Sixteen Year Old with No Previous Schooling

[highandrandom]

We've just started back for the year, and I've had a week with my new classes.  While I'm used to teaching kids with learning difficulties and those from 'at-risk' backgrounds, I have a new student in my Year 11 class this year that I have no idea how to approach. He's grown up in a commune overseas, and was removed earlier this year from his

Comments

[misspuppet]

I´ll accept that not everyone will agree with my advice, but here it goes:

Explain the situation to the administration and put your foot down that this is an impossbile situation and that there´s no way to set regular goals. In this setting you won´t be able to give him the instruction he needs and language-wise he basically functions on a kindergarten level.
Also, there are you other students to consider. If this student takes too much of your time (which, let´s face it, he will, considering his massive issues) the rest of the class is going to suffer from it. So in the end it´ll feel like you haven´t accomplished any of the goals you´ve set yourself.
I´m sorry if it´s strong worded, but sometimes I feel teachers are expected to magically solve whatever problem that´s been dropped in their classroom.

Although I´d like to stress that my heart goes out to that boy who must has had such a traumatic experience and needs and deserves specialized care.

[cherokee_kid]

^This
Everything in this comment is what I was trying to come up with to say.

[snuck]

Agree!

[heartofkara]

I completely agree with this but if NO ONE will help and he is refusing to follow directions and/or disrupting the class, you could write him up so that he is sent to indoor suspension. I know kids that spend the majority of the school year there because they refuse to behave. When one teacher doesn't write them up, another does. It may seem cruel but if he's refusing to follow directions in your class he may as well ALSO be learning nothing somewhere else where he's not violently distracting your students. I really hope he gets the help he needs. If he does do something over the line and gets outdoor suspension, then the grandparents will have him at home and be FORCED to do something about him at least.

[mop_top417]

I'm super confused how it came to be that it's appropriate for him to be in your class at all? That sounds like something that really needs one on one attention and intervention.

[highandrandom]

I've spoken at length with the STLA who says that she comes to collect him each morning for what is basically reading recovery, and he simply refuses to go with her. There as yet appears to be no consequence for this - and let's face it - if you had a choice between work or no work - you're not going to bother picking up a pen.

I've called the grandparents and suggested that they come up to the school and work with the STLA to set a program in place at home, and I've been requesting itinerant behaviour support and the possibility of mental health funding, but this is all in the hands of the executive at the moment, and really, I can't do anything else but fill out progress reports when they send them.

He comes in to school each day with no books and no pens. I guess I just keep reminding the executive that he's there.

[mop_top417]

How utterly frustrating. :(

[stress_kitten]

I think the fact that he's actually in class each day is actually pretty impressive

[if_venice_sinks]

i agree with all of this. do you have access to audio books? maybe find a good novel that he could listen to if he feels like he needs a "time out" from the classroom.

[michelle_renee]

This.

I would have a pen and notebook for him everyday and just be there for him. Ignore all the crap and say good morning to him everyday. I think if you are consistent he may warm up just a bit and take an interest...

Good luck. Wow this is hard

[kt234]

I agree with the advice to ignore all of the crap and have supplies for him. It really does take a lot of courage for him to be in class every day. He is years behind, learning to be in a school setting has to be overwhelming for him.

[superjen]

You mentioned that he can't write; can he read? Does he know the alphabet