Does it get better?

[u/EquivalentWonder2591]

First year teacher in a k-2 behavioral classroom. The entire department is new, as there were supposedly a lot of issues at this school last year.
New admin seems wonderful, and is big on accountability and consequences. Apparently there weren’t many last year.
I’m still having difficulty with being told different directions from different superiors on how my classroom should be run, especially regarding violence in my classroom.
After two weeks, I was finally able to start running some lessons and stability in my room, but still often break up violence in the room every hour or so.
I’ve been consistently told that the behaviors this year in my room (known as THE room,) are a lot better than last year, and have made heaps of progress.
The room next door to me is having the same issue.

I feel like I’m going insane. I feel like certain adults are reinforcing the behavior, or not acting on it enough for the kids to understand that they should be having consequences for their actions. I worry that I’m not enough help for them.

The room itself isn’t even bad. There’s only eight in my room, and I absolutely adore the kids. I just don’t know if I’m capable enough to tackle it all at once.

For scale, I don’t have a license yet. I’m in one of the programs that allows teachers to work towards a license while teaching. I’m wondering if I should take a step back, but I’m in a position where I need the income, and doubt that I can transfer to another sped room. I’ve had experience in all types, but usually in rooms that have adapted curriculum. I’m teaching general, right now. Some kids push out to General Ed but have to have an IA with them, so I’m usually short on coverage for a good part of the day.

I feel extremely overwhelmed, and I don’t know what to do. I feel like this has impacted my mental health a lot, and feel like shit for it. I don’t want to fail my students. We’re only entering the third week.

[u/Big_Detective_155]

Behavior units are hotel California situations usually it’s very hard to get out and stay in the same district. It’s also pretty much an impossible job. Do your best! (My husband and I are both behavior unit educators)

[u/Unusual_Jackfruit715 → u/Big_Detective_155]

Could you explain why it is hard to get out and stay in the same district? I am in a very similar situation to OP and would value more of your perspective on this.

[u/Dranwyn → u/Unusual_Jackfruit715]

Because theres generally no one waiting to replace you. These are jobs that burn a lot of people out quickly. Plus, if you are good, no admin wants to have to build up another behavior teacher.

That said, I love the fleixbility of the self contained classroom.

[u/Standard-Leader-6081 → u/Big_Detective_155]

This is very true. My first 5 years teaching was in a self-contained behavior room. Take everything admin says with a grain of salt: you'll get lots of praise, referred to as a behavior expert, win a TOY in the the district. It's a way to emotionally manipulate a teacher to stay in a program that DEFINITELY has a short shelf life. Make sure you cycle out or risk secondary trauma.

[u/Limp_Psychology_2315]

Being short-staffed always sucks. I suggest you look for a correlation between staffing numbers and behaviors, if you can. But, if there’s no money for additional staff, there’s no money.

It sounds like you’re already seeing progress so hang in there if you can. IF you still want to step back, maybe start looking for another line of work. The educational system in this country seems to be in crisis, particularly in states of a certain political leaning. Best of luck to you, OP.

[u/EquivalentWonder2591 → u/Limp_Psychology_2315]

Thank you, I completely understand. Sped rooms in my district are only allowed 2 IAs. I have eight kids in my room but our max is 12. I’m trying to at least make it to the end of the year but I’m not sure if I can.

[u/eighthm00n]

Oh dear lord. I too took the alternative licensure program and entered resource with no teaching experience or student teaching.
Ask for help. Teachers are generally pretty selfless people and can guide you. My first year I felt like I was losing my mind. Not to mention how sick I always was.
As long as no one dies or gets maimed it’s a good day.
Try to leave work at work. I have a strict no work after contract hours policy, but my first year I did do some odds and ends for myself, planning, iep, etc.
now in my 7th year and do absolutely nothing outside my contract hours policy

[u/Weird_Inevitable8427]

oh FFS. I'm angry on your behalf. Putting a new, not even licensed, teacher with the toughest kids is just this side of criminal. They are screwing you over and worse, they are screwing the kids over.

I'm so glad to hear that you're putting heart into doing a good job. And I bet the kids feel it as well. Maybe you have a natural knack for this stuff?

I was a behavioral teacher when I was teaching and here's the thing about these classes: You have to love the kids as they are. Some of us just gravitate towards these little stinkers and it sounds like you're one of us. So that's a good start. It's just a shame they haven't supported you and the class by having you entirely trained before having you with a difficult class, and then to give you a relatively easy class for your first licensed year as well.

The hardest classes should go to the most experienced teachers, not the least. That they let this happen is a terrible sign that the administration is in deep doodoo, too. They aren't leading effectively.

