25 Unhinged Teacher Hacks Educators Use To Manage Kids

Parenting is a tough task, and most parents would appreciate any advice to make life easier for themselves. If you’re looking for some tried and tested methods on how to manage kids, then teachers may be in the perfect position to be able to help you out. From the appropriate way to deal with kids who won’t listen, to kids who think flatulence is funny, educators have understood the nitty-gritties of dealing with multiple kids vying for their attention.

#1

Image source: enensia_takhi, Tima Miroshnichenko

One day one of my students cussed at me. I did not say a word to him. I called his mother and put her on speaker phone and said “what did you say to me?” I don’t even think I said hello. He was silent!! We were good from that day.

#2

Image source: divakatana, Lorena Villarreal

Me: We need to make a phone call home.
S: So what? Nothing will happen.
Me: Not your home. I’m calling my home so you can explain to my husband why you think your disrespect toward me is acceptable.

#3

Image source: _beasimonee, Mikhail Nilov

I start singing obnoxiously loud when my students won’t stop talking. Works every time. I can’t sing, so they don’t wanna hear it

#4

Image source: citizen_cake_scv, Nikhita S

I drew a heart on the white board and if I (or another student) caught a student doing something kind, they wrote their name in the heart. At the end of the week, those kids with three or more names in the heart got to have lunch with me on Monday and share about their weekend. It changed my whole classroom dynamic and the toughest kids bought into it most. I had to keep making bigger and bigger hearts to hold all the names

#5

Image source: lateacharose, Getty Images

I am a Principal’s Secretary, I coach, and I drive a bus. I am blessed with great students. But in the past [since I’m an hourly paid employee] on a rowdy buses I’ve subbed to help out …I’d pull over, park, put my feet on dash and start reading a book.
When they ask… I say, “Y’all the ones that want to get home, I get paid by the hour. So … I’m good to sit here and get paid to read until I can drive Y’all safely.”…. instant calm cause they want to be home

#6

Image source: dr.derrickstandifer, Getty Images

Call the parent and give them great news about their kid! FIND SOMETHING good to say! Praise them for raising a well behaved scholar! A positive phone call home even when they don’t deserve it has been my go to hack!
If I need to call again for a correction I now have the parent’s buy in.

#7

Image source: brietur5, Getty Images

I apologize when I’ve messed up, lost patience, raised my voice. I let my students know I’m a person, I’m fallible, and I show them what being accountable looks like.

#8

Image source: janelldelaney_, cottonbro studio

I always took kids out in the hallway for a private check-in when things went sideways. Half the time, the answer to “What’s going on for you today?” was a heartbreaking summary of the c**p they had been dealing with outside my classroom.

#9

Image source: justcallmesweet, Katerina Holmes

“Can every one in the room who has a HS diploma raised their hand? Bachelor’s degree? Master’s degree?” Oh look it’s only me! Then why don’t you sit down and maybe learn something! Mmm ok.”

#10

Image source: aunt_deen, Getty Images

I used to teach high school seniors. One day I asked for quiet. Asked again. Raised my voice a bit and asked again.
Then I looked at a quiet girl in the front row and said at a normal volume, “Do you think it would help if I said ‘shut the f**k up’?”
The girl practically fell off her chair laughing. Several nearby heads swiveled toward me in shock.
“Did you just…?” “Wait, what? What did she say?”
I got multiple requests to say it again. I said, “Nope, you missed it. Be quieter next time.”

#11

Image source: mrkinetik, Ahmet Kurt

When a kid is on 10 and starting to realize they are on the wrong path, I keep it real. “You could easily get in trouble right now, and you’d deserve it. But I’m more interested in what you do next. Your next move needs to be your best move. So, what’re you going to do to get back on the best path?” I got in trouble all throughout school and I wish somebody would’ve helped me decide my next move, instead of threatening me with trouble because that did not work.

#12

Image source: cottoncandysprinkles1, Arthur Krijgsman

I just shadowed a teacher who on the first day of school started a hand raising system so she doesn’t have to ask everytime what they want.
Raise 1 finger for help w material or assignment, 2 for bathroom, 3 for I feel sick. She just points at the kid and nods yes or no, never skips a word on her lesson plan.

