Student Behavior - Starting to Fall Apart?

[Anonymous]

I’m a parent, but I’m in the school a few times a week for PTA and to volunteer.

From what I could observe, it seems like the first month of school was amazing behavior-wise. Smiles everywhere and kids seemed happy and cooperative. The past few weeks things seemed to have flipped. Kids are running in the halls, yelling and generally disrespectful. Teachers have gone from looking happy confident to appearing stressed out and sleep deprived.

Is this what normally happens during a school year? Or are others seeing this too? I remember hearing last year about the TikTok trends but that seemed to have happened right at the start of school and were quickly shut down.

[Anonymous]

That’s always what happens. Talk to any experienced teacher. It’s a combination of familiarity, and the newness of the school year fading into drudgery.

[Anonymous]

I remember seeing freshmen last year who were absolutely feral and clearly had been affected by the lack of socialization during the Covid shutdown. Hope for the sake of the teachers and administrators it is somewhat better this year.

[Anonymous]

Yep, totally typical. September everyone is a bit reserved getting to know each other. October the honeymoon is over and boundaries are pushed and rules are broken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yep, totally typical. September everyone is a bit reserved getting to know each other. October the honeymoon is over and boundaries are pushed and rules are broken.

LOL, wait until March. It is really bad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent, but I’m in the school a few times a week for PTA and to volunteer.

From what I could observe, it seems like the first month of school was amazing behavior-wise. Smiles everywhere and kids seemed happy and cooperative. The past few weeks things seemed to have flipped. Kids are running in the halls, yelling and generally disrespectful. Teachers have gone from looking happy confident to appearing stressed out and sleep deprived.

Is this what normally happens during a school year? Or are others seeing this too? I remember hearing last year about the TikTok trends but that seemed to have happened right at the start of school and were quickly shut down.

Yes. This is common. Parents are also not always responsive to helping with behavior concerns. Unfortunately, there has been a huge change in parenting and not for the better. So many kids do not understand authority, respect and the word no. When I was a kid, you were afraid of going to the principal’s office or getting contacted by the teacher. Nowadays, some parents think their kid is completely innocent because they don’t act like that at home.

[Anonymous]

Students are testing their boundaries . Parenting style is different now and kids are more lacking boundaries these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent, but I’m in the school a few times a week for PTA and to volunteer.

From what I could observe, it seems like the first month of school was amazing behavior-wise. Smiles everywhere and kids seemed happy and cooperative. The past few weeks things seemed to have flipped. Kids are running in the halls, yelling and generally disrespectful. Teachers have gone from looking happy confident to appearing stressed out and sleep deprived.

Is this what normally happens during a school year? Or are others seeing this too? I remember hearing last year about the TikTok trends but that seemed to have happened right at the start of school and were quickly shut down.

Yes. This is common. Parents are also not always responsive to helping with behavior concerns. Unfortunately, there has been a huge change in parenting and not for the better. So many kids do not understand authority, respect and the word no. When I was a kid, you were afraid of going to the principal’s office or getting contacted by the teacher. Nowadays, some parents think their kid is completely innocent because they don’t act like that at home.

I hate to be a "back in my day" person but I agree with this.
I do find that behavior is cyclical in schools. I teach very young children so our pattern is a bit different (wild September, calmer October) and it seems to shift every 6-8 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep, totally typical. September everyone is a bit reserved getting to know each other. October the honeymoon is over and boundaries are pushed and rules are broken.

LOL, wait until March. It is really bad!

I'm not sure we need to wait till March this year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent, but I’m in the school a few times a week for PTA and to volunteer.

From what I could observe, it seems like the first month of school was amazing behavior-wise. Smiles everywhere and kids seemed happy and cooperative. The past few weeks things seemed to have flipped. Kids are running in the halls, yelling and generally disrespectful. Teachers have gone from looking happy confident to appearing stressed out and sleep deprived.

Is this what normally happens during a school year? Or are others seeing this too? I remember hearing last year about the TikTok trends but that seemed to have happened right at the start of school and were quickly shut down.

Yes. This is common. Parents are also not always responsive to helping with behavior concerns. Unfortunately, there has been a huge change in parenting and not for the better. So many kids do not understand authority, respect and the word no. When I was a kid, you were afraid of going to the principal’s office or getting contacted by the teacher. Nowadays, some parents think their kid is completely innocent because they don’t act like that at home.

I hate to be a "back in my day" person but I agree with this.
I do find that behavior is cyclical in schools. I teach very young children so our pattern is a bit different (wild September, calmer October) and it seems to shift every 6-8 weeks.

This is how it use to be in elementary schools....but this year I'm not seeing this. I'm shocked how young children disregard the adults in our building. It's a safety issue at times. Teachers are June tired that is not normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent, but I’m in the school a few times a week for PTA and to volunteer.

From what I could observe, it seems like the first month of school was amazing behavior-wise. Smiles everywhere and kids seemed happy and cooperative. The past few weeks things seemed to have flipped. Kids are running in the halls, yelling and generally disrespectful. Teachers have gone from looking happy confident to appearing stressed out and sleep deprived.

Is this what normally happens during a school year? Or are others seeing this too? I remember hearing last year about the TikTok trends but that seemed to have happened right at the start of school and were quickly shut down.

Yes. This is common. Parents are also not always responsive to helping with behavior concerns. Unfortunately, there has been a huge change in parenting and not for the better. So many kids do not understand authority, respect and the word no. When I was a kid, you were afraid of going to the principal’s office or getting contacted by the teacher. Nowadays, some parents think their kid is completely innocent because they don’t act like that at home.

I hate to be a "back in my day" person but I agree with this.
I do find that behavior is cyclical in schools. I teach very young children so our pattern is a bit different (wild September, calmer October) and it seems to shift every 6-8 weeks.

This is how it use to be in elementary schools....but this year I'm not seeing this. I'm shocked how young children disregard the adults in our building. It's a safety issue at times. Teachers are June tired that is not normal.

Yep. It’s already been a year - 7 weeks in.

[Anonymous]

Even in kindergarten kids are rolling their eyes and talking back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even in kindergarten kids are rolling their eyes and talking back.

Lots of back talk and over the top reactions to not getting their way. I’d usually have one difficult student but now I have 4-5. It’s a lot and it makes most days feel like a marathon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even in kindergarten kids are rolling their eyes and talking back.

Lots of back talk and over the top reactions to not getting their way. I’d usually have one difficult student but now I have 4-5. It’s a lot and it makes most days feel like a marathon.

Me at work to my 4th graders: “You have a lot of attitude for someone who doesn’t know how to subtract.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even in kindergarten kids are rolling their eyes and talking back.

Lots of back talk and over the top reactions to not getting their way. I’d usually have one difficult student but now I have 4-5. It’s a lot and it makes most days feel like a marathon.

Me at work to my 4th graders: “You have a lot of attitude for someone who doesn’t know how to subtract.”

Umm... you have 4th graders that don't know how to subtract? That seems the larger issue here.