Do you really know what's going on inside your students' heads? Do you know when one of them is going to attack you either physically or personally? Have you ever been accused of unspeakable actions by a student? Can you imagine being murdered by one of your students? These are not just hypothetical questions. They are based on real happenings. Do you ever feel vulnerable as a teacher? You should. Don't feel vulnerable to the point of being paranoid. Just be street-smart and savvy. Many of us teachers are really good at teaching our subject because that's what we love to do. Many of us are also hopelessly naive when it comes to protecting ourselves from personal danger in our professional lives.
"I'm going to get you!"
A friend of mine who teaches at a top private school in Toronto arrived home from a spring break holiday to find a death threat in his email. I am told that he could think of at least three students who were sufficiently troubled that they were immediate suspects. That's very scary! He had no idea that he was so vulnerable, so exposed to personal danger. Needless to say, it was a wakeup call for him. He is a different person in the classroom now, much more tuned into what's going on, much more aware of the subtle signals his young charges send out.
Our passion for teaching can be misinterpreted.
We love teaching. The great teachers who taught us loved teaching. We constantly scan those young eyes for the spark of recognition which indicates that whatever we are teaching has finally 'clicked'. In our zeal and enthusiasm for our students and their learning, we lay our very beings and souls exposed and bare. We will do just about whatever it takes to kindle those fires of learning. Our warmth and encouragement which we believe is focussed on strengthening a young person's self-esteem can be easily misinterpreted. Suddenly we are vulnerable.
We are open books.
There is little that our students don't know or haven't figured out about us. They know our routines and our thought patterns. We are as predictable as night and day as far as they are concerned. They become obsessed with us. They become infatuated with us. They develop crushes on us. Suddenly we are vulnerable.
Discipline can misfire.
Occasionally, in our determination to bring young people to heel and to make them understand true personal and academic discipline, we arouse anger and resentment, and even invite revenge. Confronting a child who has never known bounds and barriers to his whims and actions is much like taming a young stallion. Telling the spoiled, indulged child that she may not do something, or that her behavior is unacceptable, can unleash parental fury with serious repercussions. Suddenly we are vulnerable.
What does killing your teacher accomplish?
The terrible murder of Jonathan Levin, son of the former chairman of Time-Warner, Gerald Levin, underscores the risks you take when you befriend a student. What a waste of talent! A human life wasted because a teacher left himself vulnerable.
5 tips to keep yourself from being vulnerable:
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1. Learn the warning signs of a troubled adolescent.
2. Refer troubled students immediately to the school psychologist for appropriate counseling and action.
3. Document any and all incidents with copies to your files, the Academic Dean, Dean of Students, Deputy Head and Head as appropriate.
4. Don't invite trouble by being alone with a student.
5. Nip rumors in the bud. Your reputation is too important for some adolescent to ruin.
Resources
Teachers' "Antennae" Help Them Better Understand At-Risk Students
Handling Difficult Students: Lessons from Mrs. G
