What do you think of behaviour?

[rosabud]

I am becoming convinced that many secondary school pupils are deliberately trying to "bait" teachers. It is not just poor behaviour, as in "I don't want to be here so I'll just carry on chatting/playing on my phone" etc, it's more than that. I think many pupils are deliberately being rude, unpleasant and provocative to teachers in a way that they wouldn't to other adults- such as their friends' parents or the cleaners in a school or the canteen staff.

I notice this happening all the time to many different types of teachers in the school I work in. I am also hearing my own children talk about this kind of behaviour in their school.

Am I becoming too negative? Is behaviour getting worse and more sinister - or am I getting too old and suffering from "Not-In-My-Day" syndrome?

I think that kids are just more used to saying that they don't want to do something and then not being forced to do it. So when a teacher insists that they try and do it they are more likely to rebel.

If teenagers think they can get status points from their friends by baiting a teachers, some of them will do so. Others may join in to be part of the crowd. Then there are others who are just generally angry, for various reasons, and will take it out on anyone they think they can get away with. And finally, a very small number will genuinely enjoy being cruel and hurting people (sociopaths don't just magically spring into existence on their 18th birthday).

I suspect that, if it is indeed getting worse, it's not so much because teenagers have changed, as because the school's management allows it to happen and doesn't take responsibility for ensuring that all the teachers in their school are treated with respect.

I'm in primary, and in Year 6 this year. Twice so far this term, I have have been screamed and shouted at full pitch by a child in my class, while he slams things around on his desk, because he disagrees with my decision about something. It leaves me literally shaking - in no other part of my life does anyone behave so aggressively towards me. He told my Head, after his outburst this week, that he just doesn't get on with women teachers.
There are at least 2 other children in my class (of 26) who clearly consider staff with contempt. It makes it very challenging to teach them and I dread to think what will happen as they make the transition to secondary school.

What was your headteacher's response to that, Nonie?
I have Y6 as well, and while I get quite a bit of attitude at times, none of mine would dare shout at me. (They also sort their attitude issues out rather promptly after a quick: "You want try this comment/question/request again in Polite.")
One of mine has a tendency to disagree with me, refuses to follow instructions and is openly defiant at times. I've stopped getting wound up and just ignore him, removing him from situations and restating the consequences of his actions over and over in a bored tone until he does as I ask. He'll be hard work at secondary school.

I think it is a part of a wider attitude of superiority and thinking that they do not need to follow the rules. Unfortunately they are often mimicking their parents attitude.

I'm a secondary school teacher and one of my classes is horrible. I would call their pack mentality behaviour bullying to me, but no one else seems to care they are awful for most teachers I refuse to let them wind me up, but I've seem them get other teachers spitting mad and I am sure that is their aim. Where I used to work there was a spate of teacher bating and then posting the videos on YouTube. A few years ago now, but horrific behaviour mostly ignored by SLT

Thatssofunny - she wasn't impressed and asked him if he really wanted to grow up to be a man who disrespects women. He said no, but I foresee scary things for his future partners (and it's such a shame because he can be absolutely charming and lovely). He wasn't given a sanction by the Head and she brought him back into class, so it didn't really have much of a consequence for him. I wish I was still in Year 3!

'Inclusion has had a big effect on behaviour. These kids would have been kicked out sharpish back in the day. '

I tend to find it's many children who have no additional needs, but are instead filled with a level of arrogance and over-confidence that is fully supported by their parents. And often a behaviour/discipline policy that has little or no effect on the child as the rewards and sanctions are negligible.
Over the years, there has been a steady increase in children in leafy areas with good incomes that treat each other and staff with a level of abuse and lack of respect that is astounding. Along with low-level disruption.
Yet there are other schools that have got the behavioural expectations spot on and are a pleasure to teach in.

In my old school I had 5 students who were aggressive, one of whom was physically dangerous. He hit me. He lobbed a computer screen at another child. 2 others would routinely throw things and walk out of the classroom. Apparently they had "anger issues". I was unsupported and left to deal with it, without a TA! I left that school.

My new school has a higher level of student need and a larger range of SAplus kids, but the behaviour is managed beautifully, and there are no issues at all. Teachers are always backed up by SMT and if a class is playing up, the Head will come in and teach them for a day. Parents are infomred in no uncertain terms of their kids behaviour. The school will exclude. It's gorgeous. I had lost all confidence and was convinced I was bad at behaviour management. No, it's just that the school was crap.

Behaviour is dreadful where I work.
At a serious level, daily swearing, slamming doors, deliberate damage to property, shouting in adults' faces, running away from staff, hiding.
Low level: interrupting, talking over teachers constantly, eating in class, litter, arguing back about every tiny decision that doesn't go their way.

I spoke to one boy last week who returned some equipment to me by throwing it on the floor in front of me, from the back of the room. I asked him privately if he would throw things at any other member of the public, and his response was 'but you're just a teacher'.

Very serious misdemeanors (fighting, verbal abuse, physical abuse) usually receive a day's suspension, either off site or internally.

Why can some Heads exclude more? Is it because we are undersubscribed and can't afford to lose anymore?