Student behavior is why I left teaching. I was an elementary school art teacher and this past year I had stools thrown at me by a kindergartner and then asked "what did you do to cause this student behavior?" I feel like the worst behaved students have the most control, meanwhile the kids that behave are being constantly traumatized by violent peers that continue to be a problem because there are no consequences and they are rarely removed from the class. I was a teacher for 15 years right out of college. The more I'm away from it the more PTSD and trauma I realize I was carrying from years of abusive and violent behavior, gas lighting from admin and parents, and trying to stay positive and grin through it all.
Totally!!! The worst students are given a pass and I think this because our administration is afraid of the parents! And I’d wager those parents are afraid of those kids.
WTF!? Stools are for the nasty teachers not ART TEACHERS!?! 😐Kids be trippin'. Art was the class we would all skip to and love. Kids don't appreciate anything! I am so sorry that had happened to you. 😥😔
@@LadyCoyKoi “Nasty Teachers”? Ummm… to a student with poor behavior all teachers are nasty, unless they cater to them and put other people down on their behalf.
As a high school student, it baffles me how some of my classmates act in my classes. You would think we would all act like mature adults by now, but no. Thankfully, my parents raised me to respect others, but it is terrible watching how some of them speak to the teachers.
Hi Caitlin, Could you speak up with a “don’t do that” or some other phrase that might make one of these students stop at least and think what they are doing? Just asking. Be sure to know, your teacher will hear it like many of us do. We are thankful for children who want and need to learn. We all know which ones are so disrespectful, crawling on the floor (2nd grade) jumping on a chair and feet on our back group table, shouting out. Ignoring myself (para) or teacher when these kids are disruptive. The Dean is in the room on a brief occasion that I see, early morning when kids are tired (being up half the night on tablets etc.) The teacher her is thankful she has any other adult in her classroom like me for early hour, then after lunch. I’m there for one/two spec Ed students. If a reading coach or math coach comes in, better for her. Thanks to everyone who is reading this. God Bless all of you!
@@MagsChase1229 No, Caitlin, do not say anything to these students. You may endanger yourself if you speak up. People who don't teach don't understand how dangerous some of the students are. No one will protect you. I am sorry this is happening to you. The sad truth is that many students feel as you do. Do they talk to their parents? Do their parents listen? Many of these kids destroying the classroom do so because their parents hate teachers or think teachers should cater to kids. If parents start to demand that our schools once again are places for education and where kids are safe, we will see a change. But students like yourself have to be very careful.
@@MagsChase1229unless it is one singular student who everyone agrees is out of line, the vast majority of high school students would never risk their social life like that. many of us would like to, but it's simply not worth it to lose our social standing forever to make one teachers day a little bit better. it's the unfortunate truth. assuming you're a teacher, i can almost guarantee you that the non problem students would speak out on your behalf if not for this reason, if that's any comfort.
My ex boyfriend left teaching high school history a few months ago because of this. He said the kids would be out of control, get bad grades because they didn’t do their homework or just didn’t bother coming to class and then the parents would call and yell at him. He said the parents took the kids’ side and didn’t care.
Not to mention administration that makes teachers change the grades so all kids "pass." Or, when my elementary school-aged child was given 50% credit for work he simply refused to do. They did not care that I told them he deserved a zero and to NOT do that. They were NOT helping me as a parent!!! All that does is reinforce to children that there are no consequences and they get credit for stuff they don't do. THAT is not real life. Here I was not spoiling my child, while the school and society does it instead. There is no winning against that kind of influence. (Do not ask about the other parent ... dissertation alert. ... or Disney Dad syndrome, that's succinct.)
That’s because of societal breakdown. We no longer live in a functioning society so immature parents take the side of their immature kids and everyone is on their own. There’s no trust in other parts of the community now.
PREACH!!!! This is the number 1 issue that I have with teaching. All of the other stuff is a lot, yes, but the unruly, disrespectful behaviour is 10000% the worst part of the job. You literally cannot even teach when students are being disrespectful and crazy. Like who wants to wake up every single day and have other people give you complete attitude, yell at you, literally run away from you, all while you're supposed to sit there and be a professional and just take it with a calm smile on your face. It's fucking hard, exhausting, & disrespectful. Society already has enough mental issues going on, and it doesn't need to be added by other humans, regardless if they are children or not.
The problems we see in society at large are the result of schools allowing the behavior you describe. Of course, these problems begin in the home. But schools fail the kids who would benefit from high expectations in academics and behavior because they let the problems run the room. It is easier for administrators. Why are our large cities dirty, unsafe? Answer: Schools empty their garbage out onto the streets.
Yup. In our attempt to bubble wrap these children, we’ve forgotten the importance of discipline, boundaries, expectations, and tough love. Student behavior is a problem because parent behavior is a problem. Folks have lost their damn minds.
