I love these kids and every single time one cusses me out because I told them to be quiet I feel sad they cuss me with such fluency and dexterity I wonder where they’ve learned to imitate that kind of violence. I know these are kids with bad home lives, no guidance on how to act in society, COVID Kids, etc.

However, they’ve really just turned my classroom management into a mess when I sub at that particular school.

How do I handle when a student comes up to me at the start of class and says, “you’re gay! Are you gay? Everybody thinks you’re gay.”

How do I handle when I say, “Your teacher told me to take names. I hate doing that, but everybody in here knows how to act and I won’t be giving warnings” and they all bust out laughing?

How do I handle when I ask a student to be quiet, and they just look back at me, and continue talking?

I’ve started the period like a super strict a-hole with hopes I can loosen up towards the end, but I end up just struggling through it all.

Please help.