RUDE STUDENTS!!

[hellokitty]

Hi guys I need some tips on how to deal with rude students. I have to control my anger because when I get angry all hell breaks loose. Today I literally had to walk out of class to compose myself. My co-teacher is of no help he asks me what we have to do to control the students.I had to control myself yet again by not going off on him.

[summerthyme]

What do you mean by "rude"?  Saying insulting things?  Not paying attention?  And what grade level are you dealing with?

With a little more details perhaps we can give you some advice ^^

[hellokitty]

They are 1st grade middle school girls. Basically they ignore me when I ask them to pay attention to the lesson. they go on talking with their friends. Some even do other homework.While I was teaching a group at the back got into an arguement and I heard the F word being said. They are horrible!!!!

[tyl6r]

have you tried having them do lines after class? something like "i will respect my teacher" (or specific to whatever the offense is) 25 times the next it happens jump up to 50, then 100. exponential punishment for repeat offenders, little buggers! instead of singling out the poorly behaved students, you can have the whole class stay and do it.. could inspire some self-policing classes

[DMZ]

In addition to whatever punishment you give them or what measures you take, I think it's very important that you don't allow yourself to get worked up by students. I know it's easier said than done but try not to let your anger leave the classroom with you. It will make you hate teaching forever.

[natale_laplante]

Or try making them stay after class. Students hate missing break time.

[bmsteacher]

I feel for you.  I've walked out on two classes (in three years of teaching) because of student behaviour.  Both times my co-teacher wasn't to blame as he was powerless to reign in 40 misbehaving kids.  Now, as this has happened again, in a really bad class I just teach to the air-conditioner.  Go through the motions of the lesson, but don't expect anything from the students.  I have been surprised, however, that there are usually one or two students in a really bad class that will do the lesson with me.  Teach to them and the air-conditioner.  Good luck! 

[flasyb]

They are 1st grade middle school girls. Basically they ignore me when I ask them to pay attention to the lesson. they go on talking with their friends. Some even do other homework.While I was teaching a group at the back got into an arguement and I heard the F word being said. They are horrible!!!!

Sounds like several of my classes to be honest. Plenty of kids doing other homework, talking, using phones, I even caught one kid playing with a psp! (I'm high school btw) Often the most rebellious kids seem to have power over their peers. Confiscate their things and tell them that you will give it back at 4.30 that day. If the class continues to talk, add a day. Continue like that. You'll have the naughty kids with confiscated items clamouring to shut the rest of the class up. There are lots of options available to you although it's frustrating when there's no real disciplinary system in school.

Also, it's worth remembering, they're just kids. Since when do you care what a bunch of 12 year olds think of you? Never let the little squirts get you down outside of school. As you walk out of those gates, shake it all off and think of clouds, fluffy bunnies and hookers. That always does it for me.

Do you have a positive reinforcement system in place as well as a negative reinforcement system? Reward the good behaviour publicly and punish the bad behaviour. Make life inconvenient for the bad students (literally take their things) and make life sweeter for the good students with a little reward.

I'm introducing a new sticker/signature system in school.. If the kids get 4 signatures of mine, they get a small gift. They get signatures for being perfect in class. That means paying attention, trying to do the work (I reward effort, not attainment) and not breaking the rules that we established at the start of the year. The best thing is, they can only get a maximum of 1 signature a week so that means that I won't have to buy any prizes for at least a month. Probably just something for around a cheonner. I'll let you know how it goes but I've been thinking that I need a positive reinforcement system for a while.

Have you done a class on rules yet? Have the kids establish a list of class rules and hold them to it. Breaking the rules gets them held back during break time. Simple but effective. Don't be indifferent to their behaviour but let it wash over you as if you are. And use two systems of reward/punishment to make participation rewarding and none participation frustrating/annoying for the kids.

[Yu_Bumsuk]

They are 1st grade middle school girls. Basically they ignore me when I ask them to pay attention to the lesson. they go on talking with their friends. Some even do other homework.While I was teaching a group at the back got into an arguement and I heard the F word being said. They are horrible!!!!

Try to put things into perspective. You're just another 45 minutes of their crappy week. If they are being deliberately rude or swearing don't be afraid to punish them, but if they're doing things like using your lesson to do other homework don't take it personally. Just smile and take it away and carry on.

[Jozigirl]

Have you tried just standing in front of the class quietly and staring at the ceiling or the most offending students?  Most people are uncomfortable with silence and, in my experience, students don't like to feel that a teacher is focusing all of their attention of them in a lesson.  It's easier than getting upset, no shouting involved and you're still present in the lesson so no one can fault you.  Also, try moving around while you are talking and stand next to students who are being disruptive - they'll probably settle down a bit when they see you approaching.  If you see them doing other work in your lesson, and if it bothers you, stand next to them or in front of them so they can see you looking at the other work; if they don't put away the work by themselves, just close the books on their desks - don't slam the book shut but use non-verbal clues that make it clear you don't want them doing other work in class.

