Lessons Learned
By Susan
@HazySue (39264)
Gouverneur, New York
September 25, 2016 10:29am CST
Reading a post by @GardenGerty called I Am Back brought to mind a time when I had to use deescalating techniques with a student of mine about 3 years ago.
I had a boy and a girl in one of my classes that seemed to irritate each other beyond belief. So I moved seats around so that they were across the room from each other figuring if they were that far apart they would find it harder to make each other crazy. I was wrong.
They could make each other mad with just a look.
One day they must have been fussing before they reached the room because the minute they got into the classroom the were shouting back and forth across the room.
The next thing you know the girl had grabbed a pair of surgical scissors from her bookbag and was there in front of the boy slashing at the air like she wanted to stab him in the face.
I sent a child next door to get the male teacher there, told the other student to go in the hall, and ran over to the pair. I caught her arm gently as she got closer to his face and spoke to her quietly and calmly while the boy moved back.
She, fortunately, dropped his arm to her side and I took the scissors out of her hand. By that time the teacher next door made it to our room.
I really was not sure why she calmed down so quickly but I was sure glad she did.
The deescalating class I took was a valuable class. It taught me to stay calm, not raise my voice and to be very careful what I whispered to an out of control child.
Image from Pixabay.
12 people like this
11 responses
@much2say (53959)
• Los Angeles, California
25 Sep 16
I don't know how teachers do it in situations like that . . . and the reaction has to be so quick before someone gets hurt! My daughter had to deal with a "friend" who could get out of control - but as things happened outside the classroom, there wasn't a teacher there who would catch that girl at the time that it happened.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
25 Sep 16
It is strange but when one person's voice goes up the others will too. If you can keep yours calm and low the other usually does the same. It is a great thing to learn/realize.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
26 Sep 16
@HazySue .....Yes, there are tricks you have to know to keep them interesting and paying attention. That is a good one to know.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
26 Sep 16
@celticeagle I found early on that if the class is talking and getting loud and out of control that they will respond better if you start talking lower like you are telling something to someone in the first row that is private. They are inherently nosy, they just have to know what you are saying.
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@responsiveme (22926)
• India
26 Sep 16
That type of class would be good for any situation....i wish i could take one
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
26 Sep 16
@responsiveme here we have the school that teach all kind of classes that people can take. If you call around you may be able to find one there that teaches different classes they may interest you like this one.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99399)
• Canada
25 Sep 16
Sounds like a very scary situation. I am glad that you were able to handle it so calmly and that everything needed the way that it did. It could have been so much worse for everybody.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
25 Sep 16
@Happy2BeMe these days in school an adult has to be trained to watch and handle just about every situation. It didn't use to be that way when I went to school.
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@Happy2BeMe (99399)
• Canada
25 Sep 16
@HazySue no it wasn't. Time sure has changed and not for the better.
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@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
26 Sep 16
@Happy2BeMe isn't that the truth.
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@GardenGerty (157552)
• United States
25 Sep 16
The problem probably had been brewing long before they arrived. Sometimes a whisper is the loudest voice there is.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
25 Sep 16
@GardenGerty ai figured that it had started before they got to my room. You're right, a whisper is sometimes the only thing they will hear.
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
25 Sep 16
Wow it sounds like you handled that better than most people I know! Glad it worked out that way for you and them both.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
25 Sep 16
@LovingMyBabies You can't believe how glad I was that she didn't actually stab the boy. After it was over I shook for a minute or two.
@MissNikki (5237)
• Maple Ridge, British Columbia
25 Sep 16
Wow scary - emotions are running strong when you are young and in school! Wow.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
26 Sep 16
@MissNikki yeas emotions are running higher than ever. Some do not know how or care to try to control themselves.
