Perhaps the single most important aspect of teaching is classroom management. You can’t successfully teach your students if you are not in control. This is also a concern of your principal and your students’ parents. Many teachers have lost their jobs due to poor classroom management.

There are many reasons why discipline can be a problem in your classroom. One of the reasons could be your teaching style. If you aren’t reaching every one of your students, they can become bored, disinterested and restless. As mentioned in the section on instruction, every student has their own learning style and an area where they excel. If you are reaching these students by using a variety of methods, they are motivated and less likely to cause trouble.

Another reason for discipline issues is that you may be dealing with students with many personal problems. I have personally dealt with students who witnessed their fathers being gunned down, their mother throwing them out of a moving car on the expressway, their fathers beating them so much they were hospitalized, a family member (usually a step-father) molesting them, being forced into the drug trade by their parents, and rape. How can a student learn when all they can think about is what they are going home to later that afternoon? Will their rage transfer to the classroom?

Any abuse you discover must be reported to the proper authorities. In most states, the department of child protective services are overworked and understaffed. You will probably get little help from them. What can you do to address the issues? Will you have time to act as counselor in addition to your regular teaching duties? Following are a few strategies to deal with troubled students:

• Refer them to the school counselor. If your counselor is unable to squeeze the student in or is relegated to performing administrative duties by the principal, go to step 2.
• Refer them to a local social services agency. There are many that are either free or low in cost. For example, the Fan Free Clinic offers low cost substance abuse services, affordable housing, medical treatment, and a food pantry. Many local churches also provide free services.
• Contact your local United Way agency. They distribute their money to many social organizations and can give you a list of potential agencies. The Salvation Army is one of the largest social care providers in the world. They can also give you important advice.