Teacher having a difficult time implementing Positive Discipline

Question:

This summer I read your Positive Discipline books for teachers. I was totally enthralled with this new approach and couldn’t wait to begin. It is now the third week of school and my classroom is in total chaos. I know that the books said it often takes a while for the kids to get into things but I can’t keep going like this. Another teacher that I work with has been putting a lot of pressure on me to go back to what I was doing before. It is very difficult for me to do that because I made a commitment to myself and my students to try this, yet how can I keep going when it could be to the detriment of my class. I have tried everything I know how to do. We have class meetings every day. We sit in a circle, pass an object around, and try to find solutions (the kids aren’t great at that yet.) My biggest problems occur outside of the class meetings. I cannot get them to listen to me and some have been very disrespectful to me and to my co-worker. Please help!

Valerie