Teacher’s Pets

‘HAVE you met SARAH? She’s the new girl in class today, and we want you all to make her feel welcome.

And this is what happened to the kids who didn’t do anger management classes

Perhaps SARAH would like to tell us about herself, via the Mail.

”Yes, my name is SARAH or Stop talking; Active listening; Repeat back what is said to you; Accept feelings of others; and Help others to make choices.”

Since no one likes a smart arse, we’ll hear no more from SARAH and turn instead to her parent, Nesta Murray, headteacher at St Ann’s C of E Primary School, London.

”As soon as children get really cross with each other, the mentor appears and says, ‘Would you like to talk about it?’,” she explains.

”Children listen better to their friends than teachers sometimes.”

Having looked at the quality of teaching staff around, if Murray is correct, children seem to have adapted to the prevailing culture rather than discovered innate qualities in empathy and listening.

But if we have a problem with the scheme we can do as the unruly nippers do and go and wait at the ”Friendship Stop”, a bench in the playground where one of the mentors (a 6 to 11-year-old trained in anger management and conflict resolution) will give us advice and counselling.

And then, as is the way with most children, steal our lunch money and flick our ears in a firm but fair manner.’

Posted: 8th, January 2004 | In: Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink