I am on my way to becoming a high school teacher and am currently employed as a "Pool Teacher" (which is really no different than a permanent sub). I do not have my own classroom yet, but I am paid and have the same hours as a regular teacher. I simply come into the same high school every day and cover the classes they tell me to.
One big problem I am encountering in certain classrooms is trying to teach and run a class when the majority of them are being disruptive. It's almost like a class mutiny where any tips I have found cannot be applied because there's just too many of them misbehaving.
Are there any techniques people have found useful to get the entire class to quiet down? I've heard advice like "take away their free time" or "punish them for poor behavior" but it's almost like the students don't even care. They respond to almost every punishment with "I don't care, go ahead".
How can a teacher effectively manage a class when the majority of them just don't care and aren't afraid of any repercussions (calling home, getting a zero, detention, etc)?
I am aware that this comes with the territory of being a "sub" and I might be paying the price for the real teacher's poor classroom management from day 1, but I am almost afraid that if I am hired next year as a teacher with my own class, I might have the same problems and will deal with it for the whole year.
Thanks for your help and advice in advance!
-Eric
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
The key here is "when I get my own class". Start the first day with a set of posted rules and stick to them, no exceptions. You will never get discipline back once you lose it. Kids with attitudes like you describe really are a problem, if you let them get to that stage it is really your problem, as a sub you are virtually just a monitor trying to correct their behavior at this stage is not your problem, just don't let it happen in your classroom.
Shout really loud but don't show that you can't handle it because you will seem weak and an easy target. If the things you do don't work then take it to the head teacher or someone higher than you and if the students don't care about detentions and don't turn up, make the detentions longer and longer and take it further if that doesn't work. Just tell them about their future and the potential they have (if they have) it may work for some. Send them out of the classroom if they are disrupting other students that actually want to learn.
Hold the students accountable for their actions. They need to realize the negative conseguences from their misbehavior. PBIS is fantastic, but it does not work with all students (Those in the top 15% of the RTI model). For these students, I will often hold them accountable by haivng them develop their own solutions to their behavior. This problem solving has a tendency to cut into their lunch periods :). This makes them come reflect on the behavior, why it is inappropriate and what ways we as a teacher/student team can help solve it. Most importantly, have patience. Take it from a former P.I.T.A. student who is now a middle school teacher; this problem will not be solved over night.