How do you handle an unruly classroom?

Question

I teach preschool and this whole week I have been pretty much alone in the room. The other teacher has been out doing other things which has left me in there with the 19 students. The kids are ok for the most part but they try to get away with little things like stealing bits of art supplies or play doh. They refuse to sit on their assigned spots for story and circle time. They're extremely loud and they're running around the classroom. None of this happens when both of us are in there. I am still pretty new to the room. I was in the early headstart before this caring for toddlers. I'm not too stressed about it but I don't want my supervisor thinking I have no control over my class. I have kept them all safe and I've been sticking to the lesson plan also.

Answer 1

I would also agree with the ratio being too much. However, I disagree with punishing the children for this or by being "the boss" I think that is everything wrong with issues of guidance. The word says it all "guidance." I think that if these children are engaged then the class will go with that vibe. Will it get loud? Will it get a bit clamorous? Yes, yes, yes. This does not make you a "bad teacher" A lot of teachers evaluate themselves and others by how managed and obedient the children are. This is simply control/power that has everything to do with the teacher and very little to do with the children. Of course times in the day are requiring the children to focus on the teacher and participate as a group. I think that a overabundance of this type of "lesson" has the behavior you describe as a residue. Is the rooms physical environment one where the children can explore and make some decisions and empower themselves? I would suggest you read some articles by Dan Gartrell (guidance matters). I see this as an issue with empowerment with you too ( by your comments) Your trepidation of looking bad to a supervisor, you feeling as qualified to confer with parents as the others etc. I would suggest that you exercise your autonomy and speak with the supervisor regarding this. Everyone agrees that this is wrong, but you can create change by making the decision and owning this. Remember how good this feels when you do this......the kids want the same thing. You are in a tough spot but hang on....this is what helps you discover what YOU are as a teacher. Its obvious that this matters to you a lot.

Answer 2

My advice...

Blow a whistle...turn off the lights...get real quiet, so they have to strain to hear you.  

Turn a flashlight onto the pictures of a book you're reading.

Silence gets the attention of little ones more than noise.

Focusing on the pictures increases the focus on the activity of reading.

Answer 3

you should not be left alone in a preschool classroom with 19 children .

the ratio is  2 adults to 20 children in a preschool setting.

Answer 4

YOu should NEVER be expected to care for 19 preschoolers alone. My co-teacher and I may step out for a couple of minutes for a potty break, but that is it. Any longer, then you get a second person in the room. Your supervisor needs to know the situation, and you need to stand up for yourslf and the safety of the children. You are out-of-compliance according to most states child care rules. Do you know your state's max ratios? And as for the kids 'stealing supplies, preschoolers do not 'steal'. What they are trying to do is get some much needed attention, positve or negative. They just want to be recognized and it is your job to redirect the energy to a positive display. If you are still in Head Start, you cannot have over 20 kids in a class (many states the number is 17) and you cannot be left alone with over 10 kids. Being left alone for such frequent long periods of time is unsettling for you, puts you in some potentialy legal issues, and also is unsettling for the kiddies. talk with your supervisor ASAP!

Answer 5

They are just testing to you

To get their attention say if you can hear me clap your hands

Be firm w/ them they need boundaries/ do not start the story until they are sitting where they are supposed to

To get their wiggles out alternate between sitting and  active activities or put on a CD and have them dance or play a game to get the wiggles out

Catch them being Good IE I like how Pilar is sitting at circle today/ kids that young love to please the teacher

Maybe play classical music during center time to calm them down

Stickers always work as well

Pass around a quiet stick or rock and once it goes around the circle and everyone held it they have to be quiet

Answer 6

I know how it is - my classroom is also very noisy and unruly, and WE are the students. The poor teachers have been getting sore throats routinely! So what our english teacher does is that she makes us stand, although I think preschool would be a bit early to stand, so you might want to try making them sit at a corner.

Then our Math, Science and Socail Studies teachers, they all do the same thing - they let us have group points, add points whenever everyone in the group is well-behaved, and deduct points when we are all rowdy. Then the group with the most points, the winning group, the team members they get a small prize. That always works. : ]

Answer 7

reward them when the do the correct thing, like buy extra small play-doh containers, and tell them that if they participate and cooperate for the day, they can take home a small container of play-doh, this way they will cooperate, and wont continue stealing your play-doh

Answer 8

You've been given some good tips...most of which I agree with.  I especially agree with that last comment...You should NOT be in that classroom by yourself...for your, the children, and the preschool's protection.  Be firm with your team members and go to your director if necessary.  

Lower your voice instead of raising it.  Do not talk over the children at all.  

Get a signal in place in which you mean "quiet".  You need this for emergency purposes as well.  

For story time, have a bottle of lotion nearby and visible...the children will ask you about it.  :-)  Softly mention that you will put a little lotion in each child who is sitting and quiet.  This gives them an incentive...because who doesn't like lotion?...and it gives them something to do with their hands.  I've also passed a basket of "squishies" in the past so that children have something in their hands to do.  Make sure you set the rule about how they are to be used and be firm about it.

Good luck!

Answer 9

Be sure you are alternating between sitting and standing and moving around - children can not be expected to sit still very long.  I blow a whistle, I get really quiet and they have to strain to hear me - singing "let's get quiet let's get quiet" gets their attention.  Show your authority and remember just because you are just starting out, you are the boss. I will NOT argue with a 3 or 4 year old.  They listen, get a warning and sit on the quiet carpet until they can behave themselves in the classroom without disruption. I am pretty firm with my students but I have full classes every year. I seriously think the kids want it that way - they don't want to have an unruly classroom - it's scary for them. good luck and get that authority going.

Answer 10

I remember seeing some teachers being loud to grab the attention of the entire room. Hey, Listen up here. I need you to put on your listening ears or something like that. Then you can wait for them to be at attention.

Any children that are being unruly, maybe separate them and have them sit in chairs in front or in the back away from the other students. Take away whatever they have taken and bring them up with you to the front.

Be authoritative. You have the authority. It's your classroom and they must listen to you. Is there a principle or a higher authority figure that you can send a student too if they are just out of control that maybe can also lay down the law? It might make the other students think twice. Maybe.

Answer 11

Could be because you are a new-ish figure in the classroom, a way of testing your authority perhaps?  How do you deal with the children's behaviour when it occurs?  Some kind of reward system might work for when you are on your own - taking some time to talk through 'golden rules' or giving stickers to the children who try really hard are always good ones.  Have you spoken to the other teacher about this?  Doesn't mean you can't control your class but would be good to have an idea of what to do to counteract it and that should be for both of you to discuss.

Answer 12

Get their attention, do something silly or break into a song you made up on the spot, including the names of some of the kids.  Get them all together and do some crazy dances.  Circle time is hard for lots of kids, if you break it up with a few interactive songs where they can move their little bodies, that may help release some tension for you as well.  

Some teachers are stern and demand attention, and others just make up for it by keeping them guessing.  Both kids of teachers are great- it takes all kinds, because, of course, there isn't just one type of child!

Answer 13

Stand at the top of the class and just stock still and stare until they look and quieten down or alternatively blow a whistle and then stand and stare.  

Re the story time, get them to participate, state whomever can answer the questions afterwards, gets a gold star, and make up a reward chart.  

Divide the day into quiet time and play or work time. they need to take a break from work, just like adults.