Written by Paul Dix.
Yestin likes home a great deal more than he likes school. Some children pine for home, others cry for their mum but Yestin just legs it; fast.
Sit him near the door and turn your back on him, he is gone in an instant. Bolting out of the door Yestin knows that he can get a head start. Running at full speed across the playground, he leaps over the gate and follows his homing signal. Often the children see him go before you do. At first his behaviour confused them. Now they are excited by it and cheer him on. In the eyes of the other children you can see a burning admiration and a yearning to do the same. Yestin gives no warning, no indicators that he is about to break free, he just goes. He is not angry or rude, argumentative or difficult. Like a solider sprinting across no man's land, Yestin is determined, purposeful and quick. He is a liability at break time and PE on the field has become predictably problematic. Yestin's escapology is beginning to cause too many repercussions for staff and the behaviour of the other children. Mum is apologetic and returns Yestin each time but the frequency of his instant departures has increased recently and you are not entirely sure that mum is giving you the full picture. You need to stop Yestin from voting with his feet and find a way to keep him in school.
A. Dig a little deeper - all the signs are that this is an issue at home. Take some time to dig a little deeper and try to uncover the motivation behind Yestin's dash for home
B. Early warning system - stop Yestin before he gets to the door. Implement a new early warning system and try to intervene before he out paces you
C. Tough love - reduce his opportunity to run for the hills. Restrict his movements to internal spaces and take away outside play and PE for a few weeks until Yestin shows he can be trusted again.
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A. Digging deeper
Although you have had many ‘chats' with mum they have always been on school premise. Besides, the conversation usually amounts to just a quick sigh as she returns him for the third time that day. You resolve to meet mum on more neutral turf to try and discover the real motivation for Yestin's dramatic exits. You arrange to meet mum in the coffee shop after school. After the initial meaningless chit chat it becomes clear that mum's dad, Yestin's grandfather has not been well for a while. He has recently moved into the house so that mum can give him a little extra care. Although Yestin's granddad's illness is not serious, Yestin must have some worries. Grandad and Yestin have always been very close, particularly after dad left. Mum can't see it but you suspect that Yestin's desire to be at home is, in part, an attempt to check that everything is alright with Grandad. You suggest more regular daily contact with home to give Yestin reassurance and agree that Grandad will text your phone twice a day with an message for Yestin. If Yestin can stay in school all morning you will allow home to speak to mum or grandad on the phone at lunchtime. Yestin likes the sound of the new deal and you notice him checking himself a few times for the first week. He still wants to run but now also has a reason to stay. You know that it may take some to break the habit but a good first couple of days gives you hope that Yestin's yearning for home is waning.
Key Questions:
- Do you have a responsibility to find the underlying causes of behaviour or should you just deal with the symptoms ?
- How could you work with Yestin to allow him to get his worries in perspective?
- Should Yestin be rewarded when he doesn't run?
B. Early warning
Making your own escape from school at the end of the day you notice that the front door of the reception has a release button that needs to be pressed from the inside to open the door. After a great deal of negotiating (and pleading) with the Head you persuade her to fit one to the outside door of your classroom. You calculate that Yestin will need an few extra seconds before opening the door. At the same time you rearrange the seating plan to position Yestin as far away from the outside door as possible. You place some overly conscientious girls by the door to act as an early warning system. Finally you use the teaching assistant as an extra buffer zone, positioning her on the table next to Yestin's and asking her to track his every move. With the new system in place you are confident that you can get to Yestin before he bolts. Yestin, however, sees the barriers in his way as a delightful challenge and his very own mission impossible. Distracting the teaching assistant is no real challenge and the girls by the door forget their responsibility as lookouts very quickly. The door button is more tricky but Chantelle locking herself in the toilet and crying provides the distraction he needs to cover the sound of the buzzer, ease open the door and break for the border. You are determined to make the new system work and on Yestin's return try again. After trying to physically restrain him he wriggles free, nips out of the internal door and escapes via the window of the neighbouring classroom.
Key Questions
- Why can't you simply lock the door?
- Are you right to try and physically intervene to stop a child running out of school?
- How might involving the other children in your early warning system affect their relationship with Yestin?
C. Tough love
Yestin isn't happy about his new restrictions. It isn't just the opportunities for going home early that have been taken away it is his playtime, his friends and his chance to burn off some energy. Yestin complies for the first two days but his behaviour in class deteriorates as a consequence. You feel bad about punishing Yestin as he is a lovely child who doesn't deserve so much isolation from the class. The new strategy appears to be going well until mum calls and says that Yestin is point blank refusing to come into school. You assume that this is a temporary glitch but he continues refusing for more that a week. The ESW cannot get him in, the family support worker is having no impact and you are having to send work home. Mum is unhappy about the new regime of isolation and you feel she may be supporting Yestin's choices. You are now stuck between enforcing the new strategy and having Yestin refuse school or rescinding the punishment and looking hapless. As the head teacher calls you in for ‘a chat about the Yestin"situation"' you realise that your best intentions have backfired. There will now be a long road to get Yestin back into the rhythm of the school day.
Key Questions
- Does punishment have any place in adjusting Yestin's behaviour?
- Should the ESW and family support worker work independently or under your direction?
- Are there lighter restrictions that could be effective for Yestin ?
Your style
A. Dig for Victory
Throwing strategies at a problem without knowing the cause is wasting energy. Gently digging for the real issue seems like additional work but always pays off.
B. Together we can do it
Dramatically changing the environment and using the other children as lookouts will immediately disturb their working rhythm. You may need support but this needs to be done discreetly.
C. Stand Firm
Yestin's disruption is not malicious and heaping punishment on this worries will only make him trust you less. Of course you have rules and expectations but your ability to be warm, caring and flexible must be balanced with this.