265
School В 2.3.82 P7 mi mil P8 mi і і
D Head
..... The strengths that I’ve experienced as
a woman teacher have been in the nature of
the relationship that gets built so there is
no taboo on physical contact from me to them
- but there’s no taboo at all about the actual
contact - where you actually give
a cuddle or somebody actually hangs
hand in a sort of non-sexual way and
a maternal rather than paternalistic.
somebody
onto your
say it’s
SSl I took my reader (who spends some time in
the Sanctuary) out this morning along busy
roads it would have been - it was instinctive
with me to hold his hand but because I’m a
student teacher - I don't know whether it’s
because of that or because he doesn’t like
me to get too involved - and now I think it
would have been right and really nice to follow
through - I had to let go -
D Head Yes, it doesn’t always work.
SSl No, it would have worked - but I really thought
I shouldn’t do it .....
mii SSl It was a dangerous road and in any other situ-
ation I'd have grabbed hold of his arm or
held his hand or something.
SS2 Because that kind of thing about having
physical contact with that kind of kid and
all the assumptions that go with it just aren't
part of training to be a teacher -
D Head Well, it's also not part of a lot of schools.
ɪniii Res
Tutor
..... and if you're
it's a continuing one I
it is the right one.
in a relationship and
think
your move
towards
Those are terribly
Il
portant.
D Head
Sometimes kids are very
upset .....
SSl That's the only kind of response I know.
D Head
Somehow you never know unless you keep offering.
That's true of teaching all the
not
just of physical contact - you
just keep
giving out - but over and over again
surp-
rised at the little child inside all these
sort of adolescent boys.