That is why we need to bring back Parental Licenses from the 1920s. Eugenics had its flaws, but it was right on one thing, "Not everyone is fit to have kids."
I’m on the custodial staff for after school. I agree with you 💯!! I see teachers quitting everyday! The behaviors are out of control!! In fact I’m quitting tomorrow!!!😢
It isnt the children or their behavior. It is not the parents. It is the leadership and government, 100%. Oversized classrooms are not the children or parent's fault. Understaffed schools are not the children or parent's fault. Incompetent principals are not the children or parent's fault. Untrained, burnt out, or abusive teachers are not the children or parent's fault. Blame your government and the careless incompetents who accept high positions in public education.
@@nowayjosedaniel Gen alpha has an issue where they are incapable of doing anything without an iPhone in one hand and a tablet in another. That behavior was perpetuated by parents who have more important things to do especially during early childhood development. So I do agree that having a child in a cramped environment for 8 hours a day is a disservice to the child, at the end of the day they go home to parents who do not acknowledge their existence or teach them the skills to grow into well adjusted members of society.
@@nowayjosedanieli hate it when people don't hold children or parents accountable because thats just what you are doing.... Yeah we can have a pretty screwed up government but that is no excuse for disrespectful kids and clueless parents....
@cartergabriel5949 so you're saying if the class sizes were smaller, kindergarteners wouldn't throw a stool at a teacher? No. No. One has nothing to do with the other. Child carries pent up anger that s/he is not taught to manage. And maybe that anger comes from abuse or neglect at home, which is not the kids fault, and would then motivate the parents MORE to blame and gaslight the school that it's the teachers' fault so no one finds out what really goes on at home. I grew up in an abusive home - trust me, I know. But even though there is a lot wrong with our government, NONE of these things have literally anything to do with government. They are family problems.
That's why my mom left. " I'm a teacher. I'm not a paid slave, I'm not a cop to wrestling these kids, I'm not admin who can punish them, I'm not the kid's punching bag, and I am DEFINANTLY not getting paid enough to be treated like absolute SHIT by a principal who only cares for herself or parents who spoil. I'M GONE!! Find yourself a robot , which will constantly need repair, or look at your fecking education system in this school"
I remember back when if a student did something wrong they could get detention and be required to stay either after school or go to Saturday school and clean the school. It worked. These days it doesn't happen and when you call home the parent never thinks their child did anything wrong. I remember one time telling a parent that their child was in eleventh grade and no college or boss would tolerate their behavior. 'They need to get their act together unless you are comfortable supporting them as an adult. It's your decision. He's your child after all.' If the parent complained, I didn't care at that point. I was speaking out of concern and if I lost my job so be it. Oddly enough the parent became pretty quiet and I didn't have another problem with that student for the rest of the year. Sometimes parents need to realize that if they don't discipline their child, when that child becomes an adult they will be paying for it.
I’m sure that must’ve been a wake-up call. No matter how much they play dumb, they _know_ who their children are and they don’t want to be stuck w/ them a day passed 18.😒
Good point! I will explicitly state that if I need to this year. I’m out of the classroom to decrease my stress level, but as an instructional coach, I’m still in class with the behaviors, just not as intensely as a teacher. I try to support as much as I can but I’m doing several jobs in one right now.
unfortunately, if i spoke to a parent like that, i'd be reamed by my principal (she commonly sits us down and screams at us) and most definitely written up.
I gave up on teaching due to student behavior and admin mismanagement. I was working at a preschool center while finishing up college. At first I was really happy since I was able to have my own classroom right away because one of my degrees was already completed. Then they began to have me cover for an after care group. Ratio was supposed to be 20-1 with an age range of 5-8 years old. At one point I was given a 21st student which would have put me out of ratio but she had behavioral needs and a steady aid who was supposed to accompany her at all times so I thought all was well. The student came in on her first day and I realized we had a problem. This girl was 14 years old and had no aid in sight. I was told to make it work even though I was now out of ratio. I was too inexperienced to put my foot down so this repeated itself for weeks. I'm fairly petite and one day she grabbed me and threw me over her shoulder. I landed on my neck. ER and miles of paperwork later I returned to my job. Student is still there in the same situation and they asked me to take over again after lecturing me for not recognizing her signals that she was becoming overly stressed. I told them over my dead body and gave my notice stating I would stay for two weeks but only in my classroom. I would not fill. Before I left she threw a five year old student across the room during after care. This finally prompted a change but for me I was done. I got out, finished school and can thankfully support myself through online tutoring.
Sorry that happened to you, what going with that student!? Sounds like an unsafe environment for teachers and students. I can only imagine what co workers will face in near the future with all these behavior issues facing our society. Scary..🤔😬
@@SH_HofYou are an idiot. Respect isnt commanded. Ever. And if you try to command the respect of students, you will be the first one driven out lmfao.
