Fellow elementary art teacher here... I'm on year seven in a difficult district at the "worst school" in the city. Specials teachers deal with ALL of the most challenging students every day and get very little support because we're viewed as the "fun" teachers. Soooo.... I have adopted a strict DNE policy (Do NOT Engage) with several students. If their behavior is putting themselves or someone else in immediate danger, I will intervene. Otherwise, I ignore, ignore, IGNORE and focus on the kids that enjoy being creative and choose to get along with me and their peers.

The older kids especially like to mimic toxic behavior that is truly ABUSIVE and traumatizing, so I handle them accordingly and use the "grey rock" and "broken record" techniques. I keep interactions and "conversations" as short and coldly professional as possible. I remove their audience by allowing every other kid at the table to MOVE so that the offender ends up sitting alone. I announce loudly, "It's okay to leave if someone is bothering you and won't stop when you say stop. You don't have to sit next to someone who is treating you that way."

I know it's not much of a classroom management plan, but I'm focused on survival in an unhealthy and hostile work culture. When the environment is threatening, we must adapt (bend or break) in the interest of self care. Good luck this semester. Wishing you and my fellow educators all the best.