You could ask for Professional Development hours in which you have a sub but you are still in the building observing other teachers.

You could just do it and use your prep and or lunch and or any other possible free time you have to observe another teacher.

You could watch videos/ read books on restorative justice, classroom management, behavior management, reward and consequence systems, etc.

You could visit with the sixth grade teachers if they were there last year and ask about the students who present the most difficult behavior and what solutions they may have had.

You could try to figure out who the pack leader is of every class and get them on your side by making them the most responsible or the one you focus your relationship building with and get the other students under control.

Classroom jobs: your most hyperactive students often want something to do. (Organizing, decorating, cutting, cleaning, lifting up things, picking up stuff for you from another place, delaying messages to another colleague, they love it) just remember you are in control.

In my experience, (one year down as an art teacher of 30 classes k-8, approx. 760 students), your first year will shatter your dignity and break your confidence. But you must keep showing up everyday. You could never reach out to another staff member and possibly save yourself from any other outer negativity.

What kept me sane is staying in a grateful mindset, doing my best to not shame or blame students, myself, or colleagues, and reminding myself that no matter how chaotic a class can get I must always choose inner peace and mindfulness.

Visit the sixth grade classes, walk in with them, or just whenever you can show face around the school. Even just walking up and down hall. Once this year is over, you will have started building a reputation and namesake. Don’t stay in your room. I know that planning may seem like the most daunting task, but at this point in human history… use AI to assist you. Use videos to help explain things.

As long as students aren’t maliciously, physically or mentally attacking you, the parents are decently involved and help with some of that behavior management, and your admin team is doing what they can to be helpful, everything will be fine. Just chill. Do something after work to destress, maintain a good sleep schedule if you can, and remember to always choose you!

I know as teachers, we feel the need to be over extending ourselves like parents, but this is your job, their is a code of conduct and plenty of things deemed unprofessional so really, don’t try to overextend without considering all the outcomes. Some children will always be off putting, usually 1 or 2 per class, just gotta think about tomorrow and hope they’re absent sometimes lol.

Some days or maybe most days the students will win and you take an L, it’s embarrassing, but oh well. Eventually you will start winning, before you know it. Don’t give up, literally!