@@SH_Hofare you slow? They wouldn’t even listen the first time when the problem was just the kid not having her aide around. The school doesn’t care and the parents will just return blame to the teacher
@@De3e3 I retired 6/30/2022. Thoughts on alternative employment… 1. Banking 2. Insurance 3. Auto sales management 4. Car rental companies 5. Private tutoring
yes! Absolute lack of consequences. I didn’t let students into my classroom cause they showed up 10 mins after the bell with no pass. So then the AP comes and says I cant keep them out. Cut to these kids in the back of thw room on their phones not learning. Absolute lack of support from Admin and student behavior is exhausting. Cause now I gotta make the parent calls even tho the parents already know how their kids are
A big problem is many parents don't value education. They want THE SCHOOL to raise their kid. And they're not disciplining or teaching their child how to be a respectful and honorable human being. In addition, the majority of parents won't help their child at home when the kid desperately needs extra help. I've asked many parents to please just spend a few minutes after school to practice reading with their child. . . the most common reply: "That's YOUR job." Sad. Because not all kids "get it" right away. And in a classroom where chairs and laptops are flying overhead----KIDS THAT CAN LEARN, AREN'T LEARNING because of the insane environment.
Classroom management and student behavioral issues have been the number one reason teachers leave the profession since the 1960s. That’s six decades and it’s STILL the main problem! Difference is now reasons 2, 3, 4, etc., are even bigger, more overwhelming problems than in the past and more quickly bring teachers to the realization they don’t want to stay and be treated this way. It’s a real crisis that’s being ignored as it has been for decades.
I agree. 1987-2019 here. 5 states, 12 schools, travel teacher. My assessments agrees with you. Too many new quick fixes each year in each state. I do not want to sound hopeless or discouraging. Lets go back to the simplest form of learning and teaching. We are in the first mid-term of the Technology Generation and entering the Second Dark Ages. We are losing our basic skills quickly. (Only a few are thriving.) When our generation is gone, only a few will survive.
Excuses because teachers could go on strike. What about the teachers sexually molesting kids. abuse etc. don't blame all this on parents and kids its bigger issues!
@@christinev.7100Hmmm, what happens more often...teachers who molest or bad behaviour from students? Sure, there are bad teachers, as there are bad people in any profession but lack of consequences has taught children they can do anything they want.
Exactly. It's always been the same with the kids. They are not the problem. Anyone blaming children is an idiot. Theyre children. Social media and Parents havent changed things. Kids are the same. The administration and government have gotten worse and the elites want public school to fail.
My mom retired in 18/19, her principal (who had been a teacher only 14 years prior) said in a meeting “consequences don’t work”. I homeschool my children and I promise you they work! Consequences are what keep things working without all of his killing each other as many people have no sense of morality, they need the consequences.
For a high percentage of kids, consequences do work. You are absolutely right. Many kids and society are seeing the results of school administrators making asinine statements like consequences don't work. We have failed to teach children the realities of life, and we are paying a high price.
You could not pay me enough to be a teacher. There are some rude, disrespectful, brats in this world, and it seems like every generation just gets worse. I have the upmost respect for teachers.
Yes, we have been gaslit. I knew that the most crucial factor determining the quality of education I could provide was directly related to the behavior standards I set in my room. If I could not control them, I could not possibly educate them. Behavior forces many teachers to play elaborate manipulative games with students. Academic standards and expectations are lowered to accommodate students and parents. I fought it for a long time, and my students scores were exceptional in a school that had low, low scores. How did I do it? High behavioral expectations that ensured high "on task" academic behavior. The administration did not care that my kids succeeded academically. They did care if one parent objected to the standards I set that achieved these results. I was the problem, so I left. They didn't care about the education of kids. They cared about their pay checks. Shame on them!
So true! There are teacher being disrespected and even assaulted in schools today and the administrators refuse to allow charges to be filed. I know this because I asked a SRO who left after a teacher was assaulted and he was assaulted and the admin said “nope we will deal with this in house”. No consequences and these kids know it.
Student here. Completely understand you! I'm SO SICK of it too. Any time I have a sub most people treat it like a free for all. Usually, by the end of the period, someone has been injured, someone is crying, and multiple people have headaches. Meanwhile, the kids who started it all are screaming or laughing because they never get in trouble. I wish I could quit school!
I left my previous school after fireworks were thrown into my classroom for a second time and I lost my hearing temporarily with no consequences for the offending students. My head of department found me a position at another school, but I was going to resign regardless of whether I found a new position or not. The principal at the time told me not to factor the fireworks into my decision, because "that happens at all schools, you know that kids are just kids."
