Student with oppositional defiant disorder

benvben

Hi im an NQT and teaching a classroom full of teenage boys, most of them are very boisterous, come from hard backgrounds but nice lads over all. One of them is a different story altogether and crosses the line to the point were ive felt intimidated by him. He disrupts every class and is very aggressive. Ive shouted at him, ignored him, tried talking to him and nothing works. Principal hasnt been as helpful as he should be. I dont know what to do at this stage and feel like other staff members think I cant control my class.

joebloggs32

benvben wrote: »

Hi im an NQT and teaching a classroom full of teenage boys, most of them are very boisterous, come from hard backgrounds but nice lads over all. One of them is a different story altogether and crosses the line to the point were ive felt intimidated by him. He disrupts every class and is very aggressive. Ive shouted at him, ignored him, tried talking to him and nothing works. Principal hasnt been as helpful as he should be. I dont know what to do at this stage and feel like other staff members think I cant control my class.

You need to document what's happening. It may be time consuming but if you create a paper trail it might light a fire under management. If they continually fail to do anything then escalate the issue through your union rep.

byhookorbycrook

Does he actually carry a diagnosis of ODD?

doc_17

Document. File behaviour reports.

byhookorbycrook

Shouting won't help. Talking to him needs to be done at the end of class when he doesn't have an audience.

benvben

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Shouting won't help. Talking to him needs to be done at the end of class when he doesn't have an audience.

Yes he's diagnosed. Im concerned about talking to him with no one else in the room, even with door open. I wouldnt trust him if im honest, he could easily make up accusations.

Principal advised I shout at him, and yes its not helped.

byhookorbycrook

What does the SEN teacher say about him?Can s/he offer help as to strategies, behavior contracts etc.?

benvben

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

What does the SEN teacher say about him?Can s/he offer help as to strategies, behavior contracts etc.?

There is no SEN teacher

Put clear behaviour plan in place at meeting with principal, parents, you, and any other professionals working with the pupil (and child if appropriate). A stepped approach towards suspension and expulsion based on the code of behaviour in school should be put in place at that meeting alongside positive outcomes for appropriate behaviours. A reduced day for that pupil could be applied for also as an outcome of that meeting (needs to be approved by BOM).

r93kaey5p2izun

Does the school have involvement with the NBSS?

I teach a lot of students with ODD. I find it's best to have very strong classroom routines, to remain calm at all times, to ignore a lot of attention seeking diversionary arguments and behaviours. Give the student time to do what's asked - don't stand looking at them waiting for them to comply. Repeat the original instruction politely if ignored and ignore following up any retorts or arguments that may arise. If persisting in refusing to follow instructions then calmly offer the choice of doing x or facing consequence y after class. Leave it at that and move on and leave them to decide their choice. Then be consistent in following through with sanctions that are clearly laid out in advance according to school policy. Deal with applying sanctions after class not in front of an audience. Document everything. Report to year head if necessary and state that teaching and learning is being disrupted. If you fear for your or students' health and safety then say it in writing.

But students with ODD will inevitably act out in class at times and there should be agreed procedures to offer support and to follow up incidents. Class teachers, especially an NQT, cannot be expected to manage ODD on their own.

benvben

Deleted User wrote: »

Put clear behaviour plan in place at meeting with principal, parents, you, and any other professionals working with the pupil (and child if appropriate). A stepped approach towards suspension and expulsion based on the code of behaviour in school should be put in place at that meeting alongside positive outcomes for appropriate behaviours. A reduced day for that pupil could be applied for also as an outcome of that meeting (needs to be approved by BOM).

His parents are feckless to say the least. Principal seems to ignore the issue - tbh I feel as the new teacher theyve given me the difficult students no one else wants to work with. Suspension/expulsion wont solve the issue - its only going to have a negative impact on him. Despite his behaviour I care about him/his education and dont feel throwing him out of the class or having him suspended is the right approach.

benvben

Alicia Lively Marathon wrote: »

Does the school have involvement with the NBSS?

I teach a lot of students with ODD. I find it's best to have very strong classroom routines, to remain calm at all times, to ignore a lot of attention seeking diversionary arguments and behaviours. Give the student time to do what's asked - don't stand looking at them waiting for them to comply. Repeat the original instruction politely if ignored and ignore following up any retorts or arguments that may arise. If persisting in refusing to follow instructions then calmly offer the choice of doing x or facing consequence y after class. Leave it at that and move on and leave them to decide their choice. Then be consistent in following through with sanctions that are clearly laid out in advance according to school policy. Deal with applying sanctions after class not in front of an audience. Document everything. Report to year head if necessary and state that teaching and learning is being disrupted. If you fear for your or students' health and safety then say it in writing.

But students with ODD will inevitably act out in class at times and there should be agreed procedures to offer support and to follow up incidents. Class teachers, especially an NQT, cannot be expected to manage ODD on their own.

Thank you, this was really helpful. Ill be honest, I am completely unprepared for this situation and unsure how to handle it. While in college we touched on classroom confrontation but covered nothing close to this situation. Ill use your tips on Monday.
Thank you again.

MathsManiac

benvben wrote: »

Principal advised I shout at him, and yes it's not helped.

benvben wrote: »

There is no SEN teacher.

Sounds like a wonderfully caring school.

benvben

benvben wrote: »

His parents are feckless to say the least. Principal seems to ignore the issue - tbh I feel as the new teacher theyve given me the difficult students no one else wants to work with. Suspension/expulsion wont solve the issue - its only going to have a negative impact on him. Despite his behaviour I care about him/his education and dont feel throwing him out of the class or having him suspended is the right approach.

