Does it sound like I may not be cut out to be a teacher after all?

[SandyBeachandtheDeckchairs]

So just to recap at the end of my first full term of teaching my y3 class

1. Assessments show that my class have not made the progress that they should have
   
2. My behaviour is poor and I find myself shouting to be heard - children don't listen to me
   
3. My planning is improving a lot, but because of behaviour, never get half of the work on the plan actually done
   
4. Our singing of our class song in the Christmas show has been judged as 'requiring improvement'
   

Head is happy with my progress this term because I have improved, (imagine how shite I was to start with!) but I feel like I am doing really badly.
I feel that if I had a TA or at least someone to be with me in class, I would have someone to check in with, but am on my own most of the time so feel like I am not really learning how to improve.
Other NQT's in the school are from Schools Direct and trained in the school so at least they have observed the required standard of teaching.
UGH!!! I sometime imagine how my mentor defends me to our head - I think the only thing I actually have going for me is that parents like me, and I get on well with everyone in the school.
Does it sound like I should rethink this whole teaching idea?

[ElfOneself]

Do the school have a reward system that follows through?
Like weekly rewards and level pegs?

[Balfe]

It's so hard OP, children can be little shites at times.

One thought- are your key suspects at the front of your line? It may be worth having line spaces. Don't take your line in until they are all standing beautifully and I'd insist on the key suspects being at the front where you can keep an eye on them.

A quiet voice works much better than a loud one. The old advice about not saying 'sit down please' but 'sit down, thank you' can be very apt.

Parents. Get them on board. Meet with them daily if needed. Phone home. They need to know what their children are up to.

NQT year is bloody awful. Experience is a marvellous thing but it's hard won.

[fizzicles]

It will get easier, I promise. Behaviour management in particular, the more experience you have, the better you will be. Can you pin point where the wheels are coming off? Talk through with your mentor to figure out the trickiest bits of your day, and come up with some strategies together to address them. Table points, smiley face charts, losing a minute of play, whatever works to get them quiet and focussed so you can get on with teaching.

Honestly, this time of year is always tricky, it’s so cold and dark and everyone needs a break. Don’t jack it all in because you’re finding it hard. Get the support you need from your mentor and you will be able to improve. Also, I think someone suggested it before, but observe as many good teachers as you can. It’s always helpful to pick up new strategies that you can try out.

[SandyBeachandtheDeckchairs]

They are really good points purple I hadn't thought of it like that before.
I will get some maths/English activities ready for them to take with them. They will benefit and the rest of my class will too!

What I have been doing is taking every complaint on board, trying to work out what their problem is and then solve it in order for them to be quiet. This is why they have been tying me up in knots. I wanted to make them happy I think. Now I see that I can make everyone happy (or learning something!) following your suggestion.

I will use more praise too really very good point too. I'm probably not doing that enough.

[BertieBotts]

It is defo cool to be naughty - because it gains them attention from a larger number of people at once, and attention is like absolute diamond level currency to 7 year olds. It's better than sweets or money.

You are always going to be fighting that battle because there are always going to be more other children than there are of you. So it's how you either reduce their need to attention seek, make the most disruptive options really unattractive, or make other forms of reward more attractive/encourage attention seeking in positive ways somehow (like getting them focused on a common goal so that the other DC are encouraging them to learn rather than encouraging them to mess about. How you do this, I don't know!)

Unfortunately it probably is unrealistic to be able to "save" every troublemaker from a life of being excluded from education :( That's unfortunately going to happen to some of them regardless of what you do. I don't know what the answer is to it.

[BertieBotts]

All the teachers here in Germany use singing bowls to get the class's attention! I think that's absolutely genius as they make this beautiful haunting sound which really grabs you, but it isn't piercing or reminiscent of a drill sergeant like a whistle! You can buy them in new age shops.

[fizzicles]

One thing I remember my mentor telling me when I was a trainee was to make sure you never speak over the children. Wait for quiet, and make them see that you’re serious. Don’t raise your voice to speak over someone chatting. Stop and wait before you carry on.

I think proximity praise and descriptive praise works really well with that age group to. So you give your instruction then say, ‘Thank you Billy, you’ve put your whiteboard down and are looking at me so I can see that you’re listening. Thank you Emily. Thank you Zain, I can see you’re ready.’

[Balfe]

What I have been doing is taking every complaint on board, trying to work out what their problem is and then solve it in order for them to be quiet. This is why they have been tying me up in knots. I wanted to make them happy I think.

Oh no, don't attempt that. I bet half of their complaints are completely spurious. Do not engage in any deliberate attempt to divert you or cause trouble (But he was too, etc).

Give Instruction, praise. Give instruction, praise.

[Balfe]

Thank you Billy, you’ve put your whiteboard down and are looking at me so I can see that you’re listening. Thank you Emily. Thank you Zain, I can see you’re ready.’

