I teach 7th graders and they will not stop talking. I have been teaching 20+ years and it is out of control. I contact home and nothing happens, so I stop doing that. I shouldn't have to waste my time repeatedly contacting parents over something that should be expected. I shouldn't have to give up my duty free lunch to spend time giving a consequence. I am at the point of natural consequences. They don't understand how to do the work, so they get a poor grade. At some point they need to take responsibility for their actions.

We have students in our classrooms that wear noise cancelling ear protection (like those you wear operating heavy machinery) so that they can drown out the noise.

Extremely unfair to students who don't talk when they shouldn't be talking. One year, our kid's math class couldn't enter the classroom until they were quiet so they just stood in a line in hallway outside classroom until teacher was satisfied.

Recess cut short? That's unfortunate when you're in ES.

My 3rd grader complains of this. She is a rule follower and it really bothers her that many of the other kids are not listening. She gets pulled for enrichment and she says it happens there as well. She has trouble filtering out background noise so she hates that it distracts her.
I think her grade in general is pretty active. She tells me that her class and other classes lose minutes of recess. Not sure that is allowed but it happens and it irks her because she is not the one talking.

Anonymous wrote:for some classes, yes, some classes no. Better teachers who are more structured and teach, no. A lot of teachers don't have good control or organization over the classrooms, sadly

Aww, so nice of you to let everyone know you have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s cute you tried though!

Anonymous wrote:Let me just say I am a teacher and also suffering through this. We have very few tools at our disposal for discipline. Teachers haven’t suddenly become less effective; school policies have suddenly hampered us. A previous poster is absolutely right that schools don’t want to report greater disciplinary actions for minority students, so their solution is to stop disciplining any students.

+1

I was a teacher for 35 years. I quit because, among other reasons, kids were endlessly rude and disruptive in class and parents would do nothing to help their children, or to help me help their children, develop more appropriate social skills. It was my fault, or another child's fault, or I was making it up, or I was picking on their child, etc etc etc. So many other children had class time wasted because someone's darling child could never be wrong.

What do teachers do? I left MCPS for private. Much smaller classes and better behavior

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it would be better to let them have phones?

Yes. This was my conclusion. At least they are not disturbing others, most of the time.

Seriously, people. Which is more likely: that suddenly all the teachers have gotten really bad at this, or that suddenly the discipline policies have changed?

I have taught for 15 years, and some colleagues of mine for 30. We’re all seeing it. There are no more threats out there that kids care about. You can’t fail them, can’t make them stay after school, in elementary you can’t take away recess. You can call home and usually get no answer. They fear nothing and they’re right.

Maybe it would be better to let them have phones?

Anonymous wrote:Our experience is that it is up to the teacher to instill discipline. We had one who allowed the class get sidetracked by the students and by the end of the year the class was completely out of control, not only in their class but that out of control behavior extended to all the specials teachers.

The good teachers make sure there is discipline at the start of the school year and at the same time convey through actions they care about the students.

When there is nothing teachers can do if students don’t follow directions, kids figure that out pretty quickly. My DS went to a Catholic school and he would be given detention after school if he talked repeatedly when he wasn’t supposed to. Can’t do after school detention in public school. Contacting parents is often (not always) pointless. Admin won’t do anything.

Anonymous wrote:What do they have so much to talk about in class? Lunch or recess obviously. But during class when you are not necessary with your close friends...? Just curious.

Despite what DCUM might tell you (multiple schools having 25% of kids being Mensa material) there are a lot of really not smart kids in MCPS. A vast majority would rather talk about anything with anyone that listen to what is being taught. My kids have attended various advanced classes at RSM and AOPS and most kids there don't follow the lecture, either.

Anonymous wrote:Let me just say I am a teacher and also suffering through this. We have very few tools at our disposal for discipline. Teachers haven’t suddenly become less effective; school policies have suddenly hampered us. A previous poster is absolutely right that schools don’t want to report greater disciplinary actions for minority students, so their solution is to stop disciplining any students.

Another teacher here. 100% this.
Also large classes

for some classes, yes, some classes no. Better teachers who are more structured and teach, no. A lot of teachers don't have good control or organization over the classrooms, sadly

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me just say I am a teacher and also suffering through this. We have very few tools at our disposal for discipline. Teachers haven’t suddenly become less effective; school policies have suddenly hampered us. A previous poster is absolutely right that schools don’t want to report greater disciplinary actions for minority students, so their solution is to stop disciplining any students.

Shouldn't you be teaching right now?

There is a thing like lunch break.