down even the children who appear resistant and are the most difficult feel comfortable and safe at school for it compared to at home where no one seems to be in charge and in too many cases, no one cares. Many have very difficult home lives. Kids are people - so some can just be dicks for the fun of it. But for many children and teenagers that difficult behaviour stems from much deeper issues. Sad that in the OP’s former workplace staff and pupils alike are so poorly supported. The head should be ashamed of themselves.

Years ago I knew a young woman who taught in a male prison. Her students were very well behaved partly because there were Prison Officers in the room and partly because it gave them something to look forward to in their boring day and they knew the privilege would be removed if they misbehaved

yea I looked into this before but the pay is apparently really bad.

This advice is thrown around a lot and is complete and utter bullshit, and impractical

same as vast majority of behaviour mgmt advice in reality. Alot of it is based on the principle too that it's just 1 kid but they forget about all the chimps at the tea party; that and it forgets that kids are human. They won't do x because you did y and z, they aren't machines and so you won't know the reaction you'll get.

If you have to stop a lesson to go and speak to them 'quietly' then it's in public anyway, loud or quiet

the whole speak to them privately is laughable, works in a class of 5. How on earth do you do it in a class of 30? I always laugh too that ime those who diss out the latest behaviour mgmt advice are no longer in the classroom themselves or are useless with behaviour mgmt.

The deputy head in my last school was in charge of behaviour of behaviour. She gave cpds and workshops etc to staff on managing behaviour. Yet in the few classes she taught she couldn't control the kids herself and never used her own strategies. It was embarrassing and laughable. The fact that she's being in the school over 25 years too and the kids didn't respect her.

The other slt also had very light timetables and at least 2 of them, including the head couldn't control the kids at all. 1 day the deputy and head had to go and call for a certain strict teacher to silence the kids in the hall at an awards ceremony.

My mum taught basic literacy in a prison, she was new to the area and didn't realise what she'd signed up for.

The prisoners were very well behaved, the officers said if at any point she didn't want any one of them in the room she need only give them the nod. My mum is 5ft1 in heels. She said there were functionally illiterate men in the room some of whom surely had undiagnosed learning issues and she found it rewarding but also very sad.