Challenges with transition to state sector

[Laura2121]

Hi all
I am a woman in her mid 30s. I have had 10 years of classroom experience in private schools, and am currently working in my first state school. I am currently struggling with some aspects of the change.
The main challenge I’m experiencing is behaviour management. Whereas in my previous schools, the focus in my lessons could be on learning, the focus here is on keeping chaos from ensuing. What is worse is that the students can sniff out my lack of experience with this and are walking all over it. I am literally being harassed in some classes. Year 9 is the biggest problem for me.
I am following through with sanctions as per the behaviour policy but the kids here don’t care about getting detentions or other sanctions. The other day, some even lingered behind after class to challenge me on why I gave them a detention, despite me asking them to please leave my room. I am reporting these things to the school but it is really getting out of hand. I feel like I am being bullied by some of the students, and it is humiliating me in front of the others who are more decent, as they are probably branding me a loser. I don’t want to bother the school too much about it else I worry that they’ll put me on a training programme which they had offered me at the start to help me with the transition to state sector, which I don’t have time for since I’m doing the job alongside a PhD. Would anyone have advice?
Thank you 🙏

I feel for you. However, it sounds like they would support you and maybe the training is something to consider? If really no time a mentor in the form of someone who has been there, done that, got the t-shirt round behaviour management. Good luck. (I am not a teacher but work in education).

This sounds very difficult and I sympathise. It sounds like the school would be supportive if you let them, however. You need to engage with the training that they have offered you. You’ve tried doing it by yourself and it hasn’t worked, and you now need to accept that there is a gap in your professional knowledge which you need to address and for which you have been offered support.

Put it this way: if you were teaching a brand new subject or course I would hope that you would accept professional development to address any gaps in your knowledge. Exactly the same principle applies here; good behaviour management is a skill which can be learnt. Good luck.

You are clearly struggling, so you need to accept the help offered.

Yes, ask if you can observe some other teachers who are good at behaviour management, get your HOD to observe you and give you some tips.

Have a look at behaviour management advice online, e.g. Tom Bennett has a lot of good videos on YouTube e.g.

Hi. Bear in mind children will try it on with any new person. Stick to your guns, follow through so that they know however long it takes there will be a consequence…. Eventually they’ll get used to the idea that you’re there for the duration…After a couple of years you’ll have your own reputation.

Thank you all. I am considering the training programme; it just sounds hefty, being a 6-week mentoring programme. I fear that this will be full of meetings and extra work during my limited free periods where I don’t have the time.

When I’ve had occasional learning walks from SLT, the classes are good as gold when they enter the room. I am considering asking the school to provide me with a member of SLT to sit in with my Yr9 lessons. Not as an active observer, but as a passive presence. They could get on with their work while just sitting in a corner of the room. It’ll help to put the focus in the room back on learning, for a few sessions until we have established that new dynamic and are ‘there’, at which point this will hopefully not be needed anymore.

I feel that this would suit a lot better than a 6-week programme which I don’t feel I need personally, given that my other classes are fine. It’s just the Year 9. Would it be appropriate for me to ask the school for this?

Thank you

No, OP. That is not appropriate. You are an experienced teacher, not a ECT.

You need to engage with the support that you have been offered. With respect, it sounds like you do need it.

I also did this transition and I think accept the help offered, in the form it's offered (you can probably ask that the focus be on year 9 though). All transitions like that take time.

You were a bit bonkers to start a PhD at the same time though! Can that be paused for a bit?

Having a member of SLT sit at the back is not an efficient use of their time, nor is it likely to support you to develop the management of this class. The students will work out what is happening and the behaviour may well become worse when there isn't a SLT member there.

Part of my role is supporting staff who are struggling. If you asked me to sit in and run your room because you're too busy with your phd to engage in support. I would be extremely concerned.

I have also made this transition in the past, and its not a quick fix but honestly it gets better the longer you are there. Right now you're "new" and if the school has had any kind of noticeable turnover of staff then often the pupils need time to trust that you are actually there for the long haul. There's not much you can do about this other than what you are doing - using the school systems and being firm, fair and consistent

if it is particular classes then a few ideas that might help a bit

I would look at your seating plan and reseat them. Who are the ringleaders? Isolate them with sensible kids grouped around them.
Think about your planning. Some activities are harder to muck around with.
Praise the ones who are doing great work.
Fake it. I put on a massive smile and treat each lesson as a fresh start publicly even if I am thinking something different.
Be matter of fact with the discipline. Script what you will say if you think you are getting flustered.
Don't spend too long on warnings etc. It is tempting to give warning after warning and before you know it you are 45 mins into class and they have sabotaged your lesson. Follow the policy and if this means they will be out of the door in ten mins so be it.
Be super organised. With my tricky classes their books and anything they will need are out and the starter is on the board when they enter.
Log everything if this is your school protocol. I work in a school where we are encouraged to describe exactly what has happened on an online behaviour system. In the home notes I record it as it is. E.g little Sam threw a pen at another student, and told him to f off.
If kids are staying behind to try and intimidate you, stand up and grab a colleague to support you. They will soon get the message.

I've been teaching for 30 years in the state sector. My 2 terms in a private school were not pleasant due to the arrogance and lack of manners of some kids, so it cuts both ways.

When I did my PGCE, the school was running a "positive teaching" programme which trainees were advised to attend. It's all about reframing how you deal with the students. Praise anything they do well with a big smile. Tell them how much you enjoy their company. Sort your seating plan so you have trouble-makers right under your nose and keep a stream of compliments coming. It sounds really fake at first but persevere. I am now at the stage where I can silence a hall full of y7 with just a look - our trainees were most impressed and I don't even teach y7, nor am I SLT.

Pause your PhD for a term. Focus on taking the support on offer. Ask to observe colleagues in other departments who teach the problem classes to see if you can pick anything up that they do that works. Make lessons pacy with not too long on each activity to stop them getting fed up. Boys seem to love anything competitive, so put timers on activities - who can complete a task first? There's generally a way in to them, you just need to find it out.