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I had just been appointed year advisor for the first time. The position requires me to take these 200 year 7 students through their high school life to year 12. My role at that time was unidentifiable. No one had put onto paper how this job was to be attacked. The only criteria that I was required to fulfi1 was that of a role model and protector to these young students. At the end of the year before they were to commence high school, we organised an Orientation day. This day was mainly to familiarise the students with where the toilets and canteen were and to meet parents. Most of the Year 7 students were entering high school from the primary school next door and they were no longer the big fish in the little pool of their school. A lot of adjustment on their part was needed. Together with new books, gear etc . they had a lot on their mind.
Their frst day has finally arrived. They are finally in their first class (roll class). The paper work has been paramount. Rolls have been taken, timetables given out and explained numerous times. (This is their first experience with multi strand timetable 10 lines). All appears in readiness for their first high school lessons.
The days and weeks proceed with the usual disruptions to class; children late because they lost their way to class or they still can't read a timetable because of split lines; perhaps they are suppose to be in English instead of P.D. Meanwhile, I am still teaching my own load, 21 periods, and dealing with any late enrolments for year 7.
Many weeks pass and I am at the clinic checking on a sick child. I happen to look at the sheet that indicates who has been to the clinic on that day. I see a note scribbled at the top of the page Brett...Hep B. I question the clerical assistant who looks after sick children now read on............
Brett enrolled at our local high school into year 7. He had come to us from overseas and as a result, not a great deal was known about his prior academic and social records. Although Brett was a likable rogue, his manners and behaviour were, at the best, dubious. He had particularly bad habits of spitting both, at objects and at other students and drinking from their drink cans
As I mentioned before early in term 2, in my position as Year Adviser, I was investigating records from the school clinic and happened upon a written notation indicating that Brett was a Hepatitis B carrier. When questioning the offce staff, it appeared that Brett's medical status had not been followed up, or recorded, despite the fact that it had been reportedby the parents. The Principal was informed immediately and much deliberation occurred re the outcomes both to the child and the staff. It was eventually decided to let the status quo remain.
The Principal called Brett to his office and spoke to him concerning his condition and the responsibilities that this condition carried. He also contacted the parents and asked for their permission to consult the staff when and if necessary. The parents were happy tO give their permission.
However, in time, as in all small communities, the staff began to acquire information regarding this situation and eventually a staff meeting was called.The staff voiced their concerns, especially about being kept in the dark re Bretts' medical condition. They did not see his privacy as a priority . Their concern was for the safety of both themselves and other students, especially where their lessons were activity based, e.g. P. E., Sport, and in the playground when they were on playground duty.
For a short time after this meeting, some staff found it difficult to accept this child into their sporting teams. On sports afternoons Brett was often sent to thenon sport venue or kept on the side lines at football. His parents were critical of this procedure saying that dhey had been upfront with the school and that they could have easily refrained from divulging his condition.
Some members of staff have gradually accepted or have temporarily forgotten Brett's condition. Others are constancy aware of it. Brett himself has conformed to the school routine and appears to be developing a social maturity and responsible attitude beyond his years.
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION.
Andrew has just completed his second year at a local high school. He is the youngest in the family of four boys, three of whom are adults. He is the product of an Anglo Saxon background, and is well known in the district for his extreme anti social behaviour. He has made a practice of rebelling against authority from an early age and goes out of his way to cause disruption both in school and in his neighbourhood.
In class, Andrew constantly swears loudly and disrupts lessons whenever possible. His attitude is that everyone else is out of step except him. He has an extreme dislike for women teachers and uses four letter words, mainly for the reaction that he will obtain and to see the class in complete disarray.
It's time for the lesson to begin. In the TAS faculty the teachers usually give a short demonstration and then get their students to apply their practical skills. Andrew talks throughout the demonstration and makes asides causing laughter. There is a strong feeling within the class that they only have to wait for Andrew to make another disruptive comment. When doing computer studies, Andrew refuses to conform to any instruction and will only use a computer as a drawing aid. At present the arrangement is that he is allowed to continue doing this. This seems to have a pacifing effect on him
He has been counselled for years, but to no avail. However, it is felt that his attitude has worsened. He has now enlisted a small group of students with him as the leader to cause difficulties in the playground and toilets. These students are of a similar ilk to Andrew and readily follow his lead. To our knowledge he doesn't use drugs, but it is suspected that he may become a user or pusher in the future.
The counsellors, are of the opinion that he is a prospective A.D.D. sufferer. His parents are in complete agreement for him to attend Rivendell for assessment and mod)fication processes. However, Andrew refuses to attend, saying that there is nothing wrong with him or his attitude and if there was he would attend to it himself.
Meanwhile his classes are in complete turmoil. His teachers spend their whole period disciplining Andrew and as the other students see him misbehaving, they in turn misbehave. As a consequence there is little or no teaching of any value occurring. At present he has incurred numerous four day suspensions and exclusions from class (he sits outside the Principal's office). He is obviously bored but the exclusion has little effect when classes are resumed. It would appear that the suspension means no more than a four day holiday and a means of getting out of class.
The school at present allows him to remove himself from the classroom if he feels that the situation is getting out of hand and to report immediately to the D.P.'s office. Unfortunately, Andrew is cunning enough to realise that this means he can misbehave as much as possible, and, toward the end of the period, (when he might be overstepping the mark and he can see that he might get into real trouble), he reports to the D.P., sometimes by just walking out of the room. By this time, however, the damage to the lesson has already occured. His peers recognise that a problem exists, but are easily influenced by his strong personality, and are quite amenable to going along with his antics and devising a few of their own. The teacher is therefore confronted by two sets of problems.
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION.
Copyright M.Teach, University of Sydney