If none of this works, try to remember that students everywhere (regardless of the teacher and language) behave like this at times.  Getting upset about it will just frustrate and annoy you further.

[WorkingTitle3484]

Don't be afraid to have kids hate you.  If they're doing HW, take it away and threaten to destroy it.  If they're talking, separate them and make the worst offender sit next to the boys (which might put a lid on it) or have her stand up in front of class.  Find out who their homeroom teacher, and let 'em know that these girls are disruptive.  Learn their names and call them out for being rude to you.

Have a 0% tolerance BS meter.  If they start chatting, address it and say, "Excuse Miss A, the teacher's talking."  It may be just me, but you'll always know when kids are talking to explain instructions or when they're chatting about the yellow potency of G-Dragon's do.

The more time you spend getting worked up because of them, the more the other kids lose out.  It's hard to regain the majority who have been lost.  You're the authority and if your Co-T is too soft, turn the ire into a pro-active lightning rod and drop the bomb.

[Andro]

I would suggest using some of your free time to read about classroom management. There is a lot of information available for free on the internet. Since a thread like this appears once a week, you can even use the search function on waygook.org to find information.

[zachmokpo]

They are 1st grade middle school girls. Basically they ignore me when I ask them to pay attention to the lesson. they go on talking with their friends. Some even do other homework.While I was teaching a group at the back got into an arguement and I heard the F word being said. They are horrible!!!!

Boys high school is way worse. I've had my possessions broken, gum smeared all over my jacket, threatened by students, things stolen from me, etc, by the students. The school think it's 'funny' and does nothing to help. Sometimes the only thing you can do is grin and bear it and realise that the day will soon be over and tomorrow is a fresh start.

[Janitor]

They are 1st grade middle school girls. Basically they ignore me when I ask them to pay attention to the lesson. they go on talking with their friends. Some even do other homework.While I was teaching a group at the back got into an arguement and I heard the F word being said. They are horrible!!!!

Boys high school is way worse. I've had my possessions broken, gum smeared all over my jacket, threatened by students, things stolen from me, etc, by the students. The school think it's 'funny' and does nothing to help. Sometimes the only thing you can do is grin and bear it and realise that the day will soon be over and tomorrow is a fresh start.

Wow I am sorry to hear about that. I personally don't take many possessions to school and keep anything that can be stolen on me at all times. My students will steal anything from anybody. The students stole all of the keyboards and mice from the computer lad at the back of my classroom and often I will catch boys trying to sneak during the break for "no reason"

The biggest problem is that they respect nobody, not even themselves at times. Like most people said "you have to grin and bear it" and the other thing is to not let it get to you. Focus on the good parts of the class and just ease up a little.

I used to get stress out by the way the students were acting. I had them kick the doors of my class and lie to my face when I caught them. They got my phone number somehow and would crank call me. I just asked some "cool students" about the crank call and they said it was normal and I should keep them on the phone as long as possible to "make them pay" and that was it. I stopped caring about the little things and drew a line about major things like fights and damage to the classroom.

If the girls ignore you, ignore them back. Reward the good students and pretend like the bad ones don't exist. 

[firebreaker]

The homeworkers.. HA! I love those. I just continue teaching the lesson and calmly walk over... take the book and say "thank you." Then keep teaching. I give it back to them at the end of class.  If I have to do it again, then I don't give the book back. I state "It's mine now."  If they push my last nerve, then I take the book, make sure all students see me.. walk over to the garbage can and drop it in from about 1 meter above the can. It gives me great satisfaction. HAHA

[wbrutus22]

Great responses. Everyone gave great input. I'd like to just say that walking out of class is NEVER good. It gives those disruptive students more power. Any sign of communication with their parents and the threat to inform their parents should be good enough as well. I always give that threat of informing their parents. Rewarding the good students is another option. The walking out of class deal really bugs me. I can't recall someone walking out of another job because it got too difficult. Teaching can be hit and miss...keep that in mind and you wont take everything personal.

[hollifina]

This is a great thread. I am glad to be involved in this discussion. I  have found it does work best when I REALLY reward good behavior and  punish bad behavior (as best as I can as a NT)

As for rewarding, I have a stamp system in place and those who participate in class and behave properly receive a stamp (I use my own stamp which I bought from Insadong for 5,000 won). And, as an extra incentive at the end of the semester I will pick the top 5 kids with the most stamps from each of my classes (I have 22 classes) and give them a certificate I printed off (from 123certificates.com) as well as choco-pie and an eraser or pencil (thank you Daiso!).  Generally, the korean students are really competitive so they like this idea of competing against each other for stuff. 

