I'm sitting in the lobby of a building on campus trying to put myself in a better mood/attitude for my upcoming class. On Friday my coop spent most of the day getting the kids to respond to the sub the day before and prepare them for having a sub today. We had hoped that since I would be teaching today and the sub there for merely logistical reasons that the kids would respond better and have a better day than they did on Thursday. It didn't happen.
I tried several ways to get one of our sections to be on task and quiet. Nothing worked. We had that particular section for three periods in a row, and the only way we got them to work was that the sub called the office and requested that the principal come up because the kids were so loud and unresponsive that we didn't know what to do. I felt incompetent and a failure to the teaching profession. It was one of the hardest days I've had in my short time observing this profession. (I'm talking in all of my time observing ... Like the past 3 years included.)
How do you get kids to respond when they simply won't? They know me but because there was a sub in the room they went crazy and would not stay on track or do what they were expected to do. I'm entirely drained and wiped out and I have no idea how to make it better for next time. I had some fun activities planned for one of the periods but it took us almost two whole class periods to get through something that should have taken maybe a half an hour. I'm so discouraged.
Help??
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I was lead teacher with a sub today, too. I found that going over to the door and turning off all the lights and standing there in silence brought a puzzled hush over the room. I think they were so surprised and curious about what I was doing that it worked. And in some classes, I had to do it more than once, but I think they realized I wouldn't give up. One particular boy did get sent out to the hall for a few minutes to calm himself and I changed his seat when he came back in. Turns out he wrote the best free-write of the day after that!
ReplyDeleteThat happened to me when we had a sub a couple of weeks ago, but the only difference is I was trying to pull the kids back in after the sub lost control. It was a struggle because it was a Friday, sunny, and just an all around nice day outside.
ReplyDeleteI found myself talking to the 6th grade math/science teacher we swap classes with and she was having the same problems with the class, so it may not have been you or the sub.
Claudia has some great suggestions, and one more that came to my head would be to put on some music. While I don't have the personality to sing on top of a desk like Ollie, putting a song on would really confuse them and it might be the trick to rope them back in.
This is all trial and error (as my co-op told me), so don't get discouraged! Just put it behind you and start over the next day because chances are the kids won't remember a thing about today.
Thanks for the suggestions.
ReplyDeleteThe sub did the whole lights off thing and they freaked out even more. I've thought about the music thing, but I just imagine it fueling their fire. I am really really not handling this well ... I don't know what's wrong with me, but geesh!
Thanks again!
It sounds like tough bunch, Jess. My co-op always says tomorrow is fresh slate and forgiveness is at the forefront. Maybe go in next time as though it never happened? Also, talk with the counselor in your building. Ours always has insights beyond the classroom teachers, as she deals with intimate aspects of their lives.
ReplyDeleteSame thing happened to me last week Jess. All in all, i get more pissed than discouraged because i know my kids are capable of behaving better than they did, and i shared that feeling with them. I also had Sahonyay and Fisher come in and it did not help much. I chalk it up to being an abnormally bad day, plus the group i had acting up is always our "bad" section.
ReplyDeleteJust make sure you consult with Chris and see her feelings about it. The next day, when i wasn't in, my co-op addressed the kids behavior. They were being disrespectful about me to my co-op and she stood up for me and made it clear to them that i am their teacher as well and they are to respect me. I think if the kids dont see you as equal to chris, you're doomed a little :/ so i'd consult with her.
also, just remember the kids we're working with. theres always a lot going on with them that we can't see.