Carl's Case

The case about Carl is a good lesson for all young teachers. Probably many teachers nag and hound students to get their homework done or have their project handed in on time or to pay attention in class without ever thinking WHY the student is handing in work late or acting out in class. I think if it is a once in a while event, there is not as much cause for worry, but when it becomes a repeated and constant problem, we need to start looking for an underlying reason. What also strikes me is that Carl came to the teacher first with his problem, rather than a counselor or the principal. We need to be prepared to have students come to us with their problems because they might feel more comfortable with us. I think that the teacher in Carl's case handled the problem well, going to the counselor with him and calling child welfare with him, etc. If a situation like this ever happens to one of us, we should know the steps to take and what to do/not to do and what to say/not to say to the student to make them feel safe. This also means not going beyond our boundaries or capabilities as teachers. If a very serious problem is brought to your attention that you are incapable of handling, you need to do what the teacher in this case did and go with the student to get more qualified support behind him. But if the student tells you something in confidence, what is your responsibility to keep his secret vs. telling a school admin or counselor for the safety of the student?