To say I can't handle this class

[Daisychain97]

I'm a trainee teacher working as a teaching assistant. I'm doing a subject specialism in maths and hope to teach year 6.

This term, I've been moved from my usual year 6 class to year 1 because the year 1 TA has left at short notice. I've gone from targeted maths 1-1s and SATs preparation to spending the entire just trying to keep the class quiet enough for the teacher to speak. It is the teacher's first year teaching and I've only been a TA for a year before this.

I can't handle the class. There are multiple children who aren't toilet trained and have accidents. Out of a class of 25, only 8 of them are actually capable of sitting quietly, listening and putting their hand up. The rest just shout out at you constantly, roll and crawl all over the floor. Some will cry and scream if they're told off and others will throw things if they're told no. It's chaotic. We have a huge amount of SEN boys in the class, but I think it's a step further than that. It seems some of these children have never been told no in their lives. I have to repeat a simple instruction 5 times for anyone to listen even when I'm speaking directly to a child. For example 'please put your pencils down'
Turns into at least 15 children shouting 'BUT IM NOT DONE,' refusing, some straight up crying at the instruction, others running around or throwing their pencil. It's unbelievable.

It was my second day in the class today and I was on the edge of tears I was so overwhelmed. I have ADHD so a lot of constant screaming and sudden noises really gets to me and every single shout and scream and thrown toy felt like a dagger in my ears. I eventually just zoned out and asked the teacher how I should be dealing with the behaviour. She was just as stuck as I am.

So what am I meant to do? Just continue being miserable? I earn basically less than minimum wage and not sure it's worth it to be honest. It's day 2 and I'm already dreading to go back tomorrow.

I can't exactly talk to the headteacher and asked to be moved because they need a TA in that class...

Bit of a rant but I'm so upset. I loved my job, I loved working with year 6. Now I'm just so overwhelmed and upset. Last year I worked with year 2,3, and 5 and loved every second. I know that a teacher should be able to handle all classes but as a TA I don't have much control or say in how this class is run so I can't change things like how I would if it was my class...

You could try a couple of things.

1. You could ask if an experienced teacher could come in for maybe an hour/1 lesson and you could observe to see how they handle the students.

2. You could ask to observe another teacher teaching a different class and see what their strategies are.

When it comes to noise in the classroom though, you're going to have to acclimatise. You are a primary teacher. Noise comes with the job. Yes, there are acceptable noise levels, but you can't expect 32 5 year olds to adapt to your SEN. Seeing what is regarded as an acceptable level in another classroom will give you a baseline.

You may also have to go to your line manager though and tell them that between you both (you and the teacher) can't handle the class and ask for help.

As a teacher you'll have to handle whole classes and won't be able to guarantee you'll only teach Y6. You'll be expected to be able to teach at least a key stage. Be under no illusions (you're probably not!) that teaching is going to be easier with Y6. 32 children in one room with just you in control is challenging whatever their age.

Have you looked at Exciting Teacher there are lots of helpful resources on there for calming children in class. Unfortunately this is not an isolated problem, I do feel for you, but don’t give up.

no. I guess they live with parents who aren't doing their job. Poor things

Mt friend is a TA; she said that children know when someone is new and inexperienced experienced and can take the piss. She learned how to handle it and put more discipline with experience but said it was hard at the begging.

My son was born during covid and he can sit fine and listen. I would be horrified if he behaved like this. This behaviour is a symptom of too much screen time and poot parenting, unfortunately.

I would certainly speak to the head OP. This behaviour is not normal and beyond the realms of what you should reasonably be able to handle.

Oh you are totally right this is a parenting problem! But that is no help to the TA and the ECT right now. They cant change the parenting or even getting parents to support the teacher is a struggle. These parents seemingly haven't managed to get their children properly toilet trained ? (sen needs excluded here) The school slt can help in supporting the teacher and ta and reinforcing positive behaviour and involving parents. And providing more resources to get the situation under control. Its really awful for the 8 quiet children who want to learn!

Yes, my son is Y1 and has fairly bad ADHD. He totally knows the difference between which teachers he can play up and which teachers need absolute obedience. He had an older, experienced teacher last year. He responded to just a look from her. I loved her!

I find it interesting how you say you have ADHD and are not sure you’re able to last more than a few days in that class. That must be the experience for the kids in that class too - adhd or not - it sounds like a hugely overwhelming environment at the moment and very few small children can behave well in that envirobemebt. I would be talking to the teacher but also to the Head. Does the head know you have adhd? Could you phrase it for eg. As you know I have adhd and I’m finding that environment extremely difficult to work in so can see how the children are struggling. Strategies that would help me are xyz I think this could help the class as a whole. How could we implement this.

