If a student questioned the way you apply your rules in their class...

[CharlotteCollins]

... How would you respond?

This is during the class. My instinct is that it's not acceptable, but I am too quick to question myself. And I don't want to send someone out and then be made to feel I've overreacted.

Students don't question my rules

Sorry! Posted too soon.

Students do not question the rules in my classroom. I have action and consequences which they understand very well. I don't do with all the 'that's unfair' 'she was talking too'. I tell them to stop focusing on others and focus on their own behaviour and attitudes. If they continue to whine they get sent oit

Be clear about your sanctions and if they persist tell them that you are not going to discuss it, or my favourite "we will discuss it after class. In your break"

Anya I was soooo impressed!

I had this today with a seating plan. The pupils I sat away from their friends complained that I was sexist and all the girls were allowed to sit with their friends. I explained in a very snappish tone calmly that everyone who had been moved away from friends had shown me many times previously that they complete a lot more work, to a higher standard when they are separate.

Immediate detention at our place - most of them soon learn not to question!

I was really impressed too :)

It helps to have back up from someone higher up to call on if necessary. The kids at my current school know that if they question my rules too much then the sanctions are followed up. If they fail to come to detention then that detention is upgraded, and all staff back each other up. At my previous school the pupils knew that if they walked away from me or didn't turn up to detention, nobody else really cared so they could get away with it.

Continue to whine, get sent out. I like that, Anya. I didn't do it, though. I engaged. "That person is not the same because... " Kicked myself afterwards.

Sending kids out just seems a weak thing to do here. I haven't worked out if that's me or the school making me feel like that.

Just ask them 'were you doing x?' 'Forget about Billy, I'm asking you, were you doing x?' 'Should you have been doing x?' 'No? Then that's a warning/detention/whatever' and when they whinge 'are you arguing with me because that would be a sending out/detention/after school/escalation'

If they argue, then it's clear that the escalated sanction is for arguing.

'Are you refusing to follow my instructions?' is a good line too.

Euphemia

then it becomes an after school and if they don't turn up or the parents ring up and say that they won't be doing it, the detention goes up to the next level.

And if they persist in talking back or disrupting lessons its straight out.

Look incredulous and say "Crikey, that almost sounded like you were questioning me and not doing what you were told... Just as well that wasn't the case or things would be getting seeeeriously unpleasant in here". Then change the subject.

That does make it more difficult, especially if the head doesn't back you up.

Why no detention in primary?
Don't they lose golden time or other punishment?

Can you send them to a neighbouring class?

Sounds shit if there's no back-up.

Yes I do the incredulous look too. as PP 'Sorry but are you telling me what to do in my classroom'. Also prob not PC but I've always told mine at the beginning of the year during my first lesson big speech 'my classroom is not a democracy. You don't get a vote or a say in what goes on'.
I never start comparing kids as in 'she's not getting moved because blah blah' because I don't have to justify myself to them. Everything I do I do for the best learning of the whole class and they know that too (I'm not just a bitch monster from hell)

Euphemia, that sounds an incredibly difficult working environment!

Got the right tone today. "Don't worry about Billy, watch your own behaviour."