I’m not a teacher but as a average person who attended public school I can promise you that is not a normal thing. You actually should have called CNN…
I have NEVER had fireworks thrown at me, and I’ve been teaching for 17 years! The gaslighting and lying is real from many administrators, students and parents. That was a hostile work environment and a lawsuit.
Why were fireworks thrown at you? Did the students hate you for some reason? Often when children act out, ot is bc the teacher is garbage or a jerk. Teachers often are bullies to their students too. Others are so boring, they make life awful bc they care so little.
@@nowayjosedaniel what crap. There are shit teachers in the world from a STUDENT'S perspective but there are shit people too. As functioning adults we don't attack or abuse our coworkers we don't like, if we do we get punishment (fines, jail ect). Why should we treat students that act out towards teachers any differently? This is why teachers are in short supply this attitude that responsibility lies on teachers output & not students.
@cartergabriel5949 did you miss the getting hit, spit on, and cussed at part? That should never be normal student behavior. Parents and admin want us to accept it because kids today have "trauma." Well, don't we all, and some of teachers' trauma are nasty children, crazy parents, and feckless leadership.
I've been an educator for almost 8 years and I agree with her! You're not allowed at some schools in some grades to give students consequences. You have to redirect, which does nothing but give the child another opportunity to just do the same thing again. You can't hold a kid accountable for their behavior, but pretty much have to let it slide and I don't think that's okay. All the class management in the world means nothing without consequences in the classroom and at home.
No parent should trust a teacher to discipline the children. At least not in the south, where the teachers are all uneducated moronic conservative nutters. In the south at least, Teachers have always been trash at discipline. The teachers that arent trash? They dont have problems with bad behavior bc the students love them. Most teachers have always been garbage and often were the kid's biggest bullies. Over 100 years of trash. Although 50 years ago, fathers and mothers would beat the shit out of abusive teachers and theyd stop. Cant do that anymore. Now teachers cant legally be as awful. That's a good thing. The problem is the leadership fails to solve the problems and the government purposefully makes sure to understaffed amd underfund public schools so they get worse and worse. On purpose. The problem is with the leadership and government.
Preach! The behavior is out of control lately. I’ve seriously considered leaving education this year no less than 3 times already. I was genuinely searching for other career opportunities online.
Yes! I noticed exactly the same thing! I'm in Australia. All these stories about teachers quitting and no one mentions the elephant in the room: behaviour! There are no consequences at all and parents are bullies.
When you are finished teaching at the end of the day comes the paper work at your computer You have to put in grades,plan lessons,prepare for the next day, make phone calls,go to faculty meetings after school
As a teacher, I feel absolutely guilty when I have to take time off when I’m sick. It should not be this way!! This profession is sometimes soul sucking.
The fact that we get blamed for this years buzzword “relationships” when we can’t even get our classes to behave well enough to build them is the reason I left, and I think that we’ll see more and more teachers making for the exit as they realize that nothing will ever be fixed on this front.
Yes, they’re all about you developing a relationship with each and every child in the classroom. What does that mean? I think it’s sufficient to have a rapport with each student on some level. At my previous school I had a teacher rail against because she felt I hadn’t developed all the relationships of all the students in my class…
@@SeasonalFrostbite True, how can I work with the 5 ELLs, the 5 IEP kids, the 15 kids that don't want to learn, the 5 kids that want to do well in school, and and attend to the constant interruptions while I have lesson plans, emails and grading I need to work on? It seems that we're handed an infinite number of challenges with no light at the end of the tunnel because the number of students should really change with the complexity involved and it never will.
and when you're so desperate, that you finally resort to going to admin. . . the FIRST THING THEY ASK YOU IS: "Well, have you established a relationship with the student?" As if you haven't tried a million times. (Of course, everything is always the teacher's fault).
@@daphnepapandreou Trying to force "relationships" on kids that don't want them should be illegal. I'm a teacher, and I don't care if you like me, but I do care if you learn something because that's my job.
You got that right and parent behavior. We are not in the same State and having the same problems. The generation has changed. I have been hit, bit, cut, etc. Some students try to fight you after behavior correction. Certain students rule the classroom and they mess it up for students that want to learn.
Totally agree. If parents backed teachers it would help a lot but I've had the" of course I'll believe my child over a teacher" and the "remember I pay your wages" Over the course of 40 years I've watched the behaviour of parents and students sink to an all time low. If the parents agree the child's behaviour is poor then it's because they have an " issue" it couldn't at all be down to their parenting!!! I'm out over a year and so glad.
Hubby used to drive school bus. Not only were the kids out of control, but as a bus driver it is 100% necessary to have a second job.... except you have to go sit in the principal's office half the day (without pay) to try to "discipline" a kid for unsafe behavior on a moving vehicle... only to have the principal side with the "my kid's an angel" parent... then have a kid get hurt because they refuse to sit, and the driver gets in trouble for "failure to control a child" 🤦♀️. All of this while making less than the people making salads at Chick-fil-A.