Maybe the teaching needs to be different. These are very young children and children are programmed to need to move and experiment for their development.

It sounds like the demands on the kids are higher than they can meet. You have to start with the kids where they are and work up from there.

Allow them to move more. Allow them to work sitting on the floor or lying on the floor.

If the teacher changes the way the class learns and works she may be able to start to make some progress.

I can't offer much advice I work in a school but in an office role. I know how hard it is for teachers and it is very normal for a year 1 to have 1 teacher and 1 ta. In my sons school the ta was split across the two classes. There is no money for loads of ta's that is a pipedream.

Year 1 is notoriously hard, these kids have come from being able to play most of the day to being told to sit still and listen for long periods of time. For boys this is more challenging. I know my son found year 1 hard. The boys were quite wild, always fighting. It has calmed down a bit now in year 2.
You are right in being strict, the teacher needs to be consistent with behaviour issues. When that boy kept putting the box on his head after being told three times he should have been put in time out or taken to SLT so the class know messing around is not acceptable. The teacher needs to be much more strict but that is very hard as a new teacher and in reality it was cruel of the head to give her this class. You have said the school has a soft approach and that is never good for behaviour issues. My other child, in secondary, goes to a school where they are very strict. They inspect uniform, if kids have trainers on parents are called to bring them proper shoes in. They set high expectations on behaviour from the off and it does work. They are not scared to suspend or remove pupils from class that are unruly. I think this needs to be adapted from primary. We have some kids that smash up the class, throw things and it's all soft spoken, rewarding bad behaviour and it ruins learning for other kids. I don't envy you op I could not do your job.

I'm worried now about the amount of (almost) daily posts with teachers saying they can't cope with younger years. My daughter starts school in September and all these posts are really putting me off. The majority saying no kids listen and have no respect. My friend is a reception teacher and she said she's never seen it so bad 😞 crazy the amount of people on here saying their children were born in lockdown and that's now the almost default reason why they have no respect and don't listen 🙃 just because they were born in lockdown doesn't mean they didn't have parents to still teach them right from wrong. I'm shocked at the amount of people saying it's the teachers issue! By the time you start school you should be able to sit correctly, not roll around on the floor! Just staggering and seems I'm in the minority for thinking that way!

I can totally relate to you @Daisychain97 and the appalling behaviour in schools now, is why so many people working in education are leaving in droves. Me included! Honestly, if parents could witness the behaviour in classes, they'd be horrified sometimes.
Of course Covid might have played a part in the behaviour but in my experience, it's largely down to SEN or poor, lazy parenting.

It's madness of SLT to put two inexperienced people together in a challenging class but I'm guessing it's because the longer standing members of staff have said a categoric no!!!

The main thing here is that you and the teacher need to tackle this together and be on the same page with the discipline and also speaking to SLT and the SEN lead. Do you have a decent SLT? We didn't. They just let us get on with it, or criticised things and now they've lost countless members of staff over the last few years because of it.

As the TA, you can't tackle this alone, hence why it's imperative that you and the teacher are totally on board with tackling this together.

I mean, you can try marbles in and out of a jar etc with the reward of a treat once the jar is full but you've probably already tried that sort of thing. I think this class is beyond those kind of things right now!
Do you have reward points like Dojos? If you're expecting the children to be focussed or sitting quietly or whatever and there's numerous children messing around, you kind of ignore them and say, 'Well done Jonny, you're sitting so sensibly. You can have five Dojos' etc etc. That sometimes worked if enough of the 'good' kids got the Dojos.

I feel your pain though and you sound like you'd be a great teacher if you stick it out.
See if the teacher will join forces with you and if they will, give it a little while (together with asking for more support) and see if that improves things at all. Good luck and hope today is a better day

If only all parents were as sensible and as understanding as you!

Bit of shouting might work!

It might be because you and her are the most inexperienced you have this class. I've heard this from other teachers. The HT gives the worst class to the most inexperienced as she does not want her most experienced teachers to leave - the HT cares less if a new teacher leaves because they can't cope with a class.

Op i can absolutely understand and imagine this class.
Seek as much support as you can (that advice applies to the teacher too) and push push push for help as if you don't, it won't come.
But be proactive too (it sounds like you are) and the teacher should be able to tell SLT what they've tried and what the issues are.

I hope parents are reading this- it's not a covid issue!!

@rainbowstardrops 'It's madness of SLT to put two inexperienced people together in a challenging class but I'm guessing it's because the longer standing members of staff have said a categoric no!!!'

