Why do teachers allow horribly behaved kids to stay in the classroom and disrupt other kids?

[Anonymous]

I think all successful adults have stories of strict teachers who changed their lives.

Strict teachers were backed up. A kid who told a teacher to F off was in the Principal's office right away.

[Anonymous]

My kid is in non public placement. His issue is that the large class sizes are just too overwhelming. In a small class, he's fine and has no behavior issues. I don't know how many other kids are like him. But he doesn't need anything but less people in a room.

Smaller classes would benefit everyone. Maybe take the money that the schools are spending on out of district placements and hire more teachers to make smaller classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in non public placement. His issue is that the large class sizes are just too overwhelming. In a small class, he's fine and has no behavior issues. I don't know how many other kids are like him. But he doesn't need anything but less people in a room.

Smaller classes would benefit everyone. Maybe take the money that the schools are spending on out of district placements and hire more teachers to make smaller classes.

There is not enough space for the number of smaller classes. Many schools in FCPS are using Modular’s and trailers for classrooms due to the lack of space.

[Anonymous]

Mcps admin force us to deal with the violent kids and many times they cut us off from calling security for help or support. Then they blame and fire the teqchers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in non public placement. His issue is that the large class sizes are just too overwhelming. In a small class, he's fine and has no behavior issues. I don't know how many other kids are like him. But he doesn't need anything but less people in a room.

Smaller classes would benefit everyone. Maybe take the money that the schools are spending on out of district placements and hire more teachers to make smaller classes.

+1 this is why private schoolparents pay $50,000 a year so their kid can be in a class of 15 kids and get personal attention from the teacher

There is not enough space for the number of smaller classes. Many schools in FCPS are using Modular’s and trailers for classrooms due to the lack of space.

[Anonymous]

I was a teacher. My "go to" punishment (after serious chat, etc.) was to move desk away from other kids, but still in the classroom. Also, a minute or two standing with the teacher during recess. Sometimes, more than a minute or two. That is no longer allowed--a teacher cannot take away ANY recess.
I agree that kids need recess. However, teachers also need some tools that mean something to a child.

Another thing, if a child throws a temper tantrum and is uncontrollable, the teacher is not allowed to remove him from the class. Instead, the teacher takes the rest of the class out of the classroom. I've talked to teachers who have had to do this more than once a day. This is disruptive and keeps the other kids from learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think all successful adults have stories of strict teachers who changed their lives.

Strict teachers were backed up. A kid who told a teacher to F off was in the Principal's office right away.

Parents were then called and they took their kid home and punished them. Good luck getting in touch with parents these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a teacher. My "go to" punishment (after serious chat, etc.) was to move desk away from other kids, but still in the classroom. Also, a minute or two standing with the teacher during recess. Sometimes, more than a minute or two. That is no longer allowed--a teacher cannot take away ANY recess.
I agree that kids need recess. However, teachers also need some tools that mean something to a child.

Another thing, if a child throws a temper tantrum and is uncontrollable, the teacher is not allowed to remove him from the class. Instead, the teacher takes the rest of the class out of the classroom. I've talked to teachers who have had to do this more than once a day. This is disruptive and keeps the other kids from learning.

You can also no longer give candy. When I taught we had table points. At the end of the day one of the three tables would win and each student would get half of a licorice stick. I just looked it up and half a stick has 17 calories with 2 grams of sugar. I would also give out a Hershey's kiss or what ever was the favorite candy of the most challenging behavior kids.

I really think recess should not be taken away but taking away the option of going late to recess even one to five minutes is awful. It really can make a big difference. The first week of school when it was time to go to recess I would have the students line up then everyone sit back down as soon as one student inevitably pushed or shoved. We repeated that several times and would go a minute late for recess. By Friday they were motivated to behave and we went a minute early and every kid got a chocolate kiss or two skittles (I just wanted to know who like what candy and so the student could understand if you behave well you get rewarded). After that any kid pushed in line they had to go late to recess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like I shouldn’t have to shell out 12k a semester for my kid to get a descent education. We live in a nice school district. We pay taxes.

Why is my 8-year-old coming home everyday telling me what the same kid did today in their class?

I truly feel for this kid. Maybe he has a mental illness. Maybe he has a bad home life? But now my kid is anxious to go to school because of this kids outburst and behaviors.

This year alone he’s;

- threatened to kill several peers
- flipped his desk almost weekly
- grabbed a stapler and threatened another kid with it
- had daily loud, disruptive and scary meltdowns
- threatened to kill the teacher
- refused to participate in any class activity
- drew a sexually graphic picture on paperwork

Numerous other classmates and the classroom parent have confirmed these issues.

