I am writing this because I need some advise. I have a confession I am not a very good teacher, or at least I don't feel like a very good teacher. Every Sunday I get the chance to teach a class full of 7 going on 8 year olds. Last year was actually pretty easy, low stress. I only had three kids and they mostly sat quietly and participated in my lessons. This year is a completely different story. This year I have 8 high energy kids( a couple extra rowdy ones) and I just can't manage to get them under control. And although I seem to get through the lesson I feel like most of them haven't listened to a word I have said. This last week was especially tough. The kids were literally bouncing off the walls and yelling. I could barely hear myself thinking. I really should have gone for some help but I am unsure if it would be ok to leave them alone so I could find help. I'll admit I was almost to the point of tears and completely exhuasted by the time we headed to sharing time.
So what would you do? How do you get kids to sit in their seats and listen? I already try to have activities during the lesson that get them moving because I know it is a lot to ask them to sit still for 50 minutes?
7 comments:
That is way too many kids in one class. You need a team teacher.
But since that is out of your control I hope that people can give you some good ideas.
I would recommend talking to your primary presidency and asking for someone to check in on you so that if you need extra help that day you don't have to go looking for them or leave your kids alone.
If the couple rowdy ones sit next to each other it is time to assign seating or make them sit right next to you if they act up.
I also think that if they get way out of control it is ok to talk to their parents or even threaten to take them to their parents if they don't behave.
Maybe try a reward jar. They earn puff balls for good behavior, they lose balls for bad behavior. The goal is to fill the jar (make it a big jar) and they earn some sort of reward if they do.
When our kids get really rowdy during sharing time we do energizers to get their wiggles out. We have a jar with ideas, we pull one out and have the kids do it. Acting out something, stretching, etc. I can email you some of them if you want.
I remember when I taught 8 four and five year olds I came home so tired. I can't imagine that many seven/ eight year olds!
Oh, poor Terri. That is rough. I like Kerri's ideas a lot. In addition, I'd give them "jobs" so they feel responsible. If they can complete their jobs well, they can earn more puff balls for their jar or a sticker on a chart or something. Some jobs might be Opening Prayer, Teacher helper, CTR moment (they tell a time during the week when they chose the right), line leader, scripture reader, etc.
Also, se're not supposed to have the kids go outside the room as a punishment, but we can have corner chairs (facing the wall) that are labeled "thinking chairs", or "time-out chairs". If someone doesn't listen to your request for a behavior change, and you've given them a warning, they can sit in the chair until they are ready to participate again. If they come back and act out again, they go back to the chair for the rest of the class. When they are there, you spend the time with the rest of the class, making it sound extra fun what you're doing, having the other kid want to be with the class.
I've got a lot of other ideas, too, and if you'd like, I can email them to you so I don't take up too much space in your comment box. All I have to say is, you're doing great because you're there every week and you keep trying. It is hard to be a teacher when you aren't a professional. It is difficult to feel inadequate in a calling because it's from the Lord and we want to do our best. I know the feelings well. I also know that if you really pray for help, search the scriptures, and look to others in your primary who seem to have it put together, you can get ideas you'd not normally think of.
Keep it up! You'll figure it out. YOu are so kind, loving, smart, fun, etc.
Oh, I'm so sorry! We have 2 classes like this in our primary and it drives me crazy. Ditto Kerri--they either need to split the class or call a team teacher for you. Talk to your primary president about it. Also, I don't think 7 is too young to sit them down and have them come up with class rules, to explain what you expect from them, and to follow through on consequences--they're getting ready to be baptized this year, and if they're ready for that, then they're ready to stop acting like hooligans!
I have a one warning rule for kids that age and older. I figure if I give them a warning and they continue to misbehave, then their parents can deal with them either by coming and sitting with them or by taking their child to class with them. Primary isn't daycare and we're not getting paid to watch their kids while parents sit in relief society and enjoy the quiet! It only takes once or twice of a parent either sitting with a problem child or having that trouble maker with them in class before miraculously the child stops doing the naughty things. At least that's been my experience. You have to figure out which parent is the tough one and go to them.
There are some good reverence activities/suggestions on sugardoodle that have worked for me in the past, too.
Also, we tell the kids a lot to "be reverent" but I'm not sure any of them really know what that means, so maybe talk to them about what reverence is and go from there?
I hope that you can get some help from your primary presidency and get things sorted out. Primary shouldn't make you cry out of frustration! Good luck!
thanks for the help. I am planning to try out the reward jar and since they are old enough my plan is to have them come up with the rules that would lead to losing and earning puff balls. I also decided to have Dave come to class with me this week so I can send him to find parents if needed. Thanks so much.
Kirstin- i would love some of your other ideas, if you want to email them to me.
Good luck Terri--that sounds so hard. In our stake it is required to have 2 teachers no matter the class size, I would definitely push for some help. You need 1 person corraling kids so 1 person can teach. I would also note that even if they don't look like they are listening, you'd be surprised what they have picked up. Maybe you could even ask the bishop for a blessing for help in your calling. I agree that parents need to be involved with the rowdiest kids--if you don't want to talk to them, have the primary president. We have a runner in our primary as well, someone who just stays in the hall to get parents. I always thought when we were younger that class parties were great prizes--maybe having the kids see you outside of church will help them respect you more?
I use to use candy to bribe them into good behavior.
I remember going home one day after church and crying because of my frustration with my primary class (and they were only sunbeams!!??)
Anyway, you've gotten a lot of good ideas to try from those who have commented before me !! Keep trying !! If all else fails ... use Duct tape to keep them in their seats and to keep their mouths shut !! (just kidding, sorta)
Terri I'm sorry, I hope things are getting better for you. kids that age are very motivated by prizes and praise. so any type of reward would probably help. you could google 2nd grade classroom discipline or reward system and get some good ideas. they want to be challenged, I noticed when I taught that age that the lessons seemed to be geared more towards 5 year olds I got some good adaptations from sugardoodle.net
set some rules and give specific examples have a few of them act out the good example and bad example giving feedback as they do. they have a lot of fun doing it but it also gets the point across.
you could call the parents saying, I am having a problem getting _____ to do ______ is there anything you do that works at home?
anyways good luck
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