I'd move the tray - least stressful option. Otherwise why not give them all a detention if they won't own up? Can't see how that would stop them from doing it again though.

 Or stand at the door when they leave the room.

It's a game to them now. Just move the tray. Like I had to move a large box of crayons....

Of course, you get even more p*ss*d *ff when you're the one who has to keep on with the evasion tactics, while they keep finding new ways to wind you up.   Of course the answer is: this shouldn't be happening; kids should have at least a vague idea of civilized behaviour by Yr 9.  Of course, many of them don't.  I can see why a teacher would be reluctant to ask for support, with so many SMTs the way they are these days: I can just hear the 'BlametheVictim' responses:  WHY ARE  THEY PLAYING YOU UP?  THEY'RE EVER SO GOOD FOR ME/MR FOOTBALLCOACH/MRS MATRONLY, etc. 

What you need is a well-run school, where this kind of irritation isn't allowed to occur, or is at least nipped in the bud.  But there don't seem to be many of them around these days...

Thanks for your replies everyone - I know it's trivial but it really is getting me angry and sometimes spoils the beginning of my next class.

I think I will have to move the tray although it annoys me. However I am short of space so either will have to keep something else up there which they will just knock off, or have things piled up at the back of the room - and who's to know how their minds work, they will probably find some way of knocking those things over too - still it's not so easy to run away from the back of the room is it?

I was very tempted to give them detentions (the 4 boys) but then some parent will doubtless complain that their child is being punished for nothing - they would probably claim that they didn't know who did it.

It's difficult to stand by the door - it's very cramped, and in any case what they are doing is going out, then coming back and putting their hand through the door when I have gone back to my desk.

Yes, if I take it further no doubt this will be my fault - and I hate to say that this is not my worst class, it's just that these are the only ones who have thought of doing this.

I think I had better move it before word gets round to all my year 9 classes.

Thanks again for taking the trouble to reply.

kittylion

I was very tempted to give them detentions (the 4 boys) but then some parent will doubtless complain that their child is being punished for nothing - they would probably claim that they didn't know who did it.

 

You could try it.

I think teachers assume all too often that parents will not back us up, when I know as a parent (and most of the parents I know), we'd back the school unless the school was proven to be outrageously wrong.

If I got a phone call, email or similar saying one of my children was going to have a detention because they'd been in a group of 4 who'd misbhaved in some significant way, I'd almost certainly support it.

I've only just seen this but as someone working in an equally challenging school, I'd let them go one at a time (as I often do anyway). That way you'd know the culprit or they'd give up, and once they got used to that routine they'd probably stop bothering anyway. I always dismiss individually, I think it adds nice structure and can help to prevent corridor squabbles.

Blu-tack the trays to the filing cabinet? Might at least give you chance to get over there and find out whose hand it is.

Sianio

I've only just seen this but as someone working in an equally challenging school, I'd let them go one at a time

I might try this - although it will take some time to dismiss them all and the corridor outside is very narrow. I used to do it but have got out of the habit.

I also thought of the blutak Uvgoddess but wondered if it would be strong enough lol

Thanks again for all your suggestions - any more always welcome.

uvgoddess

Blu-tack the trays to the filing cabinet? Might at least give you chance to get over there and find out whose hand it is.

That's just given me an idea! Put paint on the tray! Then they'll get paint on their hand and be obvious and you'll hear them go "urrgghh!". Even better something really sticky...

 

 Or run a small electric current through it. Or wipe a cut chilli pepper all over it. They'll get a nasty surprise next time theu touch their eyes, or even better, when they go to the loo.

[edited by: Doitforfree at 13:02 (GMT 0) on 21-4-2012]

I usually stand at door and dismiss the people who have worked well first and I always comment on this- years of my own children telling me that staff do not notice the good quiet ones.ie I was really please with you today Fred- you can go -I then dismiss naughty people one by one.

Instead of giving end of day detention...let the four boys loose their breaktime, or if possible 15 mins of their lunch hour.  If you did put these lads on detention and parents did complain then just explain to the parents that their child was there when this happened, refused to tell you who it was and so therefore was ' in ' on the act.  Remember its your room, and the students should follow your rules...

I'd be inclined to detain the four suspects. Keep talk to a minimum don't let them know that you are very annoyed. Say something like 'okay boys, here's a piece of paper each sit here etc and write out what happened the other day! I find this is effective and it will probably get at least one of them to spill the beans. It may be a petty in the big scheme of things but I think you are correct to want to deal with it. If you come down on this it will make others less likely to step out of line as a previous poster said it is your classroom.

I have sometimes tried a small class reward for "good behaviour" in situations like this, where the culprit is hard to catch (no flying files for a week, say, in this situation); the rest of the class might put pressure on the culprits to give it up if they all lose out.

.

Hi, I'm having challenging behaviour issues with yr9's also, so I know how it feels. I'm new to teaching, I try various strategies many of which help, however I have given up sending pupils to the HoD as the pupils don't really care as they receive no real sanction from them, and treat it as a little break. However what I wonder about is Senior Management? In my two PGCE placement schools.. one was very challenging, but both had comprehensive and clear behaviour policies, backed up by specialist staff, and it was amazing to knowing that support was there. Basically the attitude was that you as a teacher are there to teach, if pupil's consistently disrupted there were clear steps to follow and they were referred to senior management who pursued it as a serious matter, allowing you to teach those who want to. It worked. I don't have this in my current school. When there are no real consequences to the poor behaviour, why should they care? When teachers have to worry more than the pupils about how they will be viewed when the pupils disrupt lessons, the power is in the pupils hands, not the teachers.