The 7:30 AM bell rings and all students are supposed to move to their respective classrooms. There a teacher waits for them to take their first class. What happens when you have 3 or 4 teachers absent or not named at school? Where do those students go with three or four hours free?
Most of the time they go to the schoolyard, others prefer commercial sites. Those who live nearby go home. Others are left doing nothing, talking on their cell phones, listening to music on their modern sound equipment with headphones. Outcome. School discipline problems.
High schools do not have alternate resources or substitutes for teachers to fill this gap in staff absences when needed. As much as an administrator has an emergency plan and runs the classes so that the students take all the courses run at times it is impossible because many of the young people have unique programs, with different drag or electives. Another problem is the student, who by nature has a habit of cutting classes or not attending a classroom with a particular teacher.
This greatly facilitates the reluctance, disinterest and apathy, which already felt to have four hours free. And here comes the painful torment of every day. Situations of fights, confrontations, damage to property, graffiti-written walls, even corners and contact with opportunistic marauders, who are not lacking in the surroundings. The state police many times just like the school guard do not give up. And they are running to and fro whenever there is an incident on the playground or somewhere at school.
It tries to solve the problem with: preventive surveillance, assignments in the library, although a majority refuses to carry them out in that place, basketball games, which without an adult is difficult to control.
Advances in classes, which aggravate the problem in the classrooms. Likewise, the noise and disorder caused by these young people without classes affects the courses of others because they are supposed to be busy and not loose to their liking. Even when the entrance and exit gates are closed, students jump and leave the school.
What is done with so much leisure between class and class? What does a school principal have to do in these emergencies? Well, in addition to giving preventive rounds, when the administrator can leave her office, for so much work, she talks to the students, or she calls their attention and sees what happens in the courtyard. Unfortunately, he can only resign himself to this reality. The impotence is very sad, the uneasiness that one feels because apparently there are no viable, reasonable alternatives.
When there are serious situations of discipline due to fights, shouting and verbal or physical assaults where the police bring the free students it is to the school principal's office and there each case takes about an hour or two in compliance with the entire regulatory procedure. If this happens three or four times a week in the resolution of conflicts or serious crises due to violence, a principal occupies 10 to 15 hours a week with these students. If parents and witnesses have to be summoned, it could take another 10 to 15 hours per week for each case.
Including the presence of the social worker and teachers who are involved academically affects the service of these staff with other students. The truth is, it is very exhausting, exhausting and frustrating to find a fast, fair and correct solution to this problem every day in secondary schools. Stopping this harmful and harmful practice goes beyond workshops or newsletters. Without a doubt, it is deeper than that and it has thousands of ramifications, which at first glance are not seen or understood by the general population, which believes and says: “Nothing is done.” And it hurts, it hurts a lot.
Recommendations to Avoid Leisure in Free Hours
- Motivation or financial incentives or vouchers for materials to teachers with perfect attendance.Motivation or incentives for scholarships, vocational study programs, vouchers, not only for average expenses for parents who visit the school and students who attend classes. and perfect discipline. Community service motivation for middle school students with academic reward of hours worked for merit certifications or rising grades. Improve library conditions. Have computers with Internet, educational game programs, air conditioning, electronic attendance records with evidence and copies for teachers, evidencing the work done by students. A technology center in the Library or adjacent to see educational films, classes,courses with different review times or tutorials on DVD, TV or computers. This is what many schools have today. All that remains is implementation and coordination, including proposals with Federal Funds from private companies that, in addition to offering workshops to teachers, offer exhibitions in schools in places such as courts, libraries, lobbies, etc. at tables with their novel offers and programs, entertaining talks on the themes of; sports, pastry, beauty, fashion, visual arts, dance, music, health, sexuality, cinema etc. Pay them for show hours. Students are fascinated by this. Coordinating, organizing, and partnering with churches, psychological or therapy centers, marketing, or commerce near school for thoughtful healing experiences. In addition to trades and jobs, love of work,to the neighbor especially those who are around the school. Make service to school sites a government mandate Universities could bring practitioners to school and work a few hours a day in classrooms with insufficient staff giving reflection sessions, moral and ethical education, psychology, crafts etc. This with professions of physical, mental health, education and community services.Apply at fast food restaurants, how often students visit, help or homework with tickets, coupons, contests, royalties, awards for academic achievement and discipline. Certify with principal signatures that corroborates positive behavior so that students and entrepreneurs participate in an enriching experience and Let's Win Everyone.Make service to school sites a government mandate Universities could bring practitioners to school and work a few hours a day in classrooms with insufficient staff giving reflection sessions, moral and ethical education, psychology, crafts etc. This with professions of physical, mental health, education and community services.Apply at fast food restaurants, how often students visit, help or homework with tickets, coupons, contests, royalties, awards for academic achievement and discipline. Certify with principal signatures that corroborate positive behavior so that students and entrepreneurs participate in an enriching experience and Let's Win Everyone.Make service to school sites a government mandate Universities could bring practitioners to school and work a few hours a day in classrooms with insufficient staff giving reflection sessions, moral and ethical education, psychology, crafts etc. This with professions of physical, mental health, education and community services.Apply at fast food restaurants, how often students visit, help or homework with tickets, coupons, contests, royalties, awards for academic achievement and discipline. Certify with principal signatures that corroborate positive behavior so that students and entrepreneurs participate in an enriching experience and Let's Win Everyone.
These are just some of the alternatives and suggestions that the students themselves comment on. Helping each other is a mandate and all this is possible with Effort and Desire to Avoid School Violence.
