Threats to staff killing education

THE recent attacks on teachers by rogue schoolchildren have definitely sent shivers down the spines of many, especially those who belong to the noble profession of teaching.

Many of us were beyond shock when one pupil shot a teacher. And, as if this was not bad enough, another pupil in the same week floated like a butterfly and stung his teacher like a bee!

When I heard of these attacks, I quickly put together a survival kit to ensure the safety of the now endangered species in our schools; the teachers.

But be warned, there is a cost!

The first thing if you don’t want to be stabbed by a pupil is to avoid being a ‘by-the-book’ hard working teacher.

For example, giving out loads of homework and checking it daily can land you in hot water as this starves pupils of time for their main occupations like chatting, partying and even taking drugs.

Simply slow down teacher; homework is not everything in life!

Remember to watch out for those clouds of rage on pupils’ faces when punishing them for homework not done or for taking them to the principal for being unruly.

This is a generation that believes in immediate gratification and does not understand why they have to earn their success. They will not submit themselves to a boring individual foolishly singing theorems or verbs, so you had better concentrate on making your lessons tastier than beer or social networks.

Then you must avoid busting pupils who smoke, drink alcohol and get up to all sorts of unruly behaviour. When you see them doing mischief, turn a blind eye and pretend not to see anything. Remember, you came to teach and not to bust anyone.

What if you bust that muscular rugby beast who could pick up your little body and crash it down before you reach the principal’s office?

And the problem is that when the beast does take you on, other pupils will be pulling out their cellphones to record their little Muhammad Ali giving you an upper cut instead of helping you.

Then there’s the issue of respect. Woe to you if you still try to rely on that. This is something that many pupils buried long back (some with the help of their parents). Don’t be fooled into thinking your grey hair or 20 years’ teaching experience will block an angry pupil’s punch in the face.

You might, in your illustrious career, have helped produce doctors, musicians and engineers, but remember, to this current crop, you are just the unwanted barrier between them and their immediate freedom.

To some, you are simply a principal’s bloody agent out to end all their fun and respect is nothing more than your own private mirage.

As you will conclude, the cost of these survival strategies is that no effective learning will take place.

Surely the government has to act swiftly and decisively on this violence as teachers cannot achieve their goals in an environment of fear and intimidation.

Such pupils must not be allowed back into mainstream schools as this sets a very bad precedent and is a ghastly example to other pupils.

If this situation is not taken seriously we could see schools controlled by gangs of violent school children and a total collapse of the educational system.

Zwelani Ncube is from Molteno