Student teaching in a very rough kindergarten class. Help?

[sqwish1984]

Yes, I know, I should be able to deal with a bunch of five-year-olds, but so far that's not the case.

The class of 22 includes children with autism, emotional disturbance, and extreme hyperactivity (although not diagnosed with ADHD). There are three students who are outright defiant during class, and two of them are very behind academically. As kindergarteners, nearly all of them are very impulsive.

This translates into a classroom where hitting, teasing, innapropriate outbursts and assorted misbehavior seem to be occurring almost constantly. It's better when my cooperating teacher is in the room, but when she leaves, it's chaos.

Here's what I've tried: stating behavior expectations, praising good behavior, giving behavior choices, blatant bribery (with stickers), talking very softly, talking very loudly, moving clothespins on the behavior chart, writing in behavior folders, taking away recess, sending students to other classes. What else can I do? I'm so frustrated.