The year is 4 weeks old. I have 5 classes, 4 junior and 1 senior, well year 11. I am already missing having a true senior class this year but to make up for it I have 2 amazing year 9 classes. One of these years 9 classes is my form class with a few extra to make up the numbers. The boys are amazing. They are polite, respectful and show empathy for others around them. Yes, we have had our ups and downs and a punch has already been thrown but so far so good. fingers crossed the honeymoon period doesn't end too soon and if I keep hammering my expectations for the remainder of the term we should be in for a great year. My other year 9 class is larger but seems to have many of the same qualities. The dynamic is slightly different, there are some increased needs with some of the boys but overall they are polite, respectful and can follow basic instructions pretty well. Again my big focus is hammering expectation and putting anyone who steps out of line back into line very quickly and purposefully. So, so far so good.
My year 10 classes are a completely different story. unlike year 9 we stream out 10s and as a result of having the very bottom class and a low middle class. I will start with my 012's or low middle class. again this is a biggish class, not the biggest in the school, but nearly double my smallest class. I taught a number of the boys last year which is proving to be very challenging. Overall, they are a nice enough class. I have a small group who sit in class and will do very little work (this weekends emails to be sent.) The majority of the boys are willing to put in some effort and by and large, we have good lessons. I have found establishing the boundaries and routines in this class to be difficult but we are getting there. We are making good progress with the routine and the boys know what is expected of them and what they need to bring to class each lesson. For the most part, they are respectful and will complete the assigned work, with some prodding and the promise that if it is not completed they lose their lunch hours and emails get sent home.
My 011 is going to be the death of me. As soon as I saw the class last year I knew I was in for a real challenge and was going to have a tough time, boy was I right. I have struggled from day one to set boundaries and the expectations. The boys just don't care. They do not respect me, the learning rights of each other and to top it all off even though there is only 14 in the class I feel like of have 28. I have real difficulties getting any productive work achieved, I struggle to keep them seated and even staying in the classroom for the entire lesson and to make matters worse I have a severely autistic boy who is like a red rag to a bull for over 1/2 the class. I spent 90% of my lessons trying to protect him from himself and the other boys winding him up to the point where he lashes out. There are some lovely boys in the class and I am trying to focus my attention on them. The majority don't want to be in class and most likely don't want to be at school. They do not engage with the material, I am producing work based on their suggestions and interests but I feel like I am getting nowhere. They are disrespectful, have zero self-control and could not give two hoots about how their behaviour impacts other. I have reached out for help, the TA I did have got removed to move to another class. I am trying to get my special needs boy moved for his own safety. The plan this weekend is to make him a personalised program that he can work through at his own pace in class.
The others I can not get under control, no matter what I say or do they take zero notice. Consequences don't mean anything to them. I feel like I am fighting a losing battle and the worse part is it is making my anxiety worse and I am having panic attacks about having to teach this class. They are making me feel incompetent and unable to control a group of 14-year-olds which is fueling my anxiety and is beginning to become a vicious circle that I feel soon will engulf my sanity and will send me running to the hills - either changing schools or leaving the profession altogether. I am sitting down next week to put some plans and tactics in place that will hopefully help get these boys under control and following simple instructions. I am at my wit's end and I fear there is not enough nettle tea in the world to save my sanity and confidence. Any helpful suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!
On a brighter note, my year 11 is fun. There are some very low boys who have fixed mindset issues and low self-confidence but we are slowly progressing through the first internal and fingers crossed they should all pass. Yes they are noisy, and can be slow to settle and some of them are choosing not to do any work - again more emails to send home - but this is their life, they are seniors now if their choice to do no work in spite of my gentle prodding and dishing out of consequence then so be it. As they say, you can lead a horse to water but you can not make it drink.
Overall, it has been a pretty good 4 week. I am really working hard to reinforce my expectations, boundaries and the consequence that go with those. I hope it will be a better year than last year and I can keep my sanity in check. Asking for help is a good first step, and I hope by the end of the term I have all 5 classes humming along quite nicely. Currently, 1 class is about 1 8/10, 2 are about a 7/10, 1 is about a 6/10 and my last class is a 2/10. So lots of nettle tea to be drunk, strategies implemented and hopefully no full-blown panic attacks before the term is over in April.
Have a gret weekend
Miss G