In the real world he will get arrested if he crosses certain boundaries. School should be a preparation for the future. Caring about him without having serious consequences for serious behaviours is not fulfilling you duty to him as a teacher. As a NQT you are new to this but as time goes on you will see these situations time and time again and a softly softly approach will rarely work. It is your duty to provide an education to the other pupils too remember and this child cannot ruin their education. If you allow him to do so you are remiss so you need to deal with it in a structured escalating way. If he cannot behave and is preventing others from learning he should not be allowed to continue doing so.

ouxbbkqtswdfaw

I don't know about the lad you are talking about, but I found that the following sometimes works with disruptive pupils.

When he causes disruption, impose a penalty immediately, say, time in after class, or lines: I must not disrupt the class x 20 times. etc. written on blackboard. If he behaves, this punishment will be gradually reduced after 10 minutes. So the punishment is abolished or increased (depending on behaviour) within class time. If he behaves, at the end of class, he may have no punishment pending.

So there is an immediate reward for positive behaviour.
Best of luck.

Cash_Q

Once you have issued your instruction to him, don't engage in arguments or repeating your instructions. He will thrive on the confrontation. Instead, have a visual prompt that you can point at or show him so that you are reiterating your instruction without engaging in argument.

Documenting outbursts can be tiresome and time consuming. Where possible, create a checklist of common behaviours that you can tick off discreetly as they occur. Have a space for comment to detail any necessary specifics.

Examples could include:
- inappropriate language towards staff
- inappropriate language towards students
- refusal to cooperate/comply with instruction
- physical outbursts - use of property (e.g. slamming books/pencil case)
- physical outbursts - use of furniture (moving table/chair to cause disruption)

You'll be amazed how much you put up with and how resilient you are when you see it all on paper.

Contact the SESS for support.

doc_17

Alicia Lively Marathon wrote: »

Does the school have involvement with the NBSS?

I teach a lot of students with ODD. I find it's best to have very strong classroom routines, to remain calm at all times, to ignore a lot of attention seeking diversionary arguments and behaviours. Give the student time to do what's asked - don't stand looking at them waiting for them to comply. Repeat the original instruction politely if ignored and ignore following up any retorts or arguments that may arise. If persisting in refusing to follow instructions then calmly offer the choice of doing x or facing consequence y after class. Leave it at that and move on and leave them to decide their choice. Then be consistent in following through with sanctions that are clearly laid out in advance according to school policy. Deal with applying sanctions after class not in front of an audience. Document everything. Report to year head if necessary and state that teaching and learning is being disrupted. If you fear for your or students' health and safety then say it in writing.

But students with ODD will inevitably act out in class at times and there should be agreed procedures to offer support and to follow up incidents. Class teachers, especially an NQT, cannot be expected to manage ODD on their own.

That’s one of the most constructive replies I’ve seen to a post seeking advice.

Rechuchote

Document, for the kid's sake as well as your own and the school's - when he gets to see some professional help, these notes will be valuable in helping him.

benvben

kpo7n6f153h2e9 wrote: »

I don't know about the lad you are talking about, but I found that the following sometimes works with disruptive pupils.

When he causes disruption, impose a penalty immediately, say, time in after class, or lines: I must not disrupt the class x 20 times. etc. written on blackboard. If he behaves, this punishment will be gradually reduced after 10 minutes. So the punishment is abolished or increased (depending on behaviour) within class time. If he behaves, at the end of class, he may have no punishment pending.

So there is an immediate reward for positive behaviour.
Best of luck.

I cant get him to do five minutes of work whlie in class, never mind 20 lines after class.

Rechuchote

I'm reminded of the tutor in Gerald Durrell's classic My Family and Other Animals who taught his animal-mad pupil by structuring his personal classes to suit his interests, so that in the history classes, Hannibal's invasion of Italy would be told from the point of view of an elephant, etc… Easier to do with a single pupil, of course!

Very often when people are deeply opposed to authority it's because they've learned to distrust authority because the people who represent it in their own lives are untrustworthy - changeable, fickle, unkind. To prove yourself trustworthy you have to be constant and respectful.

Perhaps, OP, you might request a sit-in on a class or two by the poster who has found a good way of dealing with this, Arlessienne?

Edit: a small point - people who are very instant in their behaviour respond best to very instant rewards, not so well to those that need continued behaviour.

Afroshack

Could you find out what his interests are and use that to build a relationship/work towards small reward systems? I did a class once a week where my (very difficult all boys) class listened to music on headphones whilst they worked on worksheets. They got 10 minutes headphone time for every other day (tuesday-friday) they worked well. I kept a huge chart titled "Music Mondays" in my classroom and added a letter of their name every day Tuesday-Friday or a tick beside their name. They can visibly see their good behaviour pay off and even after a couple of weeks, the tougher kids were watching the other 20+ kids getting to chill and listen to their music in class and they weren't. Its a nice reward for the well behaved kids and as long as they don't actually take out their phones in class, they can continue to do it every Monday.

happywithlife

kpo7n6f153h2e9 wrote: »

I don't know about the lad you are talking about, but I found that the following sometimes works with disruptive pupils.

When he causes disruption, impose a penalty immediately, say, time in after class, or lines: I must not disrupt the class x 20 times. etc. written on blackboard. If he behaves, this punishment will be gradually reduced after 10 minutes. So the punishment is abolished or increased (depending on behaviour) within class time. If he behaves, at the end of class, he may have no punishment pending.

So there is an immediate reward for positive behaviour.
Best of luck.

While I know there needs to be limits put on disruption I can't say I'd see this working with a student with a diagnosis of ODD - and wouldn't be advised way of dealing with his disruption
It's a tough one OP - but surely there IS some SEN teavher / coordinator in the school to talk to?