My story this week comes from the BBC news and
is based on the results of a survey. The ATL teachers union conducted a survey
asking teachers from England, Wales and Northern Ireland whether they had experienced
violence from pupils in the last year. Of those who had experienced violence, 77% said they had been
pushed, and around half were kicked or had an object thrown at them. 9 out of
10 teachers asked had experienced verbal abuse such as shouting and swearing.
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| 77% of teachers have been pushed or kicked by students |
One special needs
worker at a Bedfordshire primary school said she had been stabbed in the head
with a pencil, while a teacher at a Suffolk secondary school said she had been
sprayed in the face with deodorant. Those teachers involved in the survey were
then asked what they believe the violence from pupils is down too. No boundaries or rules at home came out on top as
being the main reason for violent and disruptive behaviour but emotional and
behavioural problems came in closely after that.
I think article is
interesting, especially for me because I am still in education and find it hard
to understand why a student would physically hurt or abuse a teacher. Although
I do get frustrated with teachers at times, I would not go to the extent of
physically hitting or kicking them. I believe the BBC to be quite a neutral
news source, so it has not been exaggerated or dramatised. I personally find
that violence towards teachers can sometimes be as a result of the way the
teacher deals with a situation and the way they speak to the student.
