Hi Rich,  I'm teaching young kids down in Shaoxing!  Previously they had been left to run amuck with next to no diciplin so when i first got here they were pretty naughty!  Once i layed down the law and made it very clear that i'd take no crap like their past teachers their behaviour improved dramtaically, they even clean the classroom without being promted!!!  Of course they are young kids so it's easier to manipulate them lol I use the whole reward good behaviour method so they have a goal to work towards and a reason to behave!  If they behave well and complete all their work they receive a star, when they reach a certain ammount of stars they receive a prize.  If they break a rule I take them over to the list of rules I have up on the wall point to the number that they broke and get them to read it outloud then i deduct a star. Works a treat, they are so eager to get their star at the end of the lesson that most of the time they are extreamly well behaved.  It's just a shame that method doesn't work so well with older stubourn teens!!!  I would make sure they very clearly know the rules, even if it means getting them to write them out as punishment to drill it in their heads!!!  I hope Simon's behaviour improves!!! Good Luck with it all!!! :)

That was totally the right thing to do, a lot of first year teachers (including myself) do not discipline students enough and then they walk right over you for the rest of your time as their teacher. This is something I will change once I get to China in two weeks.

If you don't lay down the law the first time, you've lost them forever!

Hi Rich,

I'm from Middlesbrough too so i understand your restaurant excitement! Glad your having a good time out in china, looking forward to reading your next blog!

Sam

You're very welcome Rich - glad you had a good time!

Also, reckon you did exactly the right thing in laying down the law with that kid's phone - you don't want to be that teacher that students think they can walk all over.