Posted above. If you have kids who run around the room, can you tape off a spot around their desk and let them stand and move as much as they want within that tape spot? Charts work for some kids, check in check out works for others, some kids need to be close to the teacher.

If you've just started teaching in a title one school at this point in the year, then you're the second (or third or fourth) teacher this class has had in one school year. It takes 6-8 weeks to get a class where you want them, behaviorally, and that's if there's no major high flyers or not too many kids with moderate behavioral and emotional needs. And if you're taking over at this point in the year, you might not get them where you want them to be.

I'd start with the following:
1) Always greet each child at the door with a smile and if they are younger, a hug or a handshake. Tell them you are happy to see them.
2) Have something for them to do at their tables or desks as soon as they come in. They need something to work on to keep them busy so they don't act up. They need this after lunch too.
3) Have explicit rules and go over those rules every morning and if you need to, repeat after lunch each day. Make charts of different expectations.
4) Call out kids often for anything good they are doing. "I see Nathan sitting calmly. I notice Jennifer walking quietly in line." At the end of writing time, keep a list of everyone's name. Then, call one kid up each day to share what they wrote about. Praise them for something specific, ie, Jose left spaces between each of his words, Natalia included capitals and periods, etc.
5) Have explicit procedures for EVERYTHING. Define and practice how they will line up, how they will get materials, how they should sit on the rug, how they should work with a partner, how they should turn in their assignments (where will they do this, when, how). 6) Do you have good attention getting signals? And when you do, do you insist on silence after doing those signals? (get a veteran teacher in your building to give you ideas)
7) Make a list of everything they are doing that is driving you nuts. Write it all down. Pick the 1-2 things that are hardest for YOU to tolerate and focus on those 2 things for a week or so. Then move onto the next item or two.
8) Do you have incentives? ie, if everyone gets quiet after the signal you get a pom pom in a jar. When we fill it to the top, you get an extra recess. (the first time you do this, reward frequently and generously)
9) Use an incredibly firm voice
10) Always be walking around the room. Never direct from across the room if you can help it if you are dealing with 1-2 kids. Go to them. Get real close. Talk calmly, firmly, quietly and tell them specifically what you want them to do. Then, tell them you'll check back in a few minutes. Give them a chance to do it without escalating the situation.
11) Always try to discipline privately. Let kids keep their dignity and they will respect you and will be more likely to try and please you.
12) Try to do things that are happy, joyful when you can. Break out the water colors, even intermediate grades can benefit from playing with Legos, etc.
13) Keep a list of everyone's name on it and write positive phone call home. Then, DURING class when everyone can hear, call one kids' parents and tell them a short, positive thing about that kid. Then do that for EVERYONE. 1 kid a day. They'll love you for it. Cross out each kid's name on the list as you call to make sure you get to everyone.Parents will love you for it too.
14) Use a visual schedule so kids know what is coming, when. It helps with their anxiety.
15) If things are really rough, plan little breaks throughout the day. Let them play with playdough for 10 minutes between math and reading, let them play with Legos for 10-15 minutes in the afternoon, put on a fun movement video. Movement is great and kids need it.
16) Incorporate games where you can.

Hang in there. Not sure if you are a first year teacher or not, but your main job year 1 is survival. Your own survival. You won't be a good teacher year 1 or even year 2. Maybe year 3 you'll start to be. But it takes years. I've been doing this 30 years and I'm still learning new things, better ways to do things. Just survive and come back next year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Relationships are everything. They won’t work for you until they trust you.

What age are you working with? I taught title 1 middle school for 10 years and it was hard. I bought their trust via food, gamification of all math, and sooooo much time. It is hard. Hang in there.

This is the problem, I don't understand how to build meaningful relationships! Can you explicitly tell me what you do exactly? What are you saying or doing to build the relationships?

I've always have been kind to my students, silly but the expectation was that they listen and behave. Usually a look worked but I have a student who is running laps around my classroom for example. This is just crazy, never have seen anything like it.

Talk to them. Remember that they were excited about seeing grandma last week and ask how it went. Be willing to forgo 5 minutes of instruction for 5 minutes of relationships. My warm ups were always one math question and one “if you could wake up as an animal tomorrow, what would you want to be?” Or “what is the best part of spring?” Or “what is a goal you have this quarter?” Anything that gave me a smidge of info to connect with them. Many are guarded because they’ve come from authoritative households or been neglected in some way due to poverty or lack of parental knowledge. It takes a long time for some to trust.

When you ask kids to come for after school tutoring, bring food to make it a welcoming environment. Send positive emails home. Praise them for tiny stupid things you think they should do automatically. “I’m glad you’re here!” for the kid who is 10 minutes late, or “I can see you’re trying and appreciate that you remembered your materials!” for the kid who brought a pencil for the first time all year. I spent a couple hundred dollars on pencils at the beginning of the year which was annoying, but it meant I never had to make pencils a battle—there was always a bin in the back of my classroom with pencils kids could just take. They knew that my room was safe, they wouldn’t be criticized for tiny things.

The recommendation for love and logic is a good one. I’m not a teach like a champion fan (too robotic for my liking) but it has a following in similar schools so you may connect with it.

For the kid running laps, it really depends on the age. Is this 6/6th grade/16?

Anonymous wrote:Relationships are everything. They won’t work for you until they trust you.

What age are you working with? I taught title 1 middle school for 10 years and it was hard. I bought their trust via food, gamification of all math, and sooooo much time. It is hard. Hang in there.

This is the problem, I don't understand how to build meaningful relationships! Can you explicitly tell me what you do exactly? What are you saying or doing to build the relationships?

I've always have been kind to my students, silly but the expectation was that they listen and behave. Usually a look worked but I have a student who is running laps around my classroom for example. This is just crazy, never have seen anything like it.

Relationships are everything. They won’t work for you until they trust you.

What age are you working with? I taught title 1 middle school for 10 years and it was hard. I bought their trust via food, gamification of all math, and sooooo much time. It is hard. Hang in there.

Find and read:

Love and logic
Teach like a champion

Build meaningful relationships with your students and their families.

I started teaching in a Title 1 school and I need pointers to get some of the kids to behave. I have never seen this type of behavior in all of the schools that I have worked at before. Please help!