Violent episode in my classroom

[Mysteriousgirl2]

Today there was a fight in my classroom. Really bad, two Y11 kids punching the lights out of each other. Other kids in the room scared and upset. Feeling worried about staying in this school now.

I really hope that I don’t have to deal with these two characters on Monday morning.

There’s a job in a private school going locally, to start next term. Should I just go for it?

I doubt you’ll see them on Monday, but presumably will have to see them on Tuesday / Wednesday. What support will you / they get from SLT?

Go for the private school if you can afford it. Check their salaries and pension first.

I don’t know yet, but they seemed to be dealing with it fairly well when I was leaving today. I will see how much support I get from SLT I guess on Monday. Personally, I think it would be unreasonable for them to both be back in with me.

Hi. Sorry to hear you and your class experienced this. How are you? I would try to identify what you want to happen, and try to discuss this with SLT. Will the children be excluded you think? That would buy you some time. I would want a guarantee that I wasn't going to have both of them in class together again before this issue was resolved.

Also, if possible, please speak to the class about what happened. They'll have been frightened and it'll be good for them to have an adult acknowledge it was an unpleasant experience and that no one deserves to witness violence at school or in the workplace, and to tell them they can discuss it with their parents etc.

I was verbally assaulted and threatened during my year 11 class yesterday. I'm still reeling from the experience. I am in the process of arranging a meeting with SLT to discuss what happened. Not quite the same situation, but you have my sympathies. Hope you find a resolution that you're happy with xxx

@Plonkandplonkers sorry to hear that you were verbally assaulted in your lesson.

I think that the most upsetting thing was that it was in my lesson. I should be able to keep all my class safe, and on this occasion I didn’t. I feel a failure to be honest. My line manager has been brilliant, saying that a one off like this is not my fault, but deep down I feel like it is. It’s going to be a tough weekend of overthinking.

<hugs>

That would be the last thing I'd think, that it was the teacher's fault!!! If two hormone fuelled teenagers decided to have a fight, what are you meant to do??? I've never witnessed a fight, but I've always said I wouldn't intervene, not worth the risk.

Are you quite new to teaching? Please try to distract yourself from the negative pondering! Actively do something that you really need to focus on.

You did nothing wrong!

@Plonkandplonkers thank you so much.

I’m not new to teaching but I do have major imposter syndrome.

I’m going to try and get out for a long walk over the weekend to get some headspace. Thank you - you’ve made me rethink how I feel about this a bit.

Definitely not a reflection on you. If it’s really had an impact on you remember you can self certify for a few days and tell them it’s work related stress due to this incident and you need reassurance about plans for going forward. That’s perfectly reasonable if it does cause you a stressed weekend and eg loss of sleep.

unfortunately it takes being a squeaky wheel and being honest about impact and showing that impact in a way that impacts them to engender anything that resembles compassion and reasonableness in very many schools.

Would you consider accessing support and help with your imposter syndrome?

@swallowedAfly what a truly lovely and kind post. Thank you so much.

I’ve spend the weekend being concerned and really reflecting upon what happened. I can’t help feeling how bad it truly was. It just should never happen in a classroom. I feel as though I let my students down.

Perhaps I’m too soft for teaching.

It happens to the best of us. I only do a bit of supply these days - I used to be a Faculty Head in a Scottish secondary school.

If a teenager brings in resentments from the outside community and is determined to be violent, there's not a lot anyone can do.

The last time that I broke up an assault (rather than a fight) was about a fortnight before I retired. I was on lunch duty when one boy launched himself at another lad who was just sitting eating.

The depute supposed to be on duty with me had gone 'to check the stairwells'.
The only way that I could stop the assault was to get the attacker into a bear hug - the 'teacher yell' didn't work.

I had to shout to the dinner ladies to phone for back-up, at which point another male depute and the chap who'd abandoned me turned up as a dynamic duo, once it was all over.

It leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, I know. I think we all suffer from imposter syndrome to some degree.

I'm not sure about the situation in England, but the Scottish teaching unions now advise that we not break up fights. Easier said than done, though.

Surely as a bare minimum, they will both be in internal exclusion (or whatever your school calls it?) on Monday. Ideally, they would be on a temp exclusion altogether.

If you don't feel you can have them together again, can you talk to your HoD or SLT about a class move for one of them?

How did it go?

Its not are you to soft for this but is this too shit for you. Remember it’s a job and you are an employee not a martyr who should be willing to put up with all and everything.

we all need to remember that.

Hi @swallowedAfly

It was all kind of swept under the carpet. It turns out the aggressor (who has ASD) was straight back into my next lesson. Sadly he is clearly very unsupported. It also turns out that the victim, who had that week been caught dealing Class A drugs that week, is a child in care so will not be excluded, nor suspended. He was in isolation for a day. It’s a mess. But, typical of most boys, they are not holding a grudge and it seems like they are just getting on with it. Until the next time…

That's so not OK I'm not sure what to say!!! I had a kid say "I'm not staying in this fucking lesson" and walk out, slamming the door shut. That got one day's isolation! The boy who verbally assaulted me (referred to in a previous post) also has ASD but was still externally excluded for three days (parents not happy but that's tough shit). Was the victim dealing on the school site? Class A is shocking!!! Just because he's in care doesn't mean there shouldn't be proper consequences! Could it be that this is a county lines scenario?

At the very least I would demand a class move for one of the boys and clear guidance on what to do if something like this happens again. Request a meeting with your HT and explain how it's affected you and the pupils that witnessed it.