School safety, security, and violence prevention resource

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KEEP SCHOOLS SAFE

September 24, 2009

DEFLECTING VERBAL ATTACKS (VAPS)

Teachers, security, parents, all too often are confronted with vicious and unnerving verbal attacks by our students and children. In many cases, the kid has gone a little nuts, is, for whatever reason, out of control and confused about how to handle his or her feelings. Growing up and surviving the tinderbox which is our schools can be harrowing and frustrating, to be sure.

In many instances, managing verbal outbursts and even attacks comes down to the teacher, security specialist, or parent maintaining his or her cool, listen and empathizing as well as he or she can with what the child seems to be going through. Very often, those same (natural) skills a teacher brings to the job is more than enough to reduce the tension and get the student back on track.

But today I thought I might focus on a growing number of disruptive students (I have gone into the rising stress levels engendered by the effects of the recession on today’s families, and, indirectly students, in past posts) who seem to be more unstable, more volatile, and seem to be quicker to go from verbally abusive to physically assaultive. Often, this group of disruptive students use VAPS (Verbal Attack Patterns) to get the teacher, security officer or parent pissed off enough to lose their cool and speak or act unprofessionally (The Teacher loses his or her professionalism and the student is in control of the interaction).

The Goal of verbal attacks is to elicit a prescribed response by the professional. In other words, VAPS are often Tactically Contrived to cause the teacher/security officer/parent to lose his or her cool in front of the class, therefore building (justification) ground for the disruptive student to increase his or her illicit conduct and/or to actually attack the teacher/security staff.

EFFECTIVELY MANAGING VERBAL ABUSE, then, requires the professional to adopt a studied, professional response rather than a natural, emotional (personal) reaction. This studied and professional response includes the Art of Deflection and Redirection.

The Trick is to remain professional, feel or at least Mirror Calm, and give the disruptive student no ground upon which to fight! Depreciate the Verbal Icon – in other words, award his or her taunts, threats, profanity and insults with absolutely zero value. Depersonalize completely. Take nothing the student says personally.  I know, not easy to do. Taking taunts personally is easy because it’s natural.  Deflecting insults and verbal abuse is hard because it is unnatural. It has to be a conscious, pre-designed act! But, in order to maintain control of the classroom, it must be done.

And, just as I said in the last post, use Strip Phrases to Deflect the student’s verbal abuse:

STRIP PHRASES LIKE:

v “PRECIATE THAT, BUT——“

v “I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT—–“

v “OH, YES, BUT——“

v “I HEAR THAT, BUT—–“

v EVERY WORD AFTER “BUT” IS PROFESSIONAL LANGUAGE DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE A PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVE.

v “I HADN’T THOUGHT ABOUT IT THAT WAY, BUT—-“

v “I BELIEVE THAT, BUT—“

v “YOU GOT YOURSELF SOME BAD DATA THERE, BUT—“

Deflection works best using the following equation, or formula:

1) The student verbally attacks.

2) The teacher deflects the VAP with a Strip Phrase.

3) The students calms after a while.

4) We go on with our lives.

5) If this does not work, we take it up to the next level (see the next post).

v Step I. (To security): “Get the f**k out of my face, bitch!”

v Step 2. (Strip Phrase) “I hear that, Rosie, but I still need to see your ID sticker.”

v Step 3. (Student Again): “What the fu** is it with you cop wannabees? You hasslin’ only us Rican kids?”

v Step 4. (2^nd and final Strip Phrase): “Rosie you got yourself some bad data there, but, for your safety and mine (Peace Phrase), let me see your ID and then you can be on your way (another Peace Phrase).

In the next post: Taking It To the Next Level when the student refuses.

Until then, Stay Safe.

Hammer

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Posted on September 25th, 2009 by Harry A Widger
Filed under: Administrators, College, High School, Parents, People Involved, School Grade Level, School Safety Issues, Students, Violence