This is so true! Kids have gotten brazen in their disrespect and there are practically no consequences. And that goes straight back to the parents. That’s why I say if American schools are failing it’s because American parents are failing.
True. But schools could save many of the kids sitting in their classrooms. Administration needs to stop catering to the behavior problems and return strict behavior standards to the classroom. Yes, I said strict. I do not mean kids sitting up like soldiers or being spanked or yelled at or in any way being demeaned. Common sense standards of behavior create an atmosphere conducive to learning. Simple rules: 1. Follow instructions the first time they are given. 2, Raise your hand and wait to be called on. 3. Stay on task. I strictly (substitute firmly if you are uncomfortable with "strict') enforced these rules in a school designated as "at risk." Impoverished, second language, "minority" kids soared. This is not rocket science, but it does mean educators taking a stand. We need society to understand this and to back it. Nothing will change if our culture does not grasp the importance of teaching kids to behave.
Someone in the comments wrote the situation is due to « feminizing everything « . I’m a female teacher. I’ve been teaching for the past 36 years. I spend countless hours working, I work part of the weekends and the holidays, too because I love bringing up new topics. The more I learn, the better I teach my students, but… there are more and more classes where the unruly students outnumber those who are keen on learning. I currently teach 5 classes. Three out of five are composed of decent young people, many of whom show appreciation for my teaching. One class is a motley crew of youngsters who clearly have no clue what they come to school for. They are disruptive, do not bother to write down lessons, make creative noises that make me feel sorry for the poor state their intestines seem to be in. And yet, at the end of classes, they come to speak to me nicely. They just have no education whatsoever. Oh! Guess how old they are? 18. They are old enough to vote and drive a car, but they are too lazy to look for work, rather than mooch at school. My fifth class is composed of 15-year-old pupils. Many of them suffer from any word you can think of that begins with the prefix « dys ». I’m supposed to type each of my lessons in different fonts and sizes to accommodate their various needs. I must also adapt all the tests to suit this one and that one. I also have two students who do not speak a single word in French (I’m a French teacher who works in France). Most of those students stumble on words when reading. I was a better reader at age 6 than they are at 15. They do not understand simple enough instructions (« in the following list, circle the place where the action takes place and underline the places that are only mentioned by the characters »: real life example, I lost most of my class there last week). And let’s not forget the 15-year-old that attended my class last year, and who was followed by the judiciary system for raping a girl when he was 9. So, yes, there are days when I feel knackered for more reasons than just plain teaching. And this has nothing to do with my being a female teacher, thank you sir.
You really hit a nerve with this. As I read the comments my heart hurt. I retired two years ago and my last years were like this. My friends say it's worse now. I usually can find a joke or some dark humor in things, but dang, nothing about this is even remotely humorous. Love you guys out there......
I left teaching (in the UK) because of student behaviour - so little respect. Having left teaching I have realised how much all of those other things also affected me and now I'm feeling way better about my life!
My mom cried on the last day of school. The last day she would teach. Ever. She wanted to teach, but she needed to leave because of the pay, and of the stress. It's sad how low the pay is.
no one knows what good people teachers are. we got into the profession knowing the pay wasn't the greatest---but we wanted to make a difference, watch our students learn and grow, and love spending our work day with kids. unfortunately, the chaotic, violent, disrespectful and UNSAFE school environment is pushing even the best teachers out.
OMG!!! You are my new favorite social media teacher!!!! YES YES A 1000 times YES!!!! I have dealt with everything from students being ENCOURAGED to file an incident report against ME after they were sent to the Dean’s office for cursing me out or a million other misbehaviors in class, to having kids come back after just a second with the dean with a SNACK and being told “we had a talk, they should be good to go now”, to having students actually physically attack me and then I became the target of an investigation. Like how did my standing at the door, as I’m supposed to, reminding them about their dress code, as supposed to, somehow CAUSE that child to intentionally JUMP onto my FOOT?!!!!! How am I at fault for that??? And there are NEVER appropriate consequences for the students so they LEARN that they can get away with ANYTHING!!!!!!
I feel like schools are gradually getting treated more like a business, where teachers are workers who are gauged by their students’ performance in terms of work efficacy and get paid a flat rate for a set number of hours regardless how many they actually work, and where administration treat parents like customers they need to placate. If a student is misbehaving and they get away with just a slap on the wrist, it feels more like “the customer is always right” mantra.
Many don't even get a slap on the hand. I had a principal whose solution for dealing with behavior problems was to put them in front of a television to watch movies. That was in the nineties.
