This article in the NY Times made me think about what we are doing here in the UK in our schools.
In the UK, seclusion, in isolation rooms is widespread, particularly in secondary age institutions. It is often used as on site exclusion from the normal school routine, away from friends, lessons breaktimes. Children can be sent there by teachers for anything up to a full day. A few are of a supportive nature, but many are simply what I call pin-down rooms where discipline is very tough , no-one is allowed to speak and exclusion is the next step. Is this really the best response to unwanted behaviour, the use of force and the 'I am big and you are small' approach, one which is guaranteed to build resentment, aggressive responses and an even more disenfranchised view of education.
It's a prime example of the 'Done to' process we see wherever compliance rules and support is seen as a soft option
All this can come from not following instructions 'properly,' lack of understanding of the work and many other low-level issues, not really things that should elicit this level of response in my opinion. It may also be a response to issues beyond the school which are causing the students much emotional stress.
If you have a secondary age child in school, ask them if they have an isolation room at their school and why some are sent there, what it's like to be in there. I think you'd be interested in the responses, particularly with respect to fairness and dignity
In the UK, seclusion, in isolation rooms is widespread, particularly in secondary age institutions. It is often used as on site exclusion from the normal school routine, away from friends, lessons breaktimes. Children can be sent there by teachers for anything up to a full day. A few are of a supportive nature, but many are simply what I call pin-down rooms where discipline is very tough , no-one is allowed to speak and exclusion is the next step. Is this really the best response to unwanted behaviour, the use of force and the 'I am big and you are small' approach, one which is guaranteed to build resentment, aggressive responses and an even more disenfranchised view of education.
It's a prime example of the 'Done to' process we see wherever compliance rules and support is seen as a soft option
All this can come from not following instructions 'properly,' lack of understanding of the work and many other low-level issues, not really things that should elicit this level of response in my opinion. It may also be a response to issues beyond the school which are causing the students much emotional stress.
If you have a secondary age child in school, ask them if they have an isolation room at their school and why some are sent there, what it's like to be in there. I think you'd be interested in the responses, particularly with respect to fairness and dignity