Inspired by AlwaysQuiet's thread...teachers, how much temper do you show?

[Rock'n Robin]

I was reading Always Quiet's thread and people were upset about the assistant principal yelling and banging his knick knacks on the desk, etc. Well, I'd be upset too, and if an elementary teacher yelled at my child I would be upset. But if you teach older kids, do you ever show any temper?
I have one 11th grade class that is noisy. It is a mix of all types of kids--college prep kids, a couple who should be in honors but chose not to take it. Career & Tech kids, mostly auto tech. and cosmetology. A few non-C/T kids who won't be going to college. It is a bigger class (24 kids) and the last one I have of the day. Yesterday I was trying to get started. A couple of times I asked nicely and it worked--for about a minute--before the conversations started up again. I walked to the back to stand by some boys to quiet them. Two girls were talking about something that had happened to them. They would stop for a few seconds if asked and then go right back to it. At this point they were the main offenders. I had one of these girls last year and put up with her little dramas all year long. So I raised my voice way over the usual and said "ELYSHA! NOBODY CARES EXCEPT YOU!!!"
WOW! You could have heard a pin drop after that. I guess since I rarely lose my temper in any way (I find it easier to teach if I am fairly laid-back about it) that when I do go off, it has more of an effect. They were pretty good today too, except those two girls were both absent, and the worst one (who was absent yesterday) was back from suspension.
Robin M.

 

[KMH1]

I'm a SAHM now, but I taught high school English for nine years. Like you, Rock'n Robin, my teaching style was fairly laid-back, but there were a few times my students drove me over the edge. The most memorable time involved five seniors cheating (including my yearbook editor!). I was so angry that I had to go into the hall to cool off, and I slammed the door behind me, much harder than I intended. They were pretty petrified when I returned, and I received written apologies from the cheaters. Of course, we laughed about it a few weeks later. I still can't believe I slammed the door that hard.

Amy

 

[Texan Mouseketeer]

My first year of teaching I lost it some - when a kid would yell f--- you or something like that. Now I am a lot calmer. I've had my moments, though! I flipped out when a kid threatened to fight me after breaking up a fight. He was a suspected gang member (we had a lot in the school). I think my reaction was more of fear because I cried later. One kid said he wanted to kill a teacher (he was angry, but wasn't joking around, they took his threat seriously) and that got me riled up. But other than that, I think the only time I get loud is when I am trying to get the attention of the whole class.

 

[SDFgirl]

I'm student teaching second graders this semester. I have never yelled - though I have raised my voice to be heard over the din.

I have used an yes-I'm-angry, not-nice, very low, p*ssed-off voice, though!! I hate doing it, but sometimes it's the only way I can get a kid's attention. You can only ask nicely so many times.

My supervising teacher says that I'm "too nice" to the kids.

 

[soccerchick]

Robin, you sound a lot like me. I would rather whisper -- the ones paying attention can't hear then and shhush the talkers. I remember really yelling two times in my career -- both my second year with my America's Most Wanted class. (I got sick one day at school and another teacher had to cover that class - she said I should be canonized for putting up with that mix of kids).

I hate yelling. I can be much more, ahem, persuasive, shall we say with a direct but serious chat in the hallways letting the student know in no uncertain terms are they to NEVER do whatever it was they did again. I haven't had a discipline referral to an administrator in 6 or 7 years.

The beginning of the year is always hard. You can't let any of the crap go or you're in for a long year.

I hope my daughter doesn't ever get a yeller/screamer for a teacher. She's just start balling, even if she wasn't the one being yelled at.

 

[ilovemcbride]

I think it all depends on the age group you teach. I've taught 3rd-12th grades. Right now I'm PE/Art/Music. It's harder for me with the pre-k and kindergarten kids, because I'm not used to them. A lot of times with the older ones, the more you yell or whatever, the more defiant they are. If you lose your temper with the little ones, even if you just tell them they're too loud or whatever, they boo hoo all over the place. I didn't mean for that to sound like I'm heartless or whatever. It's just the way it is.

At recess Friday we had a 5th grader almost get into a fight with a 5th grade boy, throw a girl's purse at her, hit her in the head with a large ball, grab another 5th grader and throw him down, yell at his teacher and tell her to shut up, and then proceed to run up the hillside, announcing he was "going home." If any of us on duty had yelled at him, what do you think he would have done? Probably thrown a ball at us!! We had to calm him down before we could let him come back in the building.

I try my best not to yell. I have a big mouth, so sometimes I'm louder than what I mean to be. But I think something should be done with teachers who scream all day long, all year long. They don't need to be there.

 

[Texan Mouseketeer]

There was this one teacher at my old school that yelled all the time. I would hear her in the halls between classes yelling at kids to get to class. Then, during my conference if I would walk by her room she'd be yelling. It would always make me think, how could her kids be that bad all the time? I am sure they were rebelling. Who'd want to go to that class each day? And how can she go through her day to day life with that kind of stress? I can't imagine what her blood pressure is!

 

[MinnieM3]

I talk loudly and firmly at times. I have a loud voice to begin with, so if I ever raise it, it really gets their attention. My class (3rd grade) is really pretty good, though. 24 can get noisy!

 

[hentob]

Sorry--wrong thread

 

[decaff38]

i lost my temper just this last week. I have a 2nd grader who is not working very hard and trying everytrick in the book to get out of doing anything. Have met with the parents multiple times and they have been working at home with him all year and have even hired a tutor. His mom came in and worked with him on his math and read a book with him. I witnessed a Jekle and Hyde kid. He was rude and sarcastic to his mother and she said nothing to him. He refused to read and they was sassy. He even began talking baby talk. I was steaming!!!! After mom left, I took him in the hall and we had an eye to eye about respect and attitude. He has never behaved like that to me or other teachers, just sneaky stuff. The next morning I pulled him aside again and gave him a refresher. Wow, I was ticked. That really explained some of the parents frustrations. Other than that, It has really been a great year!!! Even young kids can make you CRAZY!!!