Teaching a "difficult class"

amother

OP ↓

Thu, Aug 26 2021, 11:02 pm

I know I shouldnt go into the year expecting the worst, but here is the story...
I do p3/special ed in a high school. I was hired to do "resource room" (basically is teaching small groups) and was going to get typical kids with learning disabilities.
Turns out due to some complications, the kids I will be teaching are actually ones who failed all of last year. Some dont take school seriously. Some act out. probably because they are mainstreamed and dont belong in regular class and have had repeated failures.
Poor kids.
But I am not great with classroom management. I taught a few of them last year in regular classroom and some are quite challenging...
Trying to keep positive
but any ideas ???

amother

Mulberry

Thu, Aug 26 2021, 11:21 pm

Whatever you do, please don't do a reward system with points and prizes. It doesn't teach them any motivational skills and you end up needing to keep track of so much, which is quite annoying.

Look into the idea of a "class contract," where you really examine together what their hopes and dreams are for the year, and generate a contract together that they all sign. It's not foolproof, but you can then work from there. Genuinely share you hopes and dreams for them and for the school year. Be authentic. They need to see you're on their side.

They have had a traumatic time in school. The goal may not exactly be for them to learn. The goal will be to repair. You need to be their partner. Do this by keeping communication open. Talk to them before talking to parents. Problem solve together. It'll be emotionally taxing, but if done right, it's worth it.

Do I have resources for you? Solving Thorny Behavior Problems from Responsive Classroom is a great place to start.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Fri, Aug 27 2021, 8:15 am

Thanks!!
I ordered the book for about $5.
You are right-- these kids have seen so much failure. I need to be there to give them a positive experience!

amother

Lightgreen

Sat, Aug 28 2021, 1:56 pm

I think you need to look at them as a group of individuals rather than a class. They are probably all on different levels with different challenges. Give them lots of love. Take an interest in them. Find out what they like and find ways to bring that up or include it in your material. Not sure what subject you teach but there are a lot of ways to do this. Make sure to always give them a few questions/problems they definitely know the answers to so they will feel successful. Use good teaching apps if you have devices (like anything that puts your material into a game).

*Yes I am also a teacher. I'm not trained for special Ed, but I a teach one subject, and sometimes I do have special Ed classes for that subject(the type with learning disabilities and emotional challenges)

amother

NeonOrange

Sat, Aug 28 2021, 10:12 pm

I agree with previous poster.
I'm a teacher too.
Sometimes the students that I thought would be the hardest really weren't because I showed interest in their lives, etc, and"won them over"
Hoping it will work out this year!!! I have two really challenging students this week (I noticed them in the younger grade last year at recess, etc) and I'm nervous. Im hoping I'll have siyatta dishmaya and not be another one if those teachers who sent this girl out to the office all the time since she's been little Sad

keeplearning

Sun, Aug 29 2021, 1:11 am

I'm going to respectfully disagree with Mulberry. As much as we love our job, we wouldn't work without that paycheck. These kids will need some sort of reinforcement system as well. The "work" has to be worth the "pay." And as failing students anything you demand of them will be hard!
However you don't want to rely on your reinforcement system as tour means of controlling their behavior.

Your key to success is your relationship with your students. If your students like you, admire you and respect you, and WANT to be in your classroom they are much less likely to misbehave.

You can get them to love your classroom by:
- be real, genuine and kind
-make your lessons interesting, interactive and fun!
- help them feel success and build on that success! Do whatever is needed so that they can actually complete their tasks and do well, whether that means providing them with visual supports, modifications, lowering the academic level at first and build from there.

Hatzlocha!