Author of

 "Good Kids, Difficult Behavior"

and "Discipline That Works: 5 Simple Steps"

 NOTES FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Educators and Friends,

School violence is back in the news and Joyce once again addresses this important issue, and her article this month will help everyone to recognize the warning signs and what appropriate action to take in order to keep students and faculty safe. 

Note:  Years ago Joyce presented a training program on the subject of identifying and intervening with the potentially dangerous student at the High Schools That Work Summer Conference.  This program is now available on video DVD and I believe would be extremely valuable for most middle and high school faculties.  For now Joyce wants to make a few comments and suggestions on this subject that you may want to share with friends and colleagues. Please make your Administrators aware of the valuable DVD that we have available. 

The Editor

 

 ASK JOYCE

As Joyce travels and works with educators all over the country, she is constantly being asked---

 

"What do you do when...?" questions.  She has the greatest respect for "what do you do when questions" because usually the questioner is genuinely seeking new information and the teacher is willing to be a student.  Each month, Joyce will answer one or more of the most common "what do you do questions".  You are welcome to send one of yours.  She'll do her best to answer it.  Keep in mind, her answers may be different from the customary response but they are tried and true strategies for getting students to do what you are asking them to do.  Give yourself permission to try something new! Email Joyce at joyce@thehumanconnection.net  with any questions or situations you would like input on.  Let us know if we can show the question in a future newsletter or if you prefer to keep it private. We are hoping Joyce can help address situations you encounter and by sharing these questions/answers others can benefit as well.

From Joyce...

 

Greetings,

 

I am writing this letter from 30K+ feet in the air and have just finished reading a USA Today article about the national conference on school safety that was held recently.  I must confess to feeling frustrated after I read the article in the October 11th issue.

 
First, isn’t it sad that this many years after Columbine we are just now beginning to look at this issue in a comprehensive manner and second, the report sounded like many school leaders at all levels are still unclear of what will help.
 
While the matter is being studied, I want to offer a few comments and suggestions that may help you and your colleagues keep your school safe:

1.  While it is true that many students are safer in schools than they are in their own homes or neighborhoods, it is also true that many adolescents go to school every day feeling angry, hurt, lonely and isolated.  These students need the adults in charge to TAKE NOTICE OF THEM.

2.  THESE STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE SELF-AWARENES or personal coping skills to understand what is going on with them or to seek help for their distress

3.  These students are NOT LIKELY TO SEEK HELP OR SUPPORT, or in many cases, to find the kind of psychological or psychiatric help they need in the school environment.

4.  Some of these students have a HIGH POTENTIAL FOR INDISCRIMINATE VIOLENCE because they are clinically depressed which causes their brains to lose the ability to make clear judgments or to consider consequences.

5.  More than metal detectors, or resource officers, or other valid and important safety measures, school administrators and faculty need to become aware and concerned about these students and TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS to provide them with help and support within the school.

6.  The first step is to PAY ATTENTION TO THE LONER STUDENTS, the students who are the brunt of bullies, and the students who appear gravely unhappy or angry.

 
In one of the incidents of school violence, in which I was personally involved, the shooting occurred in a large commons area. The principal who was finally able to get the shooter to give up his gun, testified in court, that initially no one in the commons area including himself, knew if the shooter was a student at their school or not.  They also did not know that he had threatened to bring a gun to school previously.
 
7.  THERE ARE SIMPLE, NON-INTRUSIVE, WAYS TO TAKE NOTICE AND PROVIDE SUPPORT for students who are emotionally vulnerable.   Here are a few suggestions:

  • Ask homeroom teachers TO MAKE A SPECIAL EFFORT TO SPEAK PERSONALLY ON A DAILY BASIS to any students that may seem vulnerable.  Ask these teachers, as well as other classroom teachers, to make every effort to MAKE A POSITIVE CONNECTION WITH THESE STUDENTS and encourage the students to come to them with any problem.

  • Help teachers to BE A GOOD LISTENER for these students.  Many a catastrophe has been avoided when a vulnerable adolescent found someone who would listen and care.

  • Let the teacher closest to the student seek counsel from the school administrators and counselors about what, if any further steps should be made.  KEEP IN MIND THAT THE FIRST STEP IN VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS TO TAKE NOTICE and make positive personal contact with emotionally vulnerable students.  One school principal whose middle school has a high population of at-risk students, told me that he makes it a point to make eye to eye contact with a “how are you doing today?” with every loner kid in his school.

  • PROVIDE A CONFIDENTIAL ROUTE FOR STUDENTS TO COMMUNICATE to the administration if they are concerned about a fellow student’s safety or vulnerability.  It is essential to make it clear to students that school safety is everyone’s job.

8.   NEVER, EVER BELIEVE IT COULD NOT HAPPEN IN YOUR SCHOOL.  Remember that the majority of school shooters have not been trouble makers or notable for getting into fights or even causing classroom disruptions.  The majority have not been noticed until they became violent.

 

Joyce

Volume 39 - October 2006

 

http://www.thehumanconnection.net

 

 ASK JOYCE
Check out "Ask Joyce" below for her answer to an educator's question. What would you like to ask Joyce? See how to send in your own question below! We look forward to hearing from you during this school year. Please let us know how it went if you try some of Joyce's suggestions. Joyce really wants to be a help to you.

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 SPECIAL OF THE MONTH

This Month's Special:

 

Creating Safety DVD

 

How to Identify and Respond to the Potentially Dangerous Student.

 

"Creating Safety" can save your life as well as the lives of students. This 110 minute live video presentation teaches how to identify and respond to potentially dangerous students.

 

 

Special Pricing - Regular price $39.95

 

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UPCOMING TRAINING and    SEMINARS

 

  October 11-12, 2006

American River College

Sacramento, CA

 

  October 19, 2006

Norman High School - Norman, OK

 

 October 24, 2006

Elm Street Elementary School - Newnan, GA

 

  October 25, 2006

Fayette Montessori School - Fayetteville,GA

 

  November 4, 2006

Toledo Public Schools, Toledo, OH

 

 

 INSPIRATION

Teaching is not a lost art, but the  regard for it is a lost tradition.
Jacques Barzun

 

Taken from ~ http://www.inspirational-quotes.info/index.html

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Your Personal Energy Saver will return next month.

 

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