The 4th-5th Grade Riot...Hmmmmm!

So chaos at my school hit an all time high! The new school I am at has potential however for now there is no structure and a lot of chaos with the students. Staff is wonderful and trying diligently to develop a bond and some since of routine. We have no master schedule, no discipline plan operating, short on teachers and lack of supervision for the students.

The students run the hallways like they are outside. You ask them to stop and they simply look at you and start running again. They lay with rolling chairs pushing them up and down the hall...racing each other with another student sitting in it or they just use them as merry-go-rounds spinning each other in the chair. This past Tuesday, the 4th and 5th grade students took it to another level. They had a crazy, unstructured, riot type display in the cafeteria. The students were running around, climbing tables, throwing chairs...simply treating the cafeteria like a playground. HOR-RI-BLE!!! They were escorted out of the cafeteria and band from going for the next two days. Not sure why they did what they did but someone is going to get seriously hurt one day if structure is not put into place. The administration pulled them all together and had a talk to them about their behavior and the consequences of their behavior. Unfortunately, there are NO real consequences. Students realize nothing is going to happen to them but maybe a phone call home. The problem with that is that if they act like that at home, then a parent will not see their behavior as needing to be corrected.

Chaos for me only happens outside of the classroom. In my efforts to get control, structure and a respect in my class I had to be tough, stern and implement my OWN discipline plan...stand on the wall silence is golden, try it. LOL! It seems to work but it takes a little time for them to get used to it. I still have the resistance crew...about 4 to 5 that feed off each other and try to run things. I crushed the spirit of the leader and left him with only one or two followers. Golden! Overall, the students are great! I like them and care about why they act the way they do. Showing them you care about them goes a long way, like with any kid.

Back home we talk inclusion with exceptional ed students...here it is total inclusion without labels! The students are UNIQUE in their own right and there is no separate exceptional ed classes. Students are just thrown into a classroom "alphabetically" and assigned a teacher. It's crazy but you have to go with it. The one's that probably should be or have been identified as special needs are mixed in with the population. A teacher could have a class full or a few depending on their names (alpha order remember). I will speak on curriculum in another post because that deserves it's own attention...LOL!!! I believe that this has something to do with their behavior because a lot of teachers are not equipped to teach special needs children and the curriculum is the same...no modifications are made for them. They are held at the same expectations. Because students are unable to do the work, struggle with the language and overall do not want to be there brings another dynamic to instruction and discipline.

I don't want to seem like this system over here is crap...it's not! It is very little difference between the inner-city school district back home and here. Come over here thinking that education in the schools are better will set you up for failure...frustration! You have to have a plan...an exit plan and remember WHY you made the decision to come here. You are not here to change the world...you can't and they don't want you too. Keep a positive outlook with a focus on your goal and don't let the chaos penetrate your inner spirit. They are slow to respond to things here and even though numerous request have been made for assistance to bring structure to the school I am at...it sometimes appears it falls on death hears. Students are not use to structure, demands, the word "no" or anything else that resembles positive interaction with another human being. Not only are we teaching them curriculum but SOCIAL skills is definitely a MUST if you want your classroom to be an environment conducive to learning. You must include in your decision making process that life in the classroom is no better than it is in your home country...children are children everywhere you go. The money is good for some people (they do not give raises and they have a salary cap of 12 yrs in education) but if you remain focused and used this experience for what it is...you will be able to maintain for enough years to reach your ultimate goal...Financial Freedom!

Til next time