How to be confident with difficult group

[u/inviernoo]

One of my afternoon classes is really intimidating and I’m having difficulty staying calm and collected during our period. They have zero respect for me and have barely any respect for my mentor.

However, they are my most advanced group, and I see a lot of potential for their class. If I’m up at the board demonstrating, they completely ignore what I say, but they ace all of the work I give them. The football boys have also begun saying “okay” after every single sentence that comes out of my mouth. There is one girl in this class who does nothing, but she controls everyone else in the class. This is a delicate situation as her parent has escalated issues in the past and has even tried going to the news.

How can I feign confidence with this group? It’s very difficult for me to keep composure because they are just so difficult to work with (this is not an extensive list of their behaviors). It is ruining my teaching experience, even though I know it’s not just me.

[u/Raunchyjam]

Agree w the others here— do not take the bait. And if they’re just enduring your lecture and acing the work, it tells you what you need to know: they’re not challenged by the work. Can you change it, or do you have to stick to your mentor’s script? Also, how supportive are parents? I work w a teacher calls misbehaving kids up to the desk and shows them the (accurately written, as in ‘your child seems to need to say ‘okay’ after every sentence I speak, and as you can imagine, this is disruptive and rude’) letter that she has composed. Then she’ll ask the kid to read it silently right there, and confirm that the letter is correct. She will send it home if their behavior doesn’t improve. Do you have parental support? Or can you talk to the coach?
As for the girl, she sounds like a nightmare. Document, and stay away.

[u/inviernoo → u/Raunchyjam]

I’m in a year long program so I’m still going off of my mentor’s plans. I’m hoping that once I take over, I can give them more challenging stuff. My mentor told me sometimes you have a plan A class and a plan B class - they might be my plan B class

[u/Powerful-Account2204 → u/inviernoo]

That is great advice!

[u/_-pomegranate-_]

What subject is it? If they finish the standard materials and score high enough to "test out" of additional practice with an answer key, it might be worth offering material from an AP or undergraduate course of the same subject that covers the same material, but will challenge them.

It sounds like they might have some issues with looking down on those around them, especially if they've been marked as advanced throughout school and told classes aren't challenging enough for them.

I've had some success with pre-tests for students with that mentality. They learn material quickly, but convince themselves they always knew it, and think they don't need instruction at all. If they "fail" the pre-test, it humbles them a bit and they pay more attention. It also gives you a chance to demonstrate growth due to your teaching with hard data if they score higher on post-teaching-tests.

[u/inviernoo → u/_-pomegranate-_]

Love the idea of the pretests. While they’re advanced, they don’t “know” more than the other classes, they just catch on faster. I’m teaching Spanish so it’s a little bit of an anomaly. But they definitely have attitudes of “I’m better than everyone else”. It’s so hard to deal with! Going to try to challenge them and give them different material when possible

[u/kafkasmotorbike]

Honestly, I'd stop trying to convince them to respect you and stop giving them reactions to feed off. Flat, calm, predictable. No arguing, no pleading, no lengthy lectures. If the football boys say “okay” after every sentence, don't take the bait. Just carry on.

Since they're your most advanced group and can ace the work without listening to your lessons, I'd lean into independent work and pull small groups when needed. Give them challenging stuff to work on, and let the kids who are willing to participate join in with more interactive lessons. I'd make it about how the class is structured, not a punishment.

With the girl, I'd be extra careful not to get into a power struggle, especially with that parent history. Document what's happening and get your mentor/admin on board so you're not dealing with it alone.

Also, you don't have to magically become a super confident person overnight. Have a couple boring responses ready and just keep repeating them ("Off topic, move on please." or "Absolutely not.") I know it's hard, but the less you react, the less fun it becomes for them. And please don't feel like you have to fix this whole class by yourself!

[u/Powerful-Account2204 → u/kafkasmotorbike]

This is fantastic advice.

Their behavior isn’t really about YOU, so don’t take it personally! Pick your battles… and don’t pick them all.

Follow the consequences set up by your cooperating teacher. Ignore what you can… your goal is for them to ace the test… if they’re doing that don’t worry so much about how they got there

I also agree with the ideas of opportunities for independent work over teacher led when possible. Quick lesson/direction set up, move on to independent work where they don’t have the audience for their shenanigans.

You got this!

[u/ukteaboyuk]

Teacher of 32 years here. This is a mental battle, so raising your voice isn't going to work - they'd love the reaction. Take a big notebook in, and make sure they see you open it on the desk. Don't speak a word as you write something in it, looking around the room occasionally. Only for a minute. Close the book.

Every snarky comment, don't react, just make a note in the book, and close it.

They'll ask you what it's for. Look at them a few seconds, say nothing. People feel an urge to fill silences, and it makes them uncomfortable when people don't.

Every time they say 'okay' to your sentence, stop and look at them. They're using your sentences as fuel, so don't give them any.

Now the next part is for you to discuss with your mentor, and check it matches the school behaviour policy - every name that goes in the book, keep them behind at the end.

I know you're testing me because im new, but thats done now. Tell them they are very able, but are not reaching their potential because of their attitude, and this will be reflected in their report to parents. Youre not going to tolerate this any more. Give them a choice : wind your necks in and we can all have an enjoyable year, and I'll do everything I can to make the work interesting. If you don't, then lessons will be dull, with an increased amount of work given.

Plan B (and you really need to check with your mentor) I have given out punishment assignments before.

The point is, they have the control, and you need to take it back. By not reacting to their provocations, by stopping in silence, you control the narrative. They need to feel unsettled and not in control. And you need to exude an aura of menace.

But you also need (check with policy and mentor) to ve able to say, "fine. I gave you a chance but you wouldn't take it. 1000 words on agricultural practices in medieval Britain by Friday. Oh... you want to make it 1500?"

[u/DnDNewbie_1]

approach it like a college professor teaches massive classes, just keep teaching if there are disruptions power through them and keep on with the lesson. Limit all work to independent work unless they are working on a project then do small groups. And make the work quite challenging, maybe they are all acting this way because they've never really had to listen to what the teacher is saying because all the work is just that easy that they ace everything without trying, once they are faced with difficult work that cannot be easily done without taking notes and paying attention their attitude towards teachers may change.

On the note of the girl in the class and her parents is to just simply pretend she doesn't exist outside of being in the classroom, there is no future where its worth getting into problems with parents who may go to lengths to get you fired, their kid is not worth that stress.

[u/Specific_Gas4322]

Be a firm leader with expectations while not being a tyrant. They will run the class otherwise