#13

Image source: xanderolivejewelry, Taylor Flowe

Occasionally I choose a “Class Representative” for the day. Students don’t know who it is, but I tell them I’m watching this student all day for following directions, trying their best, and respecting their classmates. At the end of the day, they can earn a prize for the whole class. Everyone wants to be the person caught doing those things and I can usually get a normally rowdy student to calm down.

#14

Image source: mamue2804, Los Muertos Crew

There was a substitute teacher (former Marine). Due to an injury, he had to wear a plastic corset around his torso. He was sent to a class that had the reputation of being uncontrollable. He went there for the first time, wearing his suit. The class really was noisy and annoying…the teacher sat down and didn’t say a word. A breeze from the windows made his tie fly around a bit. He then picked up a stapler and stapled the tie to his chest to fix it…The class was sweet as sugar from that moment on

#15

Image source: holly.reading.books, Barbara Olsen

This one comes from my mom, and it’s absolutely brilliant. There’s a kid in her class who thought farting was the most hilarious thing they could do. So, she pulled them aside and sincerely asked “Is everything okay? Is there a medical issue I should know about? Do your parents know? I’m happy to call your mom and explain it for you so you can get help.” If they call your bluff, do it, but make the call seem like you are genuinely concerned.

#16

Image source: great_dame710, Kaboompics.com

I only had issues with specific students, and a few of them I was in a texting level relationship with the moms, so when they’d get out of hand, I’d silently walk over to my phone, draft a message in moms message thread, and silently walk over and show the student the text before hitting send. I never once had to send any of those drafted texts

#17

Image source: jackilagiewka, cottonbro studio

“That sounds like a you problem.” – by this time in the year, my middle schoolers have heard this so much that they start saying it to each other when they make an excuse… I had one kid even come to me and say “I have a me problem, but I don’t know how to solve it.”

#18

Image source: enensia_takhi, Kaboompics.com

I looked a female student who was “acting out,” right in the eye and said to her, “I see you and all you need is love and attention.” Her entire bad girl demeanor melted and I was able to build with her from that moment.

#19

Image source: karenjane5, Edmond Dantès

My number one hack to help students course-correct with dignity:
If a student of any age swears in front of me or makes a joke that is more edgy or unkind than they had intended, unless they are being deliberately cruel, my usual response is, “If you could go back ten seconds in time and do/say that differently, would you?” The response is always a yes.

#20

Image source: slytherkid, Megan Bucknall

When teenage boys start rough-housing, I tell them that it’s okay to wanna touch each other so much but they need to do it on their own time. Then they’re too busy insisting they do NOT want to touch other dudes –and also trying not to offend me, their queer English teacher– to continue disturbing my class :)

#21

Image source: taylor.dannise, Cj

My first year teaching keyboarding the kids popped off the keys on one keyboard and rearranged them to say “u mad bro”. I took all of the keyboards out, printed out keyboards on paper and made them type on paper for a few days. It was miserable but they never damaged my computers again

#22

Image source: keymiester, Designecologist

Call and responses to get their attention.
EX- me: It’s peanut butter… Them: Jelly Time!
Me: And a HUSH fell over the crowd…Them: Huuusshhh!!
Me: AVENGERS… Them : ASSEMBLE!!

#23

Image source: lorijones6918, Anna Shvets

I teach elementary. “Everyone point at the teacher. Ok. That’s what I thought.”

#24

Image source: adventuresinapot, Sandra Seitamaa

When I taught highschool, fine art (painting, drawing, pottery etc) and had students be disrespectful, not following directions, I would let them know they have shown me they want to be my assistant for the day. They dont want to learn thats fine, they will learn a trade/skill and get to work. I made them do every odd job, sweep, dust, reorganize closets. Worked like a charm everytime and some semesters I had the cleanest rooms in the school

#25

Image source: blaketobey, cottonbro studio

I had the *student* call the parent on my room phone and report the behavior/issue so I didn’t have to.
Only had to do that once; word spread quickly.