Support teams to tackle students who make life hell for teachers

PERSISTENTLY disruptive pupils who make life hell for their teachers and fellow classmates will be tackled under new teams designed to help schools, Waterford Fianna Fáil TD Ollie Wilkinson has said.

Mr Wilkinson’s promise comes after recent reports that teachers in schools across Waterford are increasingly exposed to intimidation, bullying and harassment by disruptive students.

Mr Wilkinson said: “Many teachers have told me they are subjected to verbal and physical abuse by students on a daily basis. Some of them have been deeply scarred by the constant intimidation from students who have no grasp of decent behaviour or respect for teachers.

“The Government’s new National Behaviour Support Service must target these students who can make life hell for teachers in the classroom and drive some to even quit their jobs.”

He said recruitment is underway for teams that will help schools tackle disruptive behaviour in the classroom.

“New behaviour support teams will be in place for the start of the coming school year. It is expected there will be four teams, regionally based.

“Advertisements have being placed in national daily papers by the Department of Education and Science to recruit staff to head up new teams that will help schools tackle disruptive behaviour in the classroom.

“In the coming weeks, a national co-ordinator and four assistant national co-ordinators will lead four regional teams in the National Behaviour Support Service.

“The role of the behaviour support teams will range from a diagnosis of school problems to assistance with remediation. The teams will become intensively involved in a school over a period of time, in order to help the school bring about a real and sustained improvement in student behaviour.

“I would urge second-level teachers who have experience in implementing strategies to deal with disruptive behaviour and understand the issues that lead to such behaviour to apply for these positions.”