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I think we can all agree that the teaching profession has changed drastically over the past 5-8 years. Although I do not believe the COVID-19 Pandemic was the cause of this change, I think it was a catalyst. I believe that it has unintentionally brought all the issues teachers have been slowly facing over the years to a head. And one of the largest issues? Student behavior.
What kind of student behavior?
Although the specific types of issues as well as the prevalence of them varies by state, I have noticed some commonalities in experiences. Teachers everywhere are experiencing heightened amounts of:
- Disrespect
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
- Defiance
- Chronic absenteeism and truancy
- Apathy
- Entitlement
- Avoidance of critical thinking
- Students who actively prefer being sent to the office over staying in class
- Students who do not fear having their parents called for poor behavior
The simple answer for why this is happening is that for many of us, it has become seemingly impossible for us to give meaningful consequences for misbehavior. The real answer, however, is that there are a large number of issues that have been bubbling just beneath the surface for the past 3 decades. And these issues, collectively, are the real cause for what is happening in schools today. The COVID-19 Pandemic simply provided us with a single historical event we could somewhat point to as “the reason”, but in reality, it is only one of many.
What exactly IS the problem?
There are just SO many factors outside of our control that can help or hinder the success of our behavior management strategies.
This includes the laws and policies at the state level, the individual policies and procedures at school sites and school districts, the type of relationship between teachers, administrators, district leaders, and policymakers, the psychological impacts of cell phone addiction and the internet at large, the impacts the COVID shutdown had on learning and the social emotional health of our students, the effects of No Child Left Behind and mandated state testing, the impacts of tying state funding to attendance and graduation rates, the effects of low pay and high cost of living on parents and their ability to be involved and supportive of their children’s education, the insufficient pay and respect that teachers across America receive, the impact of the Calkins approach to reading instruction (check out the Sold a Story scandal if you haven’t already) that has ultimately left upper grade teachers feverishly and ineffectively trying to teach 15 year olds with third grade reading levels, the quality (or lack thereof) of teacher preparation programs, etc. The list can go ON and ON.
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Who can we blame?
I think we can all agree that for the most part, there was little to no malice or ill intent present when policymakers were writing our education laws over the past 3 decades. And for the teachers who are experiencing the worst student behavior, you are likely in a school run by or legislated by well-meaning individuals. This is why it is important not to demonize any one person, group, or entity. However, this does not mean we cannot be critical of their choices and have prudent discussions about where we need to go from here.
Aside from education policy (like I mentioned in the previous section), there are many other factors that are contributing to today’s student behavior problems. And some of these factors aren’t even considered “education” problems- further complicating an already entangled web of causes. A lot of parents and families are struggling to get by right now due to the fact that salaries have not kept up with inflation nor the average prices of consumer goods. With parents having to spend more and more time working, they are left with very little time and energy to invest in their children’s education. Not to mention what this nationwide situation is unconsciously communicating to today’s kids: that no amount of education can guarantee a poverty-free life.
What can we do about it?
These new difficulties all of us have been facing lately made me realize that we have to rethink our classroom and behavior management strategies, or we will all end up leaving the profession we used to love.
If individual teachers cannot change the Ed code, cannot solve the economic issues, and have their hands tied regarding disruptive and defiant behavior, this leaves us with two choices: Quit or Adapt. And for those of you that do not want to quit, we are here to help in any way we can.
What prompted this post?
I decided to write about this topic while developing a new salary advancement book study series over these past several weeks. What began as a simple “read this book, answer these questions, then do these things in your classroom” type of course, has now morphed into something I believe will preserve the sanity (and employment) of teachers everywhere.
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With a planned rolling release throughout June and July of 2024, our new 4 course series The First Days of School offers you the opportunity to earn 4 units over the summer for the purposes of salary advancement. While earning those 4 units, you will read the well-known book The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher by Harry and Rosemary Wong. This book is highly regarded by teachers everywhere, and whether you are a new teacher or a veteran one, I can guarantee you will find it immensely helpful. If you have read it before and enjoyed it, this course series is still for you. Click the image above to learn more.
Upon completion of the series, you will learn (or be reminded of) how to create consistency in your classroom amidst the chaos happening around you both physically and metaphorically. You will re-imagine your classroom procedures as well as your approach to behavior management. You will transform your classroom into a space that maximizes learning and minimizes misbehavior, and be given a ton of practical advice and tips along the way. In 2024, teachers must operate within the parameters they are given. And as we all know, those parameters can often make our jobs incredibly difficult. We want to help you figure out a new plan to attack the next school year head on- while earning units to advance your salary. Check out our new course series– we promise you will not regret it!!
Sources / Further Reading
- Comparing the Costs of Generations | Consumer Affairs | June 12, 2024
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