We had a teacher who was jumped 2 years ago by 4 female students. She was in the hospital for weeks. Never saw her again. She was just trying to get them to stop fighting in the hallway. Only 1 of those girls received any consequences. These students were 13. I myself at 4 months pregnant was confronted/intimidated by 2 male students who wanted to fight someone in my classroom, as I was standing at my doorway, just monitoring the hall. They received in school detention for 1 day. Called me every name under the book, and got right up in my face, like they were going to fight me. Just because I calmly told them they couldn't come into my room and cause violence. They weren't my students, didn't even know their names until other teachers identified them. Sure some people will read this, and say these poor little lambs...
My mom is a high school librarian and we are counting down the months till she gets to retire. The students have been getting worse, the administration has been leaving teachers to defend themselves and the union can only strike for so long because of Pennsylvania state laws. The administration and school boards know that they can wait and drag their feet on meeting the table before they are required to go back to work. The system is fucked.
@@themacocko6311 they can strike for a while as long as the kids get 180 days for the school year but I agree it is very state dependent. The South has the weakest unions and the worst outcomes.
Agreed. My dad taught 30 years before retiring. I had hoped I could do the same. I’m on year 13 and it just gets harder and harder. Kids are becoming more aggressive, disrespectful, and defiant every year. With little to no consequences. I’m at my wits’ end.
Student behavior goes hand in hand with keeping them accountable to theor grades. We need to stop pushing kids along and fail them. When kids see that grades don't matter because they can just move on to the next grade with no consequences, then the whole system of education falls flat. Kids earn their way to the next grade level is the only way.
There are fifth graders who cannot do kindergarten math or write a coherent sentence. They will pass them this year to six grade. It is shocking and a disservice to them and the children who work hard to study and focus in class. Teachers are forced to pass them. Admin makes the decision.
It's not even about "earning it." It's literally having enough time to be able to learn and comprehend and demonstrate said comprehension. The amount of curriculum admin somehow thinks can get covered PROPERLY in 9 months is ridiculous.
I agree 100%, but in my district, they stopped holding kids back years ago. I believe only one student out of 400 was for severe truancy. Kids can get a 7% and move to the next grade. I've even had some of them brag about it. They know the policies.
When I fill out forms I mention “how I disclipine & how I reward my kids for positive behavior. My hope is that I can work with the teachers to make sure my children are doing well in & out of school
Yeah i got bullied a ton as a preteen and young teen in middle school. High school wasnt near as bad for me but the bullies were never punished but i sure was when i hit one of the bullies . My parents tried going to the school multiple times to get help from the admins. So my dad gave me a high five and a 50 dollar bill in front of the principal.
After 28 years of teaching I was fired because a student tried to steal something I had and I lightly grabbed his forearm and pushed him back. A teacher is not allowed to touch a student no matter what they do.
Everyday I honestly feel like I was the last generation to actually get disciplined at school. Actually I never was, because seeing the other kids discipline was enough of a deterrent. Kids never got hit, but they certainly would squeeze the hell out of your wrist dragging you to the office.
I give presentations in high schools regularly to talk about career training opportunities besides college. The student behavior was terrible two years ago and now it's even worse. Between kids getting away with being openly disruptive or rude in addition to usually half of the class just not showing up it's become by far my least favorite organization to present to. Kids are becoming increasingly stupid on top of everything else so that's certainly not helping. Anytime I talk to senior HS students about their post-high school plans it's laughable how little research they've done and how vastly they have overestimated their abilities and desirability as a potential employee.
We had a famous "sports" player come to our elementary school---I can't remember his name; I'm not really into sports (and I was trying to control my class). The kids WERE HORRIBLE---screaming, talking, laughing, getting up and running around. After only a few minutes into his presentation, he stated: This is one of the most disrespectful audiences I've ever seen. I'm leaving." And off he went. I can't even explain the embarrassment we felt. This is not the teachers' faults. This is POLICY from DC that has created this mess.
It’s also the reason some of us aren’t coming back. The public just isn’t the same as it was pre-Covid. If I thought I’d be treated with genuine respect by kids, families, and admin, I’d go back. Just not holding my breath.
Facts! I think we don’t speak of this enough because we don’t wan to demonize our kids, but it really is a huge issue. I honestly feel bad for the students who do want to learn because so little teaching actually occurs.
I relate to this. In my senior year of high school, I was already on the brink from so much shit going on. And the fact that some kids would not shut up and let some teachers do what they needed to do. It was not good.
I’m glad to see if the people are finally wising up to something that’s been known for a while, which is you’re the adult they’re the child and discipline begins in the home.
yep... my sister teaches in a high school in suburban Chicagoland and she has 5 years until retirement and it's BRUTAL... student behavior and lack of consequences are OUT OF CONTROL. The administration rolls over... it's pathetic.
Yep. What I took away from teaching for 4 years is that many parents are assholes and it's no wonder that they have shitty children. However, I love and appreciate all the good students and supportive parents. It's really too bad that their education is being affected by these shitty students and their horrible parents.
