I taught in Further Education (16+), but some of the classes I taught were to kids who had either failed to get any GCSEs or had been excluded from school for various reasons. Most of them had been sent there by the DWP as a condition for getting their Income Support and Social Housing flats - they didn't want to be there. Tough kids, tough room, I was told. But they called me 'Sir' and were prepared to work for me, and participate in discussion and debate. Never any trouble, always did their homework. I spoke to their Head of Course about it, saying I didn't understand what all the dire warnings were about. He looked me up and down and said, "They were expecting a skinny young bloke in a collar and tie and an anorak. They got a stocky bloke wearing a leather jacket, t-shirt, Levi jeans and workboots who looks as though he can handle himself and doesn't care if they swear. No wonder they don't want to mess with you!"

Image is everything, it seems! Though I did have to break up a couple of fights at various times. But then, I knew what I was doing.