I spent my morning learning how to deescalate violent situations with children.
Gives you a warm fuzzy, doesn't it?
Sigh...yes, it's sad to think about, but sometimes kids just don't have the impulse control, good judgement, or words to express that they are about one bus stop away from Crazyville. Come to think of it, I'm not so sure that I do, either. Howevuh, while no one is lining up to take a body blow to save my mental health, part of my "other duties as assigned" is to talk these kids down from the ledge. And, failing that, to tackle them using district-approved holds.
I was going to take pictures of the holds from my manual, but I left it at school.
I was going to draw pictures of the holds and then take pictures of them to post here, but it gets dark so early now and I fall into a stupor of nonproductivity once it gets dark, even when that happens at 5:15.
So here we are.
I can describe to you that there is a kindergarten student who(m?) I love and cherish and who threw a chair at me yesterday who might be a good candidate for the techniques I learned today. Earlier in the day his teacher lost him. Lost. Him. Other people checked the room and swore he wasn't there, but eventually he was found tucked beneath the teacher's desk. She now refers to him as The Demon Child because apparently he can disappear at will. Nice, huh? I wonder where he gets his issues from.
For your information, I learned how to break out of the following situations:
*An arm grab
*A kick
*A hit
*A choke
*A hair grab
*A bite
If you are under 4 feet, I can put you in a hold singlehandedly. If you are over 4 feet, I will need a trained friend to help, but I can do my part. When we practiced the two-hand arm grab today, my former assistant principal could not break out of my grip. That's how much of a natural I am at hand-to-hand combat. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
And you thought Wicked was just another pretty face.
5 comments:
You mean they didn't lose the kid on PURPOSE? It's what I would have done. For the good of humanity. Cull the herd. Or something like that.
it's unfortunate that andy is now over 4 feet tall, since otherwise he is your man. that manual's illustrations should all carry captions: "if the violent child turns out to be andy, disengage immediately and run toward ground zero."
plus: yes, lose him while he's not throwing chairs!
Grammar school sure ain't what it used to be!I am glad Ms Wicked is a trained weapon against evil and I will certainly sleep better...I think.
I can't help lubbin' dat boy, though. Sure, he had to go into his fourth hold of the week today, but he is honestly such an endearing child. Of course, it wasn't me being kicked or called a whore. Still, I just want to hug him. As soon as he stops throwing chairs at me.
having read my own Wild One the riot act w/ threatened punishment by 7:05 this morning, i can relate to this subject in a big way. mine was born with issues-- multiple big 'uns, apparently--and ain't no one going to work them out but us (plus the 200 therapists he hasn't gone through yet).
you should probably keep working with these kids....
btw, at least four of those slideshow pics are very reminiscent of a good late fall fergfarm sunset.
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