I’ve been kicked in the stomach by a guy because he randomly decided the stick I was messing with was his and then he proceeded to attack me and I probably got in more trouble than he did 😭
My wife’s comes home, emotionally drained and I understand but after 17 years, how much can she take much can we take? We’re losing time in our family because she’s so drained and can’t pay attention when she gets home. She’s exhausted because she starts at 6:30 in the morning and gets off at 4:30 and she open up the classroom, i’ll get this. She was so disrespected at the craziest time of the day when my wife signing kids in and out her boss comes to her and hands are 15 year Chip thanks for service and then just walk away. She’s busy talking to parents I thought this is disrespectful the highest goddamn level, she’s not even appreciated. She gives 100% to the kids like never-ending cycle.
Student behaviour and dealing with parents who support their children's misbehaviour was a big pet peeve of mine. I'm happy to be retired after 28 years of teaching in Ontario Canada.
For two generations children have not been taught respect and consequences. They’ve been taught that everybody’s a winner and you should do whatever makes you feel good. This is one reason why our society is falling apart around our ears. Everybody expects “the trophy” or at the very least to always get their way. When this behavior is present in both the student and their parent it’s an almost impossible situation to deal with. I cannot believe some of the stories I hear about how parents treat teachers and the expectations they have of them. I certainly wouldn’t put up with it!
I understand the importance of IEPs, but I’ve seen them misused as a way to prevent accountability by students. Students need real consequences for their behavior.
Spot on. The behavior of students can range from contempt, disrespect, disrupting class,etc. In addition to all of the things that you named… Teachers are not respected, they’re not treated like professionals, the boatload of responsibility on them, the insultingly low pay….I don’t think the average parent has any idea of how much work teachers really do.
I knew that’s what you were going to say!!! 😹 I was lucky to be retired, after 38 years in the classroom, during the pandemic! I said from the beginning that after not having to be in a classroom where you had to not only teach, but discipline, teachers wouldn’t ever want to go back! I can’t imagine trying to have any kind of control after the kids had none for a year or two! What a nightmare! 🙀
I am one of those who is tired of student behavior. I have one who pushed me down in the cafeteria. I fell and hit my head and tailbone. No major injuries but nothing happened to the kid. This kid has hit me, thrown things at me, and threatened to stab my para. Nothing is done about these kids.
If those higher up than you wont solve this problem, then leave. Simple as. You even admit it isnt the kids behavior that is the problem. It is the leadership's refusal to solve the problems that occur. Dont work for incompetent bosses. Simple as.
My child is struggling in Kindergarten and i dont know how to help him because typical punishments make it worse. We got to visit the class today for a few hours. 7 kids out due to being sick and I still don't know how in the heck she does it. 21 kids one teacher. Absolutely unacceptable. Too many kids and too small of classrooms.
Yes!! The lack of respect is huge! I have a lot of family in teaching careers and my sister left teaching elementary because of the disrespect and entitlement of parents. My husband teaches and this year’s freshman have been more disrespectful than he’s had in over a decade of teaching. It’s like they just don’t understand what respect is anymore and there’s not much teachers are allowed to do about it either. Last time he sent a student to the office he got in trouble so even that isn’t usually an option anymore. It’s crazy. Teachers deserve respect from their students, parents, and the community. It’s sad that this isn’t just common sense to people.
Yeah, they soon found out how difficult it is to teach young children. You would think they would more patient with their own child but I guess not. Of course, this isn’t taking into account the fact that they had their own one or two kids to teach but the typical teacher has 22.
and is there anyone else out there who is sick of hearing: "The cause of this behavior was the pandemic. . . . " OH HELL NO. This vile and disgusting behavior has gone on well before the pandemic.
Truth! My son was telling me last week about a student tried to throw a desk this teacher and when it didn't get far enough, he threw a chair. Me and my son had a HUGE talk about that. I NEVER want that to be my kid and if it was, I can guarantee, he would have only done it once after that.
As a former student of public school, I'm going to point out that the bad apples don't get punished, but when the good apples defend themselves they get punished. After seeing this happen numerous times at my school, I just got to where I counted the days when I could graduate. I'd mourn the good teachers leaving but didn't blame them. Sadly, this was before the pandemic, so the problems being named have been festering for a long time ...in other words, this was going to happen eventually 😢
Maybe if we didn’t cram kids into tiny rooms with uncomfortable chairs for long periods of time they wouldn’t be so prone to behavior issues. Also, let’s maybe not have the 7 spectrum kids in class with 12 ED kids and hope that the 3 high achieving kids can help the teachers manage everything along with the 10 other random kids whose attitude change every day.
I totally agree, plus the lack of outside time and excessive screen time at home. I remember hearing kindergarteners talk about how they “couldn’t wait to get home to play video games”. It was a beautiful day and they didn’t even seem to realise it, which insinuates a lot about how they were brought up and what home life was like. These same kids were also drugged out of their minds half the time for “ADHD”. It was heartbreaking.