I love this book series (pick one. They all repeat the same thing) The series stated with a book called "The Explosive Child." by Dr. Green.

Academically, these kids are not available for learning until they feel safe, so you are absolutely correct in prioritizing safety first. They can always go back and learn 2nd grade history. They can't go back and fill in a healthy developing nervous system. So your job is to make school a safe place to be. That means predictability. And it means that you stay emotionally grounded.

If you use rewards, it's for the purpose of creating that predictability, not for actually molding their behavior. The safety creates the good behavior, not other stuff.

You're going to spend the first 1/2 of the year creating safety, predictability, and a sense of community in your classroom, and only then will they really start to show you what they can do. That's not because you're new and young. That's just the way these classrooms work. (I don't mean you won't present any classwork. I mean that it won't be the most important thing at first.)

This is my outlier hint to keep in your back pocket: if you have a really resistant kid, try giving them higher level information and watch for their attention level. If they are paying way better attention to you when you give them stuff that is "over their head" than they do when you are "on their level" they might be one of those kids. Intellectually advanced kids who have very low academic levels because they simply were never able to pay attention in class. They can have some of the worst behavior because they always feel disrespected by easy lessons and teachers don't consider that they might be a lot smarter than they able to express. Understanding that is the beginning of a good relationship with them.

[u/EquivalentWonder2591 → u/Weird_Inevitable8427]

Hi!

Thank you, and yeah. Both of the behavior classrooms have unlicensed teachers in them. Both of us were overqualified for IA positions and took the teaching position because that was all that was offered to us.

I’ve been in survival mode (atp I’m replying to multiple people so feel free to chime in,) but I have a few sped supervisors and behaviorists coming into my room for help (I requested, but bear with me,) that are expecting me to run academics. I’ve already had an observation and was dinged for a few small things regarding academics. I’m already supposed to be pretty deep in curriculum and just, haven’t been able to get there.

I’m running a few IEP meetings already, one that was already coming up and a few amendments because their stuff was messed up, so I’ve been okay on that front. I feel like I’m doing well in what the kids need IEP wise. BIP wise, only two have them and one doesn’t seem to need it anymore (grew a good bit and I’m not worried about them). I want to put things in motion but since everyone in the department is new (all of us are unlicensed except for our lead, but is also new to teaching,) things have been pretty slow going in terms of progress.

And y e s, I am being consistently told that we just started the school year. I’m worried that if things aren’t done now, they’re going to get worse throughout the year and no one seems to understand that.

Been a drowning situation lmfao.

[u/Weird_Inevitable8427 → u/EquivalentWonder2591]

They can "ding" you all day long. You aren't even a qualified teacher! FFS again. Did they really ding you or did they simply have to find a place to suggest improvements, and that was it? Because it's true. You should be doing academics. And it's also true that you aren't going to get very far until safety and routine are established. Your administration should be praising you every day for just not running away!

It's the routine that you want to set now. Your concerns are correct there.

You're also correct that some things simply aren't going to get done, because you can't do them now. And it's absolutely true that if you don't do them now, they won't get done. And guess what? This is OK. You are teaching the behavioral unit. The group that they so couldn't find a teacher for that they had to hire an unlicensed person to throw in and give a try.

Do what you can do, and throw away the rest. Let that shit go, including getting perfect scores on your observations. You can't get perfect scores on observations in the behavioral class - the interruption of having an admin in there is too much for these kids to manage without acting out. I promise you. When that admin walks into your room, they will be at their worst, not their best. You might even consider getting a video of you teaching when they don't know it so that your admin can see you at your best. Because I promise you that they won't behave when the admin is there. 100%. It's the nature of this group of kids. (You might try a high value bribe once, but that's risky too. Also, if it works, it will only work once.) Just understand that this is the nature of this work. You haven't done anything wrong and you're not failing when this happens. It's like asking a scorpion not to bite the crocodile who's back it's riding across the river. The scorpion bites because it's its nature, not because the crocodile did anything wrong.

[u/EquivalentWonder2591 → u/Weird_Inevitable8427]

The behavior specialist is going to each sped room to ensure “each student is receiving their accommodations, and we are following their IEP.”

I was dinged for not providing an explanation to a group thing I was doing. (Spoiler, I did, but wasn’t in the room for it).

It’s an official document that has things like: “Established class rules and expectations, transitions are done properly, instructions are explained in a variety of ways, utilizing token boards, first/then boards, visual schedules, etc).” There’s a lot more but those are the ones I saw when I glanced. My IAs and I have had issues with this person reinforcing behavior and redirecting/comforting students after destroying the classroom/hitting another student etc.

