PC Madness #1,738

[AboveTheSalt]

A Social Worker told me recently that ANY deliberate physical contact with a child is discouraged because of the potential risks involved. I was reluctant to believe her:When teacher Andy Drzewiecki sent a classroom bully to the head teacher he thought he was operating his primary school's zero tolerance policy on the boy.

When the child refused to go, according to Mr Drzewiecki, he took the boy by the shoulder to the door and sent him to the head teacher saying he would be following.

Next day the former weightlifter, who competed in the Moscow Olympics, found himself confronted with an allegation that he had used excessive force on the boy.

He was ordered home at once from St Mary's Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, and although a police investigation was dropped, Mr Drzewiecki was sacked six months later in June 2007, following a disciplinary hearing. (BBC online (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7919663.stm))

[Mark]

It's most definitely true as anyone who regularly works with children will tell you. From what I know, the general rule of thumb seems to be to seek backup from a second adult before taking such direct action, just so you cover your own back.

[Rich_L]

I don't know if it's just me, but every single OTT PC story seems to originate from the Stoke-on-Trent area, are people really that retarded there?

[Davey_Pitch]

It's most definitely true as anyone who regularly works with children will tell you. From what I know, the general rule of thumb seems to be to seek backup from a second adult before taking such direct action, just so you cover your own back.

Quite correct. As most of you know I work in a school, and I simply do not put myself in any situation where I'm alone with a child. I'd rather walk away and do the job another time than put myself in a position where I can be accused of anything and not have another adult there as a witness.

[Snuggle Ferret]

I know a teacher in the US and she showed me a copy of a memo which states, and I'm paraphrasing "if you need to discipline a child verbally, please ensure that there is a second member of staff in the schoolroom"

[Pheebs]

I used to work as a TA with kiddies with behavioural problems. I saw countless times kids accusing teachers of "trying to hurt them" if the teacher moved a student away from another when an outbreak of fighting was happening. Was really concerning.

I used to do one to one with a number of them too for anger management and other issues and although I would try and set up areas where colleagues could see/were around (ie a corner of a library/open windowed rooms (we had rooms which were pretty much windows all round)) it was still worrying that they may decide to accuse you of something. After a while you kind of knew and adjusted with certain kids though as to where you would do work.

Only once did I have to restrict a kid with no other colleagues about. Was with a classroom full of kiddies and the teacher had gone to get some video. Two kids started on each other and were proper decking the living daylights out of each other. Meant vaulting over a desk and pulling them apart and taking a inbetween blows but there was nothing else I could have done. Teach turned up seconds after and helped thank the Lord.

Other times have been when colleagues were around but not the nearest to the action. ie. one kid trying to jump off a top balcony. Blooming scared the life out of me that did. Never knew such small children could have such power behind them.

Makes many people paranoid though in those conditions. The school I was in ended up arranging restraining classes for the staff. Those who had attended this were the only ones allowed to use "reasonable force" to restrict kids.

[phykell]

How can teachers be effective in their roles with such ridiculous rules?

You've got to admire teachers for putting up with such utter rubbish TBH.

[Von Smallhausen]

Welcome to the reason why Britain is knackered beyond repair.

No discipline. No respect.

When will the powers that be in education realise that liberalism is a failed social experiment and we are reaping what we have sowed ?

[ojo]

Welcome to the reason why Britain is knackered beyond repair.

No discipline. No respect.

When will the powers that be in education realise that liberalism is a failed social experiment and we are reaping what we have sowed ?

Hmmm, I was hit by my teachers and they humiliated me in front of class. Did I respect them? No, I wanted to set them on fire.

Some teachers in the past used their power for their own bizarre ends, authority can do that to people. However, it has gone too far the other way. There does need to be a balance.

Oddly enough, I work in teaching now. I really do not want to be like my 'old school' teachers, but rather give some kids a chance. Some of them are quite difficult but I get good results.

[Mark]

I don't know if it's just me, but every single OTT PC story seems to originate from the Stoke-on-Trent area, are people really that retarded there?
You may be on to something there...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/7927887.stm

[iCraig]

No discipline. No respect.

Question for you, especially considering your vocation. Do you really think that discipline and respect are mutually exclusive? If you clobber a crim to get him to cooperate, does he respect you? No, he just admits defeat. He'll still want you smack you one though.

Same with kids, smacking them doesn't get respect from them. I truly believe teachers can control a class without any force. They just need to connect with the kids on the right level, down the individuals. Too many take the generic route, copying from the board in silence. Some kids just can't get into that, they have no desire to learn because learning is instantly associated with silent, boring, wrist-aching tasks.

What was that saying? "Just because you silence somebody, doesn't mean you've converted them"