Poor classroom behavior in middle school

[Anonymous]

We live in a high income area (not the DMV) and my kid's middle school school resource officer says that the kids are the worst he's ever seen, behavior-wise. This is echoed by my ES kid's school social worker. I don't know if it's related to COVID or not.

I recall kids being serious punks in my moderate income small town schools when I was a kid. From what my MS DS tells me, it doesn't seem too radically different but I don't really know. Regardless, it's too bad that teachers have to deal with that crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this a high percentage FARMs school? Poverty leads to terrible behavior. Mainly because it likely means absent parents, homelessness, one parent incarcerated, random relatives raising kids, etc.

I went to a “good” suburban public school (2002 high school graduation) Not wealthy, but very few would have been considered low income. I don’t recall any of these problems. No one swore at teachers (during class), threw anything, were destructive, starting fights. It just didn’t happen. The only bad behavior I recall was loitering in halls, sleeping in class, or talking when teacher was teaching.

You're so wrong.
At our W public MS, which is one of the top 3 mentioned on this board as being a terrific school and is in a wealthy area, the behavior is just as OP describes. There have been numerous fights caught on video this year and there are regularly kids sent out of the classroom for misbehaving or being disrespectful.

I think part of it is the pandemic but I remember hearing similar stories 3 years ago from parents of older kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this a high percentage FARMs school? Poverty leads to terrible behavior. Mainly because it likely means absent parents, homelessness, one parent incarcerated, random relatives raising kids, etc.

I went to a “good” suburban public school (2002 high school graduation) Not wealthy, but very few would have been considered low income. I don’t recall any of these problems. No one swore at teachers (during class), threw anything, were destructive, starting fights. It just didn’t happen. The only bad behavior I recall was loitering in halls, sleeping in class, or talking when teacher was teaching.

I teach in a Title One school in Baltimore City. Except for a few students, our 700+ students are quite well behaved. People comment on it every time they visit. Most students respond to limits. Some require consequences to learn how those limits are enforced. Some students who act out end up with a diagnosis (ADHD, ODD, etc).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is unfortunate, however tween/teen period is a time of change - wanting to fit in, try on new personas, and yes test authority. There have been books written, movies made, and angst expressed throughout the span of time (Grease - the movie, being a classic example.) Wait until the weaather warms up...

Experienced schools, teachers, and parents would understand this, and as best as possible, would help "guide" our wayward youth.

In the meantime, i would suggest you take some deep breaths, and recognize this too shall pass...

This entire response is laughable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this a high percentage FARMs school? Poverty leads to terrible behavior. Mainly because it likely means absent parents, homelessness, one parent incarcerated, random relatives raising kids, etc.

I went to a “good” suburban public school (2002 high school graduation) Not wealthy, but very few would have been considered low income. I don’t recall any of these problems. No one swore at teachers (during class), threw anything, were destructive, starting fights. It just didn’t happen. The only bad behavior I recall was loitering in halls, sleeping in class, or talking when teacher was teaching.

Yeahhhh, we’re not talking about Back In Your Day.

[Anonymous]

I subbed at a middle school today for the orchestra teacher. Generally the kids who sign up for orchestra are well-behaved, hard-working kids. But the 6th graders were a real handful today. It was pretty chaotic. The kids were super rude to each other. One student actually broke another student' violin case by being totally careless. She didn't even apologize for it afterward. The 7th and 8th graders were much better behaved. 6th grade can be awful!

[Anonymous]

Different schools work for different children. DS has Asberger’s and ADHD. Our Neuropsych said he’d be a perfect fit in the Auburn School for children with Asberger’s. My son hated it and he was a discipline problem. I hated it, too, because the teachers were illiterate. I took him out and enrolled him in Fusion. He loved it there and got all As. I took him out of Fusion during lockdown and hired private tutors.

[Anonymous]

Parents just don't keep their kids accountable for behaviors. They THiNK they do because they ask for please/thank yous, but when you're a teacher and hear how kids talk to their parents these days...it's bad. Kids demand and parents jump. Kids get in trouble at school and parents defend the kid. Unlimited screens.

I put my arm out to prevent a 1st grader from pummeling a fellow classmate and the one starting the fight told me I hit him 🙄 the one who had his fist up and threatening the other. I'm guessing if he goes home to tell mom his teacher hit him, I'll be on permanent leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents just don't keep their kids accountable for behaviors. They THiNK they do because they ask for please/thank yous, but when you're a teacher and hear how kids talk to their parents these days...it's bad. Kids demand and parents jump. Kids get in trouble at school and parents defend the kid. Unlimited screens.

I put my arm out to prevent a 1st grader from pummeling a fellow classmate and the one starting the fight told me I hit him 🙄 the one who had his fist up and threatening the other. I'm guessing if he goes home to tell mom his teacher hit him, I'll be on permanent leave.

Forget middle school, I stopped volunteering in my kids’ elementary school a few years ago because I couldn’t believe the way kids talk to adults. Complete lack of respect. And no, I’m not talking about the kids from disadvantaged backgrounds.

[Anonymous]

I briefly taught at a middle school almost twenty years ago before switching to high school. All of this was true back then too. The behavior was terrible for some, others still acted like young elementary aged kids, others were mature and most switched frequently between the three. There were lots of rules to try to keep it all together and lots of strict teachers because things got out of hand quickly and went to tears and/or fights. The parents were also terrible with their expectations.

Wait a couple of years. It all settles down in high school.

[Anonymous]

9:44 again. Responding to one of the PP who broke up the fight.

My last year there, I was standing and a kid was running and ran into me. At that age they try still to run through people and have no sense. This led to meetings with admin and his family because I supposedly was intentionally blocking him with my body from going where he wanted. Eventually it was determined I didn’t do anything wrong, he ran into me. But I’m trying to tell you middle school has been like this forever.