Many teachers have an out-of-control class and don’t realize it.
Maybe it’s because they’ve gotten so used to chaos and disrespect that they think it’s normal. Maybe they’ve never actually observed a polite, well-behaved class before.
Maybe no one has told them the hard truth.
Whatever the reason, the path to classroom management success is paved in knowledge, yes, but also awareness. Because if you don’t know you have a problem, then you can never hope to fix it.
I’m reminded of this whenever I do Q&As with teachers. At least 20 percent of the questions reveal far deeper problems than can be addressed with a single strategy.
In which case, I can only answer honestly by saying that they need to start over with a new approach.
To help you determine whether you too should start over, here are 13 hidden signs that you have an out-of-control class.
1. You can’t get your students quiet whenever you want.
2. Your students are immature and needy.
3. You have to raise your voice to manage behavior.
4. Your students wander the room without permission.
5. You have to redo routines daily.
6. You walk on eggshells around your most challenging students.
7. Your students argue with each other.
8. Your students make fun of each other.
9. Your students ignore your directions.
10. You correct, redirect, narrate, and remind.
11. It takes longer than one minute to transition.
12. Your students misbehave behind your back.
13. Misbehaving students don’t take responsibility.
How to Start Over
The good news is that you can start over anytime you like.
The first step is to acquire the knowledge you need to effectively manage behavior, motivation, and work habits.
I recommend the First Days of School category of the archive (sidebar at right) as well as our classroom management plan guides and bestselling books.
The Total Classroom Management Makeover and The Classroom Management Secret are the best choices for learning the basics. They provide the building blocks for creating a peaceful, well-behaved class.
The takeaway is that if you’re trying to find individual solutions to any of the 13 behaviors listed above, then you’re banging your head against the wall.
The problem isn’t one thing. It’s everything. Therefore, you must change everything.
PS – This week’s YouTube video is What to Do When a Student Disrespects You to Your Face. Be sure to subscribe to the channel.
Also, if you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! Click here and begin receiving classroom management articles like this one in your email box every week.
What if it is just one student in the class who consistently gets up, puts other students down, interrupts, and refuses to focus on learning the lesson? I have to keep teaching the same thing over and over because he won’t look at the board and listen and then does it wrong and when i correct him he calls himself stupid. I am a math/ reading interventionist. Should i send him back to his regular class when he keeps interrupting learning for others all year? It is extremely rude but then when he gets to the stage where I give him a reflection sheet (third strike) he puts his head down on the table and looks so sad I feel bad about notifying his parents again. I definitely should’ve sent the sheet home and emailed again. Another boy in that class is doing better as I separated them at our table. A child in another grade seems to feels badly many of the kids in intervention math “graduated” and yesterday took out his anger on another kid kicking and hitting him so I had to send home a sheet and let principal know. He is actually almost at grade level in math. He is well behaved in other classes but he doesn’t want to come to mine anymore. I tell them I am like any teacher helping them learn and they are doing well, but there is a stigma and kids’ self worth seems tied to being grade level. What to do?
Wanderdust – does your school have a child study team that helps students who are in academic intervention? For example, do you have school psychologist or a behavior specialist or something like that? Usually schools don’t have enough of these kinds of professionals but it sounds like your students have problems with emotional regulation and since you are an academic teacher you need the support from the team.
That’s a good idea. Maybe he could talk with the student counselor at times when he comes in all agitated from recess. Yes, before i was an interventionist I never had so many children who had so many needs. But sometimes I feel I can only barely control myself, my own thoughts and reactions, and not the behavior of others even if they are children. Remind them of my two rules and follow the action plan consistently but maybe good to have phone numbers of counselor and principal if they really melt down.
As a sub, I observe each of those points in practically every class—and they don’t happen because a sub is there. They happen because the students are accustomed to it, as part of current classroom culture. The starting point for instilling proper student classroom behavior and a culture of learning (instead of the “the-teacher-lets-us-play-video-games-on-our-Chromebooks-if-we’ve -done-our-work” culture) should begin in the early elementary school years, combined with support from Administration. Having said that, if you follow Michael’s system (assuming it’s backed-up by the principal), you’ll be going a long way toward success.
I have 25 5th graders who go to other teachers for music, computer, and culture throughout the day. The routines are not the same in their classes. Students misbehave in those other classes, but they don’t behave that way in mine. However, when they return to me from one of those specialties, they are wound up and irritable. I have to deescalate and get them to refocus which takes a lot of time. I’d prefer more consistency but I can’t tell other teachers how to run their classes. Is this an “Oh well” situation?
As a middle school band director with a 37-year career (and retiring in four weeks!), I have always held my students to a high standard of behavior and responsibility. My administration tells new teachers to observe my class to see that the students can indeed meet expectations. If your students come back wound up, you may need to teach a routine to pull them back in. It’s more work for you, but necessary to maintain your own classroom culture. It’s hard at the beginning, but like all routines, it gets easier as it becomes a habit.
Shoot, this is me and my class. My class is my 3 children, 10-8-6 years old. I’m a former elementary music teacher and I’d like to work on my classroom management. I’m sure my homeschool “class” would benefit from the kind consistency of SCM.
Oh yes! I am a substitute teacher at Secondary level and I see all of the out of control signs in some classes. I don’t accept that because I am not their regular teacher they will play up. The unacceptable behaviour is the class culture. They have a young teacher whom they address by her Christian name so maybe they think they are the teacher’s buddies. No respect whatsoever. I’ve been teaching for a long time and my mantle is to love the students who come to me. Well, now I think I am responsible for letting the teacher know what the class were like – tell the truth. There is also a seating arrangement in the room which is conducive to harbouring the main ringleaders. I will also confide in the teacher in charge of sub teachers and offer any help – such as talk to the students about what is respectful behaviour. Thank God for the behaviour of my grandchildren. Maintenance of respectful behaviour is an ongoing commitment and that is one of the most important parts of teaching our students.