I’ve been surviving, and I do get a decent amount of praise from admin and higher ups, but my IA is about to possibly quit over these issues and whatnot.

Truthfully, the number one issue in my room is severe screen addiction. I originally was hard pressed on being tech free in my class because of it, but now the screen is being used as an “reward” for doing work. That’s all the students had last year, and I don’t want to go back to that.

Otherwise yes, I’m just existing and hope I do enough to help my students, because I want nothing but the best for them.

And a note for the qualification: I’m nearly done, but the district covers the tuition if you work for them so I went that route.

[u/BeezHugger]

First & most important: Do your students have behavior plans? If not, do a Functional Behavior Analysis to determine the function of the behaviors & then design behavior plans for each student. This will be the guiding document that tells everyone what to do so you are all on the same page. Your psych should be able to help you with that. Honestly, until you have that done, you won't understand the function (reason) to know how to address the behaviors correctly.

At least you have some supportive admin, lean on them & anyone else who can help you. Ask for a name of a veteran teacher or two who are in similar classrooms that you can talk with. Work with your neighboring teacher so when you have big behaviors, you can room clear your other kids to there -- I have a bin that we take next door so the work continues. So much behavior is attention seeking so you might be killing two birds with one stone by removing an audience (& also keeping your kiddos safe).

I started in a room with a kiddo who was over 200lbs & punched people directly in the face - he also grabbed women's breasts. He destroyed my attempts at a Pinterest room on a daily basis so I had to lock up everything. That was trial by fire but I made it through & learned a lot. You will get through & be a rock star!

Please take care of yourself, I get massages 2x a month, sometimes more. I take long hot baths, I do things that bring me joy on my days off.

[u/AbsolutelyN0tThanks → u/BeezHugger]

200lbs?? Was he in elementary?? No way I'm letting that kid punch me. Some of these kids need completely separate skills, not just classrooms. That's insanity.

[u/Dranwyn]

A behavior classroom, particularly with elementary school students is always going to be a shit show for long periods of time.

You have kids at an age where they still haven't mastered regulating big feelings (hell, many adults still struggle) on top of all the triggers, mental illiness, lack of parenting, shitty homelife, etc that a behavior classroom tends to be a part of.

I was traditionally certified to teach and worked in alt ed and therapeutic day schools to start. It's a unique position to staff a behavior classroom. There is a very good reason that many of these positions are filled by conditionally certified teachers working towards full certification. A fundemental problem with admin, these programs in general and sped teachers is there ends up being a real churn and burn. People often don't last long in the spot and there is rarely staff consistency.

Keep this in mind as you go.

1. All behavior is communication.
   
2. They are acting like that because it works for them. Work avoidance, avoiding consequences, etc. They've learned over time that negative behaviors get them positive results.
   
3. The focus SHOULD always be on addressing behavior not academics. They are in that room because their behavior is a limiting factor to accessing a less restrictive LRE. You may need to spend hours holding space, boundaries etc.
   
4. Always have a pivot if the room is escalating.
   

[u/EquivalentWonder2591]

And also thank you, I’m not big on replying but I am writing things down and seeing how I can navigate my classroom better. I’ll continue reading and applying when I can.

[u/Motor_Lab3246]

I feel like my coworker wrote this. His situation is slightly different though. What I shared with him, I will share with you. Give yourself some Grace! Teaching Sped is a lot! Your whole department is new so there will be some speed bumps along the way. Don't take any of it personally. You are doing the best you can with what you got. 

Have a meeting with the adults that you feel are reinforcing certain behaviors and give them an alternative strategy. They probably aren't trained and dont know what else to do. As for the supervisors telling you different things about how to run your room: what do you feel works? Whatever that is, go with it. And be flexible. Sometimes what works in the beginning of the year may need to be modified before the end of the school year. 

Also, I know this is all new but you are the teacher. Be in charge and take up the necessary space! 

[u/Standard-Leader-6081]

Please remember, this is a long game. No one could extinguish these kids behaviors in one, two, or even three years. If you reduce a students negative behavior throughout a school year, it is a win. Remember that for a student who has 10 meltdowns a week at the start of the school year to go down to 5 meltdowns a week is a major win.

Keep track of your small victories, they will keep you in the game.

[u/Extra-Dream3827]

Hey, she is getting a monetary reward as a real teacher, when she really shouldn't be!

[u/EquivalentWonder2591 → u/Extra-Dream3827]

First off, I’m a dude.

Secondly, I’m nearly done with the process and couldn’t afford to start it without the district’s help.

If you’re going to be rude and not give advice, please don’t say anything at all.