I work with elementary students but what works fairly well for me is to use parental contact as a consequnce. I will have the student make the call to the parent to tell them what they have done. (I stand there to make sure what is said is correct). The only way this will work is if the parents are involved parents. If the parents don’t care the students won’t care.

I would also suggest watching the movie The Ron Clark Story. It stars Matthew Perry as Ron Clark. This is a true story about a teacher who faced problems just like you are. You may get some great ideas and feel empowered after watching this movie. He also has a website : http://www.ronclark.info/About_Ron_Clark/

He has written a few books and has a rap cd of different academic things (presidents, bones…just to name a few). The students love the cd. The Essential 55 is and AWESOME book!

Also Harry and Rosemary Wongs’ The First Days of School is a great book. This should help you with setting the ground rules and procedures. Students need a procedure for everything you want them to do. http://www.harrywong.com/

There is also a professional development course thats called The Tough Kid Toolbox. There is a great book you get that has wonderful ideas for you.

Good luck and I hope this helps!

So first, develop “the look.” You’ve got to let them know that you see all, and because you can’t always stop class, you give the look and deal with them later.

I now teach 2nd, so when you say “higher classes” I’m assuming you mean high school level? For me, I can call home – and I do. Would that have any affect? Do grades affect these kids? If so, you add respect into your syllabus or expectations set up at the beginning of the year. Make it worth a letter grade. Our report cards also have a spot for behavior issues. I mark it there, comment about it, and then talk to the parents about it at conference time.

At the end of my 5th grade time the teachers around me said I came a long way even in those 3 months. I did not back down. I did call home if necessary, instead of just threatening. I did, however, still have a good time with them.

Hope this helps.

As for being soft spoken try to use non-verbal techniques, some of these do work. I find writing a number on the board start with 5, that equates to the amount of time they need to stay behind after lesson, reduce it if they behave increase it if they don’t be mean that is the whole class behind not just the trouble maker cause in the end some pupils that are good will help to control the rest of them (I know people will tell me off for this but it works!)

Another method, it does sound silly but it works again, develop a routine of things you do before you tell the class off, mine is taking my jacket off, i get now “quick be quiet shes taken her jacket off” Its really funny!

Unfrortunately thses will alway only work some of the time, be consistant with the punishment you give out alway the same punishment for the same crime.

The most important thing I am going to tell you, which is hard I will tell you! Don’t get into arugments with the students, use one short sentace “After school detention” normally works, if they start argueing with you in a carm voice say I am not having this disscussion with you at the moment, if you want to talk about your behaviour and punishment talk to me a break/dinnertime, if they come back (which they don’t normally, explain in a calm voice (if you are softly spoken you should be able to do time better then me, i have quite a pericing voice) what they have done, how this impacted on the learning enviroment of the lesson and why you think that the punishment was nessecery, don’t talk over them, stay as calm as you can (it really confuses them) if they continue trying to draw you into a power stuggle just keep repeating the same things over again.

One thing I don’t understand is why the head is blaming you? try taking to him or your head of subject, if you are new at teaching you should have a mentor to talk to.You need support teaching can be a very lonely profession get as much support as you can.

Hope this help

Try talking to one of their teachers that IS able to control them and ask him/her for advice.

Your students are older kids – don’t worry about them liking you. Worry instead about them respecting you. They’ll like you as long as you’re a great teacher and they’ll respect you as long as they know that they can’t play you.

Stop being soft-spoken and instead speak with authority and assertiveness. Change that immediately. Practice at home if you must, but the next time you walk into class, you have to be different if you want to see changes in how they respond to you.

Try this: pass out a list of behavioral changes and give them a few seconds to read it. In it, include the repercussions for their actions. Tell them that if they give you a hard time, you’ll give them a hard time. It’s simple – they make your job of teaching harder, you’ll make their job of getting an A harder. You don’t have to make a list, you can just announce the changes at the beginning of the next class. The list might help you if you don’t trust yourself to tell them of the changes with a tone of authority. Then give them a pop quiz every time things get too out of hand and put into action the advice you get from your collegues who also teach that class.

If you’re having problems with specific students, have them come see you and tell them privately that you’re not having that behavior anymore. Let them know that it’s inexusable but also try to find out if there are other issues invovled in their behavior.

Be constant, be very fair, don’t go back to your old ways of teaching them so that they know that you’ve changed for good and they can’t play you or disrespect you anymore, continue to encourage them to do their best, engage them, and be postive. Good luck! Remember, YOU’RE the teacher and you have every right to demand respect as long as you’re not being abusive.

Edit: These links might help you:

Scroll down to Discipline and Classroom Management:

http://www.middleweb.com/1stDResources.html

Here are stories from other teachers. It’ll let you know that you’re not alone.

http://www.middleweb.com/MWLISTCONT/MSLfirstyear.html

Use NLP it’s really effective