Also because older, experienced staff cost more, they will have been managed out (persuaded to leave) and replaced with ECT's who are a lot cheaper.

Also because older, experienced staff cost more, they will have been managed out (persuaded to leave) and replaced with ECT's who are a lot cheaper.

You are not wrong! @TheAmusedQuail
It's awful.

Unfortunately this is not necessarily a school issue, it sounds like the other year groups are well behaved and well led.

The amount of SEN coming into mainstream is overwhelming. As a governor, the constant theme in meetings is how to meet the needs of children who really should be in a special school, with less funding and less staff. The number of child caused injuries to staff is ever increasing, as is the stress levels. People go into these jobs with hope of supporting children, and every day becomes crowd control rather than teaching, which is very demoralising.

OP, I wouod be speaking with the SENCo to check that all the necessary high needs funding and ehcps have been applied for, and looking to the other TA"s for support. Our reception intake this year has been especially challenging, and the TA's in the other classes rotate into reception to give the reception TA's a breather, even just for 15 mins so you cab get a cuppa and a bit of fresh air to decompress, as it us totally overwhelming.

Awful but with the amount spent on 121s and similar is it it surprising? Our head made no bones about the fact they’ve basically eaten the school budget and now parents have to supply basic items.

In an ideal world, yes, I totally agree. However, are you familiar with the curriculum expectations for Year 1? The pressure from SLT, improvement partners, Ofsted, government is immense and shows no understanding of how young children learn.
When I taught year one I found it so distressing that I was being forced to teach far in a manner wholly unsuitable for the age group and whilst I tried my best to adapt the lessons and classroom to a more flexible, child-friendly, early years approach it was frowned on by SLT and actively criticised at times.

Awful but with the amount spent on 121s and similar is it it surprising? Our head made no bones about the fact they’ve basically eaten the school budget and now parents have to supply basic items.

Again, you're not wrong @Wildflowers99
I know of one child that had THREE 1:1's to manage their behaviour! Thankfully for the child, they are now in a specialist school where they can get the support they need.
Some schools really are in a dire situation for a variety of reasons.

OP, I'm pleased to read that you're going to make suggestions to the teacher as to how you can work together to try to regain control of the class.
As a trainee teacher, you need to use this as a learning experience. This could be your class one day. You could be the ECT in this situation. The teacher you're working with is not much more experienced than you so I'm sure they'll welcome your ideas and support. Definitely a consistent approach is needed with the two of you working together as a unit.
It's also unrealistic to think you'll only ever teach year 6, quite unlikely actually, until you're more experienced. Usually ECTs are put into year 1 or 4.
Also, running maths interventions, whilst lovely, is not enough preparation for the realities (horrors!) of primary teaching.
It may also be worth considering if teaching is what you want to do. This is no criticism of you at all. Just maybe get out while you can! Sadly, the effects of poor parenting and unsupported SEND are widespread, turning what was a wonderful profession into a total shit show. Micro management from SLT and unrealistic expectations from Ofsted, parents etc are the norm now. Soft behaviour policies (all behaviour is communication bollocks!) and a wholly unsuitable curriculum all contribute to making teaching awful. Especially in year 1 where the difference from the more child-centric play-led reception experience is stark. I feel your (and the poor teacher's) pain. Behaviour nowadays is unbelievable, including in the younger years, maybe even especially so.
I'm speaking from 30 years primary teaching experience, having taught across the whole primary age range, left two years ago when the job became unbearable.
Please come back and let us know how it went today. I really hope you had a better day. When teaching goes well, it really is the most wonderful fun and rewarding job.

Yes this. Year 1 is difficult from this perspective. SLT in this example already sound unsupportive so I can't imagine they will agree with this approach too much.

I was worried too but it is not like this in my kids class (Y1). She has a fantastic but strict teacher who controls the class. The 'bad' things my daughter tells me goes on are pretty 'low level' - someone drew on another's kids picture, some toileting issues from one kid but not to the extend of OP. But on the whole it is great and nurturing. I was so worried about sending her after hearing the stories from others.

Also, my kid was a 'covid kid' - if anything this made toilet training easier as we were stuck in the house. I hate when i see this used as an excuse. We also did not give her an ipad at all until age 4 and then it was only on holiday for travelling. I would never dream of giving her it in a restaurant/to keep her quiet etc. Nothing annoys me more than kids on ipads with no headphones.

I often see people saying the ipad is the only thing that will keep them quiet and it seems to me like that is because they have been conditioned to that - then when they are expected to behave in schools - it is a shock to them.

So much of a reflection on the parents - not the teachers.