Can I do this?

I don't know.  Not a good day today.  The girls are more than just chatty, they are downright rude.  They don't listen and they turn their back to me after I tell them to sit down and be quiet and they continue talking.  I have never experienced this before and it is very frustrating and difficult.  All my classes in the past have listened to me.  I take back all the comments about the children not listening and doing their work because it was nothing like I am experiencing now.  They listened!  They did their work; they may have complained but they did their work.  They weren't rude and disrespectful all the time like these girls are.  I know it's only my 4th day, but I feel like I've tried so many different things to get them to be quiet and listen.  I've tried ignoring, rewarding positive behavior, walking silently "in the hall"/outside, just listening to them if they were listening to me, waiting, and more.  Nothing is working.  Today 2 Arabic teachers came in to take attendance (because I don't have an English list yet and I can't read Arabic!), and as they were leaving one said "why sad?".  That was all I needed and I started to cry.  My back was to the girls so I don't know if they saw (I hope they didn't), and it was really quick, but tears were falling.  They said that if I ever needed any help they would help.  They would tell the girls to sit down and stop talking.  So kind!  So understanding!  I just want to try to get them under control on my own; I want them - the girls - to know that I am in charge, not them or the Arabic teachers.  I talked to Susan, Natalie, and Cassie and they gave me some very good ideas.  I am trying too much.  I am trying to teach and it's not like that here.  I really have to get control of the class before I can teach and it takes a lot longer for that to happen than it does in the States.  No horror stories though, just talking, not listening, and being rude.  I am glad that no one is running out of the classroom (anymore), tearing things off the wall, throwing chairs, screaming, or hitting/biting me like we were told in training.  Tomorrow things change and I have to be mean.

Natalie almost left today:(  She had been having a hard time with an LT at her school and asked to be changed to a different school.  ADEC said they wouldn't move her, so she was going to go home.  Cassie texted Gavin about the situation and he moved her to my school!!!  Yeah!!!  Alice, Amy, and Andrea are going to love her!  I am so glad that she's not leaving and even happier that she'll be at my school.