Also have your points chart within reach. Give Billy, Emily and Zain recognition, let them into the prize box for every 10 stars.

[BertieBotts]

Was the singing actually about singing or was it more that they didn't know the words, weren't very disciplined on stage etc? Ie things you can actually teach rather than singing ability!

[noblegiraffe]

DO NOT ENGAGE with the arguments! Classic deflection tactic.

'I wasn't the only one'
'Be that as it may, you were being silly and that moves you up the behaviour chart, now sit down, be quiet and listen. Thank you'.
If they continue, then 'arguing with the teacher is misbehaving and will move you up the behaviour chart if you continue.' Stern look. Quiet. Thank you. (Obviously move up the chart if they don't stop).

[PurpleDaisies]

What I have been doing is taking every complaint on board, trying to work out what their problem is and then solve it in order for them to be quiet.

This way madness lies . Sometimes you just have to make it clear that the class rule is “teacher is talking, pupils are listening”. That’s it. If they’ve got a complaint, they need to remember you are the adult, you are the boss of the classroom and you’ll hear it when it’s convenient for you. They will get to say their piece but you will decide what is fair and what isn’t, not them. It’s hard to get the tone right-generally if your classroom is a really positive, happy place where the kids know you’ve got their best interests at heart, they’ll respond to “strict”. The boundaries are comforting and if everyone knows where they are, complaints get less. I had it best described to me as a “benevolent dictator”. Everyone knows you are in charge but also that you like them, want them to be happy and want them to do well.

[SandyBeachandtheDeckchairs]

elf sorry the singing being 'requiring improvement' was just my joke. I am at an 'outstanding' school and the expectations are really high for performances.

[Santasbigredbobblehat]

Behaviour, behaviour, behaviour.

What’s your school’s behaviour policy?
Don’t worry about them missing work because they’ve received their two strikes, be firm and consistent. Once the ringleaders know you mean business, the rest will follow. They’re plenty old enough to follow instructions.
Progress in year 3 is always pretty bad in the first half term, your SLT should know that.
That thing about the song is such disheartening bollocks.

[Santasbigredbobblehat]

What I have been doing is taking every complaint on board, trying to work out what their problem is and then solve it in order for them to be quiet


Stop doing this immediately. This way madness lies. They really don’t need you to listen to every whinge, stamp that right out!

[PurpleDaisies]

By the way, sandy, you sound lovely and I’m sure you’ll get there with the behaviour management. Everyone struggles to start and experienced people can make it look very easy.

[SandyBeachandtheDeckchairs]

Thank you purple, and thank you everyone for your help, I think you may have revolutionised my life!

Y3 are not going to know what hit them tomorrow, and I'm moving the behaviour chart next to me from now on!

[maisyanddaisy]

I'm a new teacher too with the same age group. Something that has worked a treat for me is carrying a whiteboard and pen, or having it beside me, and marking down each time someone misbehaves. Each mark means a minute off golden time. Keep going, it's bloody hard and we're all exhausted by now!

[FoofFighter]

Do they have to go to the carpet first? Can they go to their desks instead? Might focus them faster and eliminate carpet specific piddling around

[SandyBeachandtheDeckchairs]

I'm also going to buy a singing bowl!

[Balfe]

Something that has worked a treat for me is carrying a whiteboard and pen, or having it beside me, and marking down each time someone misbehaves.

Try marking down every time someone does anything good. Much more satisfying :)

[SandyBeachandtheDeckchairs]

They could foof I'll think about that...

[FoofFighter]

Not a teacher but ex TA, and a mom, sometimes better to eliminate a trigger totally than try strategies to get around it iyswim?
Distraction!

[MrsKCastle]

Does your behaviour chart have recognition for good behaviour? I find that waiting silently for attention and moving several children onto the sunshine works well for me (y2 so not too far off). I agree with the advice above about not talking over them, every interruption stop and wait and don't respond to complaints or answering back. It does get easier, but it sounds as though you have been thrown in the deep end a bit. Do you not have a TA at all? What interventions do you have for your SEN children- are some of them getting bored during the whole class session because actually it is too hard for them to understand (or too easy to bother with)?

[Santasbigredbobblehat]

Could you do a reward point chart or instant sticker for good behaviour. Really over egg it, ‘oh well done Bobby, lovely quiet sitting and waiting to learn’, ‘marvellous Annie, I really like how you got your pencil out your tray when I asked straight away’.

You can taper it off a bit as they get it, but it’s good to keep it positive as well as firm. Shouting should never be necessary. Never start a sentence until they are all quiet and stop and do the ‘Paddington stare’ at the offender until it’s slightly uncomfortable and don’t start speaking again until they’ve gone quiet. Keep your voice low and calm.