Interview with Social Worker A

As part of my inquiry I decided to interview a social worker to get a different view to that of a teacher.

I am a teacher and a lot of my close friends are teachers, this I feared would give me a single minded, one dimension opinion.

A social worker see’s the flip side of situations, the outcomes minus grades but life skills, family situations, fears, insecurities, boiling points that I worry teachers if not trained correctly might add too.

Therefore, for me, this interview was essential to my investigation.

We talked for ages and dwelled on points sometimes slightly off subject but all of great use for my practise. To keep her confidentiality she will simply be known as Social Worker A.

The following interview has been cut down for BAPP use.

I started off the interview by telling Social Worker A the purpose of my interview and that it was for my BAPP, I also told her that her name would remain anonymous.

Me: Do you think boundaries in education are a good thing? For example: Teachers setting boundaries I their classrooms.

Social Worker A: Yes, definitely. I think in classes you have different children; I think boundaries are important for both types of children. Children that come from maybe more middle-class families that are used to boundaries they work well with boundaries.  They have got maybe good boundaries at home from parents/grandparents.  They have a different level of working within boundaries and they feel safe and contained in that, if you didn’t have them they probably couldn’t cope, they probably couldn’t manage. So I think from that side yes. Also I think from the other side you have children that maybe come from poverty, more from the poorer families. They need boundaries because they might not have them at home. That’s why some of these children are lost because they don’t have them, they don’t feel safe they don’t feel contained. I have worked with children who have said, “I just want my mum to say no.”

Me:  Would you say children might not be reacting negatively to boundaries but that they don’t know how to react to them?

Social Worker A: They don’t know ant different. All schools are split in the classes and I think that boundaries are so important. They don’t have to be strict boundaries. Just a level of boundary, so for example. When we’re in the class you will sit in your chair. That’s a boundary, but its not strict, its not saying, no one talks or stand in single file.

Me: Would you say boundaries could take away a child’s creativity/individuality?

Social Worker A: No it doesn’t, it’s a level of boundary and children need to feel safe and secure at all times and that is the problem that you have with the kids at the moment. When they go home they don’t feel safe and secure, they don’t feel safe and secure on the streets. But at school it’s almost like. “We go to school to feel safe, because a teacher cares about me”.  If they say “No you’re not walking out that classroom” or “Sit down and wait a minuite” whatever that boundary might be I definitely think for both sets of children boundaries need to be in place. For your middle/upper class, they need boundaries because they are so spoilt at home that they don’t have any boundaries. I’ve witnessed that through nannying.

Me: Would you agree that boundaries are a comfort?

Social Worker A: Definitely it’s a security it’s a comfort blanket it’s a need. Children need to have boundaries for their future otherwise it will just carry on. If they don’t go to school, they live in the environment they live in at home; I’m talking more probably from the poverty side. Then they’re not going to know them boundaries and its almost like learning right from wrong. They might not learn right from wrong or sometimes a level of authority, a level of respect. If a teacher says sit down, and the child is f*** and blinding and doesn’t listen its because probably they do feel a bit unsafe, and maybe the boundary wasn’t made very clear. Or possibly it wasn’t explained in a way they understand. So a lot of kids arguing against boundaries is because they don’t understand it, it’s a change, its different they’re not used to it, being told what to do. And people don’t like change. If you come from maybe junior school into senior school and you have boundaries at school that are different, it’s just a case of adapting to it. As a teacher you have to then have to continue it. It’s repetitive. But I think a boundary is a safety measure for all types of children it doesn’t matter where they come from. They need to learn, level of authority, level of respect. And boundaries do that boundaries put that into their heads.

Me: Do you agree with the policy that schools are now putting into place, where you have to let the children walk out of the classroom if they want to leave at their own free will?

Social Worker A: Of course schools are doing that. Because there is so many human rights. But who is telling the children that, about Human rights? Unless someone tells them… you’re not born knowing about human rights. So their mum is saying, or they are listening to people at home who are saying, “that’s my human right” or they heard it on the telly.

Me: Following on from my previous question would you believe that this would then have a detriment to the student as it makes it harder for them to re-enter the classroom?

Social Worker A: Well if they know they can do something. You wills see nine year olds who police will walk up to and say what’s your name and the child will respond “I don’t have to tell you its my human right” They’re nine who has told them that? They’ve either seen it or heard it or their families have done it or their mums have said “Don’t let them talk to you like that” Its coming from somewhere, you’re not born like that.

Going back to the question I do agree that in some schools like SEN or statement schools, you’ve got children who have mental disabilities, but again you have children who tick every box of ADHD but are not managed correctly, you have all different levels of ADHD al levels of different disabilities. And you have learning disabilities and behavioural disabilities. But as a general rule if a child is allowed red cards and to go to cool off period and things like that. Yes maybe they need to do that because maybe they have anger management issues or they have issues at home and each child is individual, But as a general rule if I was in a class as a normal functioning child and I was sitting next to someone who was allowed to walk out f the classroom and maybe I was struggling to learn that topic, or I didn’t like school or I didn’t like that subject what’s stopping me walking out? So no I don’t agree with that rule.