The patients will run the asylum, if you let them - Experiences working in education

I love working with kids, but I don't like the fact that they run the show

I work as a teaching assistant. I love it for the most part. I am able to be a positive role model for young people, and most of these kids have a lot of promise. I actually don't fault the kids at all for any of the issues with education. The problem seems to be greater, more systemic, growing. A lot of teachers are lacking fundamental classroom management skills, and I believe a lot of that is due to legislation.

Lie, Argue, Lie

I've had a frustrating time this summer with my assignment. The teacher that I work with does not enforce any of their own rules, they engage in negotiation with students over rules and expectations. They don't enforce punishment. They make threats they have no intention of ever cashing in on. Students blatantly lie to your face, argue with you, and HODL the position they've taken behind their lie.

You're LYING!!!

I had a student ask me if she had the correct answer on a math problem today, I told her she did not, because, she did not. She shouted at me "You're LYING!!!" When she later found out that she was in fact wrong, I told her I wouldn't lie to a student. She snapped at me "Whatever..."

There won't be any consequences for the student.

A student today was not working on his assignment and distracting other students. I decided to use proximity to diffuse the situation and sat next to the student, directed him to focus and offered assistance. He refused to work but the distracting others stopped. Eventually he became more and more frustrated with my presence and started to express his frustration with me and argue about having distracted others and having been off task (obvious lies). He started to yell at me, so I brought him down to see his counselor. At the counselors office, the student repeatedly interrupted me, and the counselor allowed this behavior. There won't be any consequences for the student.

I have successfully managed all but 2 classes that I've been in charge of

I used to be a substitute teacher before I became a teachers assistant. Seems like a step down, but it was a bump in pay. When I was a substitute teacher I managed every class except 2 without a hitch. The 2 exceptions were alternative schools who's administrations had given up on those classes and begged me to come back (I would not). Classroom management is about drawing a line in the sand that you refuse to cross no matter how it makes you or the student feel. You have to take the authority role, or the student gladly will take it for you. There's a student in every group, usually more then one, who is ready to take advantage of a weak willed teachers who engages in negotiation tactics with their students.

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