I might be totally off base here but is it possible to do the following OP?
Split class clearly into two groups the 20 who are interested including the apathetic ones and in the other group the 10 disruptive class members.
Move tables so at one end of the classroom you have one group and at the other end the disruptive students. Organise different teaching (worksheets games etc) for each group tailored to their level.
Is that a bad idea or just unworkable? e.g. tables dont move!
meifang: I think what you need to do is look after yourself. If everyone else treats the class like a joke, then you should do so also. Do the bare minimum necessary. Most important is that you protect your own psychological health. You don’t even have to feel selfish about that (though I don’t see anything wrong with that as an end) because it can also be justified as being in the best interests of your other students. This class could have long term ramifications for the quality of your own teaching.
I have been where you are at a number of times as a teacher and it’s really not good. Please do what is necessary for yourself first, and everyone else second. I know that people will say otherwise, but you won’t make a difference because there is no way you can make a difference without institutional support, which you are not going to get. Three years from now, those kids won’t even remember your name. Three years from now you could still be dealing with the emotional fallout though. These kids are bad kids. They’re horrible in fact. I don’t believe all kids are inherently good. There are bad adults and they don’t materialise out of nowhere at the age of eighteen. You need to limit your psychological exposure to such people. Personally, I think it’s instances like this where corporal punishment should be reinstated, or at least you should have unrestricted recourse to turning the tables on them psychologically. You should be allowed to make it a very, very long and painful year for them. Unfortunately though, none of that is going to happen.
Get a cheap digital camera that you can stick somewhere and let it record video of the class. Send to Apple Daily / Next TV.
You’d get sacked for that. There’d be a slight media fuss for maybe a day or two, and then everything would go back to normal.
I have a class like this…just one. Not all of them are awful…some are polite and want to learn…but 3 or 4 others are complete degenerates. Every teacher who has had this class was glad to get away from it.
It’s true, if you don’t have institutional support, don’t bother trying to turn it around, after your initial, genuine attempt to do so. Preserve yourself and don’t let them get to you. Ignore the bad ones completely and focus on any good ones there who want to learn. I think as far gone as some of these students are, ignoring them is actually the best thing for them as well.
But man, you gotta be a zen master sometimes to pull this off, with a total lack of respect being shown. Just let it slide off and laugh at it, and remain professional teaching a lesson as you always do.
One thing this class is really bad with, is being loud. Like in Chinese, while I’m trying to talk. I don’t raise my voice, I just stop, look, and wait until it quiets down.
Also, I made an audio recording of them. Complete with them swearing in Chinese to each other (one of them will do it to my face). Wasn’t too difficult to get that kind of material. Because I know these are the type of students who will lie about teachers they don’t like.
[quote=“ironlady”]Great chance to do the “TPRs or textbook” thing.
Those who want to participate in stories may do so.
Those who do not complete voluminous packets of worksheets in silence for the period.
I fact. everyone ends up getting CI because they cannot hep but listen, and active participation in the CI gets them off worksheet patrol.[/quote]
In context that sounds likely to be unenforceable, for me anyway.
[quote=“Ducked”][quote=“ironlady”]Great chance to do the “TPRs or textbook” thing.
Those who want to participate in stories may do so.
Those who do not complete voluminous packets of worksheets in silence for the period.
I fact. everyone ends up getting CI because they cannot hep but listen, and active participation in the CI gets them off worksheet patrol.[/quote]
In context that sounds likely to be unenforceable, for me anyway.[/quote]
It could be worth a try, though. What is your better solution? 