He’s sent to the office and then comes back. Nothing is done. How is this ok???

Rightly or wrongly, kids with “issues” have legal protections that your kids don’t. So those kids get prioritized in terms of behavioral tolerance, accommodations, etc. Indeed, many schools have become nothing more than SPED administration centers with a little bit of normal education on the side. The legal infrastructure needs to change in ways that is fair and equitable to all — and in a way that doesn’t view the needs of some kids as more “special” than others.

[Anonymous]

Because admin forces us to keep the crazy ones to disrupt everyone. Then they blame us for bad mgmt. If we call security no one ever arrives. If we send them to the office they run around the building until they get picked up. If admin finds out then the teachers in trouble again. Notice a theme?

[Anonymous]

I'm sure it's been said already, but Restorative "Justice" sacrifices the education and safety of the civilized kids to attempt to help the uncivilized ones. There's no justice in forcing twenty kids to deal with one kid who can't or won't act appropriately. The truth is 99% of the time it's an issue if defective parenting, parents who are selfish and/or stupid and value their own time over the time necessary to teach their kids responsibility and respect. Restorative "Justice" exacerbates the deficiency at home by removing the accountability. Sure, it pretends to do the opposite but in practice and reality the kid is taught that he/she can get away with any impulse simply be pretending to be sorry later, with the added bonus of a group of people now fawning over poor little Johnny with the bad home life. Spare me. Restorative "Justice" itself was started to attempt to close the gap between White and Black suspension/expulsion rates. The opposite has happened. White kids have trended downwards while Black kids continue to climb. I've seen the date, it shows the White and Asian kids will get bust d for something once, maybe twice ,then shape up because their parents hold them accountable. The Black kids...well, some do, but many do not and this continues through high school. Reality isn't pretty, but failing to deal in it is even worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a teacher. My "go to" punishment (after serious chat, etc.) was to move desk away from other kids, but still in the classroom. Also, a minute or two standing with the teacher during recess. Sometimes, more than a minute or two. That is no longer allowed--a teacher cannot take away ANY recess.
I agree that kids need recess. However, teachers also need some tools that mean something to a child.

Another thing, if a child throws a temper tantrum and is uncontrollable, the teacher is not allowed to remove him from the class. Instead, the teacher takes the rest of the class out of the classroom. I've talked to teachers who have had to do this more than once a day. This is disruptive and keeps the other kids from learning.

Wait - they evacuate the whole class and just leave the rampaging kid alone to do whatever?

That is total insanity. Has MCPS lost its collective mind?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a teacher. My "go to" punishment (after serious chat, etc.) was to move desk away from other kids, but still in the classroom. Also, a minute or two standing with the teacher during recess. Sometimes, more than a minute or two. That is no longer allowed--a teacher cannot take away ANY recess.
I agree that kids need recess. However, teachers also need some tools that mean something to a child.

Another thing, if a child throws a temper tantrum and is uncontrollable, the teacher is not allowed to remove him from the class. Instead, the teacher takes the rest of the class out of the classroom. I've talked to teachers who have had to do this more than once a day. This is disruptive and keeps the other kids from learning.

Wait - they evacuate the whole class and just leave the rampaging kid alone to do whatever?

That is total insanity. Has MCPS lost its collective mind?

Yes that is now standard practice. You cannot touch a child so if they refuse to stop rampaging you just remove your class and call for help. Two people at our elementary are trained to be able to restrain children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a teacher. My "go to" punishment (after serious chat, etc.) was to move desk away from other kids, but still in the classroom. Also, a minute or two standing with the teacher during recess. Sometimes, more than a minute or two. That is no longer allowed--a teacher cannot take away ANY recess.
I agree that kids need recess. However, teachers also need some tools that mean something to a child.

Another thing, if a child throws a temper tantrum and is uncontrollable, the teacher is not allowed to remove him from the class. Instead, the teacher takes the rest of the class out of the classroom. I've talked to teachers who have had to do this more than once a day. This is disruptive and keeps the other kids from learning.

Wait - they evacuate the whole class and just leave the rampaging kid alone to do whatever?

That is total insanity. Has MCPS lost its collective mind?

This isn't just MCPS. I've taught in another MD district and out of state. Ditto in those too.

[Anonymous]

Yes and yes. For the cherry on top, if a psycho kid rampages and smashes up your room bc you told them to put their phone away then the teachers could be reviewed as poor at their job and risk losing their job.