@@tuttyfat even the best kids will still be fidgety and unhappy if they are crammed into a room that’s too small, are being held back by schools trying to include students that should be in a different classroom, and by not allowing enough outside time. Certainly some bad behaviours come from what happens at home, but to say that any bad behaviour is a product of home life is not correct.
You nailed it. The archaic, dysfunctional public school system as a whole doesn't provide respect and support to teachers in the work they would otherwise love. It's a system that has no spine. Plus, the curriculum and format need a major overhaul. Schools should be healthy, joyful, and RESPECTFUL places for all involved.
Absolutely spot on. People get mad at me when I say in writing that kids are assholes but the fact remains that kids are indeed assholes. Why do I think that kids are assholes? Simple, because kids are assholes. I taught for seven years and had jobs that ran the gamut from the sublime to the ridiculous. I taught Catholic junior high school for 2 years. Tried being a Benedictine brother for one school year during which I was one of the janitors at Benedictine High School since I was only a postulant, even if I did have my BS Ed degree and 7 years’ experience. Also taught ghetto high school and Job Corps GED then finally was a community college administrator running a GED night school. GED was the best, but that’s not saying much. Teaching in the ghetto you alternate between having to rescue people who are being beaten up to actually getting assaulted yourself. It’s not worth the bother. People overwhelmingly simply have no academic ability. Most people should just audit their schooling and mostly get cultural exposure so they’re not complete boobs as adults. Grades should be eliminated and diplomas should be awarded by examination only and the exams should be impartially run by an independent authority. Instruction should be automated as much as possible to get teachers out of the lecturing business. Once no one is willing to put up with this horse-shit anymore they’ll have no choice but to automate it and just hire youth leaders and security guards to monitor computer labs. It’ll be online academy even for the little monsters who actually go to school. No one should major in eduction any more, not even as a high school subject specialist with the equivalent of a regular BA. Just think about what you’re missing in adult life by locking yourself up in a classroom with a bunch of boring and useless kids all day. It’s not worth it. So don’t bother.
this is very true i have been teaching for almost 10 years now thinking of quitting and this is exactly my reason currently a pre kindergarten teacher all the way from sri lanka 🇱🇰
I just finished my final semester in my bachelor's of English Education, and I will be damned to hell if I become a teacher. I was a teacher for ONE semester. One. And the hellhole was insufferable.
You're not alone or crazy. I did one semester of student teaching hs mathematics and said, "Hell no!" as well. Now to find an alternative career path...
I called the principal to remove two kids that were messing with my property, trying to escape from the room, and jumping on classroom equipment. The principal walked in and just told me to to ignore the behavior. The students heard that, so they continued to act out for months doing the same stuff. They would even start to laugh at me while doing it because they know they can get away with it. I had to call the office every time I had them, as we now have a “no touch” policy. Ultimately, one moved away and the other one is in counseling during my music class. This is my last semester.
I’ve been involved in classrooms for almost ten years, which admittedly isn’t that long in terms of behavior trends, but in the time I’ve been in classrooms as both a student teacher and a fully-licensed teacher, I have heard this same complaint. So, while I sympathize with teachers who feel the need to leave teaching due to student behavior, I think it’s just a part of the job that’s not going to get any better. That’s why I’ve stayed at a school where I know my classroom management strategies work well along with the policies admin is willing to enforce. It takes time to figure out a good balance between letting the behavior go, handling things within your own classroom, and getting admin involved. Not every situation is going to favor every teacher’s classroom management instincts. Sometimes people just aren’t a good fit for a career in education and that’s fine, but other times, they’re just not willing to change up what their instincts are telling them to do in the classroom.
Yep! I quit my job after 32 years three weeks ago after high school students in several classes acted up. In addition to students being argumentative and insubordinate, I had kids flipping me off and telling me to f**k off. One student threw a shoe at my head but missed. A student in another class threw a water bottle that shattered an overhead clock. I warned the students about their behavior. I contacted their parents. After filling out discipline referrals, I was reprimanded by admin for having filled out too many referrals. I was also told that no assault (attempted or otherwise) had occurred. When I was then told to step up my class management skills or find another job, I decided to quit and find another (non-teaching) job. I do not regret quitting. We lost 4 teachers over the summer and admin filled these positions with long term subs. Another teacher quit a month before I did. With my departure, the school was down one-quarter of their certified faculty. I don't know how many more teachers the school can lose while still staying functional. Fortunately for me, this is no longer my problem.
it's a HUGE problem for other students who are there who don't have behavior problems and actually want to get an education as well. If 1/2 the time the teacher is dealing with out of control students in the classroom, those kids who want to learn aren't getting an education as well.