For my bad classes, I recently have had a bit of success making them sit boy/girl/boy/girl. First, I make all of them get up and the boys line up against one wall and the girls line up against another wall. And, then I hand pick how I want the students to sit boy/girl/boy/girl. I then tell them, "You act bad I will treat you like a baby and you will sit like this for the rest of the year, You behave well you can return to your old seats. Its completely your choice." And, I try to make sure I sit the really bad students in the very front so I can monitor them and control them via "the stare" which is where I stop class and stare at them until they stop acting horrible.
If they are extraordinarily bad, i.e. destroying the furniture, screaming in the middle of class, fighting, throwing pencils, throwing their shoes etc I stop class and tell them, " Push up position. Now." And, if they don't do that I then tell them, "Either you do the push up position, or I go visit the Principal right now. Its really your choice."   

Its really hard if you have a co-teacher who doesn't do anything, but generally I have found if you tell the students you will visit the VP or Principle's office its very effective.

[dmhr25]

This is a great thread. I am glad to be involved in this discussion. I  have found it does work best when I REALLY reward good behavior and  punish bad behavior (as best as I can as a NT)

As for rewarding, I have a stamp system in place and those who participate in class and behave properly receive a stamp (I use my own stamp which I bought from Insadong for 5,000 won). And, as an extra incentive at the end of the semester I will pick the top 5 kids with the most stamps from each of my classes (I have 22 classes) and give them a certificate I printed off (from 123certificates.com) as well as choco-pie and an eraser or pencil (thank you Daiso!).  Generally, the korean students are really competitive so they like this idea of competing against each other for stuff. 

For my bad classes, I recently have had a bit of success making them sit boy/girl/boy/girl. First, I make all of them get up and the boys line up against one wall and the girls line up against another wall. And, then I hand pick how I want the students to sit boy/girl/boy/girl. I then tell them, "You act bad I will treat you like a baby and you will sit like this for the rest of the year, You behave well you can return to your old seats. Its completely your choice." And, I try to make sure I sit the really bad students in the very front so I can monitor them and control them via "the stare" which is where I stop class and stare at them until they stop acting horrible.
If they are extraordinarily bad, i.e. destroying the furniture, screaming in the middle of class, fighting, throwing pencils, throwing their shoes etc I stop class and tell them, " Push up position. Now." And, if they don't do that I then tell them, "Either you do the push up position, or I go visit the Principal right now. Its really your choice."   

Its really hard if you have a co-teacher who doesn't do anything, but generally I have found if you tell the students you will visit the VP or Principle's office its very effective.

It seems like you have a good system.  However, I try to not use the boy / girl distinction when doing seating charts.  I don't like to separate the boys and girls too much - especially given the rampant amount of sexism in Korea.  It's common practice here, just like it was in the U.S. decades ago.  My education classes taught that separating boy / girl supports an environment of girls and boys being different in the classroom...

Teachers should definitely do what best suits them; I just wanted to contribute this thought!

[liam.kelly]

Don't be afraid to have kids hate you.  If they're doing HW, take it away and threaten to destroy it.  If they're talking, separate them and make the worst offender sit next to the boys (which might put a lid on it) or have her stand up in front of class.  Find out who their homeroom teacher, and let 'em know that these girls are disruptive.  Learn their names and call them out for being rude to you.

Have a 0% tolerance BS meter.  If they start chatting, address it and say, "Excuse Miss A, the teacher's talking."  It may be just me, but you'll always know when kids are talking to explain instructions or when they're chatting about the yellow potency of G-Dragon's do.

The more time you spend getting worked up because of them, the more the other kids lose out.  It's hard to regain the majority who have been lost.  You're the authority and if your Co-T is too soft, turn the ire into a pro-active lightning rod and drop the bomb.

I think this is a really important point - I used to hate the thought of the kids disliking me as I have a good relationship with most kids outside the classroom but as soon as you accept that some kids WILL hate you, it becomes easier to discipline them in the classroom!

I don't have a co-teacher and rarely have a homeroom teacher so I had to learn this pretty quickly. Now most of my classes are trouble-free!           

[reb3444]

I teach at an all girls high school, where there are times when the students don't want to listen or do anything with the class.  I have been told, by the Korean Teachers, to punish them.  I usually give the students who are the worst, a writing assignment, which they have to turn in the next day.  their homeroom teacher is told about their behavior and that I have punished them.  the homeroom teacher makes sure that they finish their assignment for me before they go home, which is around 10 p.m.

I have also found that rewarding the good students tends to make the bad students more rebellious and not put forth any effort in the class.  I tend to reward groups and I have assigned seating, which the students follow.  I try to put bad and good students together, so that they can encourage each other.  I have also found that the good students will put forth an effort to keep the bad students in line during class as well. 

I guess you can say that I have a pretty good group of students, they love coming to class and learning.  But there are several that don't want to be there, but are there none the less.