While its probably true that many teachers cannot keep control in some classrooms, I believe that is primarily because of the way schools are set up, so that middle class - mainly well behaved kids go to one school, while the more disadvantaged and more difficult kids are lumped together in other schools. makes life much harder for the teacher.

My husband is a teacher, and he has discovered that keeping discipline with these kids, mostly doesn't involve them being scared of you, or shouting at them a lot. His most effective way of controlling a kid is to make some remark to the misbehaving kid that gets the rest of the kids laughing at him/her. Another is to laugh at their inappropriate jokes, for about one second, then suddenly stop and look at them very sternly, that works a treat. His other rule is to always give a kid a way out - a way to back down - don't keep raising the stakes so that their only alternative is to completely lose it.

He has some pretty bad classes, but he still manages to get some teaching done.

Bagpuss