Mr. Diskhan aged 16yrs doing 12th std in Pvt school, Chennai came to consult me alone with his parents, He was upset and parents were hopeless about his behaviour at his school for not behaving properly with teachers and ask them questions about his rights, he sometimes chews tobacco too alone with his friends. On the day at school, he has a quarrel with the security for not allowing to school from the gate as he was 10 mins late. He has arguments with him and that leads to a principal discussion that Mr Diskhan is not respecting elders. He has this issue in the classroom by not keen on listening to lectures, lacks the motivation to study and breaking a lab test tube with carelessness. He was also into a relationship with a girl in that same school. Ongoing further from the 6th standard itself he started to steal other people things like pen, eraser, box etc. He also plays a mobile game for 2hrs a day. His predominant interest is on electrical related works.The school has decided to suspend him and to come only for the exam, that too because of their parent request. The student has not suggested for any professional counselling for conduct related behaviour. The school administration only suspends which they feel like it brings great changes in his attitude/behaviour. This is not only Mr Diskhan , but there are also few numbers of student who has been suspended from 6th to 12th stdin that same school.
Do we think that suspension or expel from the school will yield a positive behaviour change?
I can say “BIG NO”
These students have a higher future risk of engaging in criminal and anti-social behaviour or consuming drugs/alcohol.
There are psychologists to help improve student behaviour in schools. Students with higher behavioural needs may need to receive more intensive, the intervention focused on developing appropriate communication, social skills and emotional regulation.
Teachers can be helped to gather and record data about when and where problem behaviours occur. This can be helped to find trigger-factor for this behaviour.
The teachers also need to change his attitude in school for their students as they don’t like dominant behaviour. Changes in teachers’ attitude towards at- risk-students are fundamental for positive change in behaviours by teachers and in favour of inclusion.
The teachers should not be a burnout cascade, where unwell and poorly coping teachers resorts to punitive and ineffective responses to student behaviour. Also, stressed teachers are more disconnected from their students. They fail to notice the student’s needs. The school principal or administrator must send students for counselling for their conduct related behaviour. This help will help the students, parents and school to bring a Good citizen, healthy personality to our society. They can also provide the program to reduce teacher occupational stress is likely to reduce unnecessary suspension and exclusions.