Yelling Yard Duty aides.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Hi - Just a couple of questions (or if you prefer, a vent).

I help out on some days on the playground and see yelling/screaming yard duty folks overreacting to incidents on the playground. One child came out of class at recess and his mom walked over to him to ask him a question. He told her he had to spend 5 minutes on the wall for talking in class. As he is talking to mom, a yard duty person walks up behind the mom and screeches the student's name and screams "You are supposed to be on the wall". Mom rightly turns around to yard duty and says, "I'm talking to my son". Turns around to find son had run to the wall for his punishment. Mom said "come here" and finished her talk with her son and then he went back to the wall for 5 minutes.

Outside my office is the hallway in front of the principal's office. When a kiddo is in trouble, he/she sits out there until the principal has time to see him/her. It seems like mostly the "paraprofessionals" (aka aides) walk by and make comments to the kids "Oh, are you in trouble?" in a nasty voice.

One time an aide chastised a child coming out of the principal's office for looking at his other friends waiting to go in and tell their side of the story and smiling . . . the aide jumped on this child "How dare you smile at your friends".

Is there a protocol book for aides???

I think the aides I work with are on a power trip - Drives me crazy.

(I'm not a fan of taking a troubled kid out of instruction time to wait in the hallway to talk to the principal either but that's another story)

[morte, LPN, LVN]

this is psychological abuse, you are a mandated reporter, go to it.

[Godgirl]

I don't know if there is a protocol or not, but I know at my children's school there seems to be the same problem. There's a handful of teacher's aides who seem to yell ALOT, especially the lunchroom staff. For example, while having lunch with my daughter one day, the janitor yells "Shut up" right behind me to the kids, he hadn't seen me setting there, after lunch I immediately went to the principal about this and nothing was done about it. I believe the kids need to behave, but there's a point when they go too far.

[Vtachy1]

We have the same thing at my school. There is one whom I love and she is very respectful and treats the kids with dignity. However, the other ones are horrendous. Why do they allow them to get away with this???? This has been a strong desire of mine, to have some sort of training for these type of people. They so power hungry!!! They treat the kids horribly.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

Have you reported them for the abuse that it is?

We have the same thing at my school. There is one whom I love and she is very respectful and treats the kids with dignity. However, the other ones are horrendous. Why do they allow them to get away with this???? This has been a strong desire of mine, to have some sort of training for these type of people. They so power hungry!!! They treat the kids horribly.

[Nurse ABC]

I've noticed this a lot in different schools but not necessarily from just aides-from teachers and and a couple principals as well. I wouldn't talk to my own kids the way some of the staff treat them. It makes me feel really bad for the kid and lose respect for the staff member. It doesn't always do any good to report it because they protect their own. I will sometimes give that kid a hug or smile and talk to them about it if I see it even if it means calling them down to my office. I won't say the teacher was mean, I will just ask for their side of the story, talk about ways to do something different next time so they don't get in trouble, and let them know i understand how they are feeling and that I'm there for them. Some kids are always acting out driving teachers to the point of pulling their hair out but no kid deserves to be belittled ever. Then when the teacher comes in to ask about the student (they always do), I give them a chance to vent, mention that they came across so mean I knew they had to be upset and suggest taming their response so they don't look so crazy and out of control in case a parent is watching. I don't tell them what the student said- I will just say it was a health issue but they are ok to stay and leave it at that. This actually sometimes works!! As for the kids, even if they act up for the teacher again, they are always on their best behavior with me. If it's an extreme case or ongoing I will report it and if I still don't see a change I tell the student to let their parents know because when parents get involved they are more likely to do something about it. It's a shame so many are like this and thinks nothing of it!

[squidbilly]

I have noticed this with some of our aides and office staff as well, but it hasn't gotten to me to the point it seems it has gotten to some of you. It has caused me to reflect on my own interactions with students and to be more aware of my own actions. I believe in treating all living things with respect. Children model the behaviors of adults in their lives, therefore they should never be treated as anything less than a human being. In moments of impatient irritation I have been a little snappy or short with a kid or two, and then instantly felt awful about it! I was a sensitive child, and there are moments from my childhood I will never forget that involved being yelled at or belittled by an adult. I would hate to leave such an emotional mark on a child! We need to teach and reinforce manners, and not let the kids run the place. We can do this by modeling appropriate and respectful interactions and reinforcing positive behavior. We should not respond to a child's poor behavior with more poor behavior. It is possible to have a compassionate discussion that is tailored to their developmental level about their actions and what they could have done differently. Shame a child? Shame on you!

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the responses.

It is hard for me because I'm also a parent of a kid in this district and have had 3 older kids go through school here as well. So, I'm a parent and an employee.

I'm roaming the playground every day I'm here but I have 11 other campuses as well.

I've been looking for some training manuals for aides . . . . no luck so far.