c

NOTES ON SCANDALSc

Attitudes to student-teacher relationships have hardened over the past 15 years. Experts argue that even
consensual sexual affairs where both parties are over 18 could still constitute harassment in a relationship
where there is such a disparity in power.c
’
National Association of Teachers of Further and Higher Education calls affairs between staff and
students ill-advised and unprofessional. Earlier, Association of University Teachers say staff-student relations
raise conflict of interest, tutors should declare the affair and cease teaching the student.c
’ Ex-chief inspector of schools Chris Woodhead, left, reveals he had relationship with former pupil 11
years his junior in the 1970s. He says affairs between teachers and sixth-formers could be "educative on both
sides"; public outcry ensues. c
ΠΠCanadian-born Amy Gehring, 26, admits kissing and cuddling three schoolboys, aged 14-16, at New
Year's Eve party. Gehring, right, tells police she can't remember if she had full sex because she was drunk.
Court acquits her of indecent assault. Canada bars her from teaching for 10 years.c
Œ
Sexual Offences Act 2003 prohibits sexual contact between adults and children under 18 in schools and
colleges. Up until now, teachers were not committing an offence if the pupil involved was aged over 16.c
Œ
Legislation bites. Three women teachers in court in three months. Shelley White, 25, receives a year's
community rehabilitation order for kissing a boy of 15. Married music teacher Laura-Anne Brownlee, 26,
escapes jail for "hugging and kissing" 15-year-old. Loses her job. Samantha Grixti, 30, is given three months,
suspended, for kissing boy of 16.c
‰ulia Stuartc
The pupils are hormonal, the teachers may only be a few years older. No wonder the line gets crossed.
The new film Notes on a Scandal tells the story of an affair. Teacher Steve McCormack says the cases
that come to court are just the tip of the icebergc

Sunday, 28 ‰anuary 2007c

Chemistry isn't confined to the science labs at school. The sexual variety is in the air in every classroom and
down every corridor. How could it be otherwise, given the proximity, day in day out, of hundreds of teenagers,
each one a hormone volcano ready to erupt, and their teachers, many still in their early twenties?c

So the tale of a woman teacher falling for, and then falling into bed with, a pupil at her London school, should
not be dismissed as far-fetched. The story told in Zoë Heller's novel Notes on a Scandal, the film of which is
released on Friday, might depict the extreme and relatively rare end of the spectrum. But there are cases like
this, and less serious liaisons are commonplace.c

With about 200,000 teachers working with millions of teenagers in thousands of schools, the law of averages
alone suggests that, every so often, there'll be an attraction that goes beyond a mutual desire to deepen
understanding of simultaneous equations.c

For two years up to 2004, I taught in mixed comprehensives, and since then I have worked as a supply
teacher in London. I've seen numerous examples of school situations becoming sexually charged, fuelled by
the ambivalence in the teacher-pupil dynamic.c

On the one hand, teachers are encouraged to develop relationships of honesty and trust with their pupils.
Colleagues seen chatting with kids in the playground are admired by their peers for going the extra mile to
build on the more formal classroom relationship. I remember playing rounders on a Spanish beach with a
dozen or so teenagers in swimming costumes during a school trip to Barcelona, and subsequently enjoying a
much closer relationship with them back at school.c

Some teachers, male and female, use harmless flirting techniques to lighten the atmosphere in a classroom.
I've complimented a girl on a new haircut, for example; female colleagues aren't above an eyelid flutter to
enlist the help of strong boys to carry heavy books. This can help win round difficult teenagers. But it is just
these situations that can provide "cover" for a teacher in danger of crossing that thin dividing line and
becoming too close, or that can lead a confused and immature teenager into thinking the teacher is up for
something more intimate.c

Shortly after I started teaching, a popular and accomplished female colleague in her early twenties became
aware that she was lighting the fire of a sixth-form boy she taught. He'd been making it obvious for some time
that he had a soft spot for her.c

Then, out of the blue, things escalated. In the middle of a lesson, while she was teaching from the blackboard,
he walked to the front of the room and stroked her long blonde hair. The other pupils looked on open-
mouthed, while the teacher took in the physical proximity and audacity of this love-struck, unbalanced
teenager. "I just froze, and told him to sit down," she recalls. "It really freaked me out."c

In the same school, a male friend, thirtyish and "fit" in the eyes of older girls, for a few weeks found himself in
a similar predicament. He was targeted by one particularly attractive 16-year-old, who in dress and
demeanour fitted exactly the teenage seductress stereotype. Then, during a maths lesson, she walked to the
front of the class and sat on his lap as he sat at his desk. Having cast off her blazer, she sat there, Lolita-like,
practised pout in place, effectively daring him to manhandle her off his knees. There was no easy way out.
Doing nothing meant she might just stay put. But if he tried to move her, exactly where would he position his
hands? Fortunately for him, she left of her own accord. No harm was done, everyone aware that he'd been
ambushed.c

With 3,500 secondary schools in the country, we can safely take it that these sort of scenes are played out
pretty frequently. A teacher with a weakness or a predatory instinct might be tempted to cross the line. I know
of two cases where this has happened. In the first, one man made the rash decision, after attending a school-
leavers' prom, to go to a party back at a girl pupil's house. Before you could say General Teaching Council he
was seen snogging in the corner with one of the girls who'd be turning up for lessons the previous term. It
didn't go any further and he survived his moment of minor madness, but everyone who heard about it knew
he'd been stupid.c

His behaviour may not have brought him within the scope of the law, which, in 2003 was changed to
criminalise sexual relationships between teachers and pupils under the age of 18. The other case I heard
about, though, from a friend in the West Country, is unequivocally in the crime category. Here, a woman
teacher in her mid-twenties became emotionally entangled with a 17-year-old boy. At first, eyebrows were
raised by colleagues who saw the pair talking to each other more frequently than would have been expected.
But their acute antennae soon picked up that the relationship was about to lurch into dangerous territory. The
boy began visiting the woman at her home when she was alone in the evenings. The line had been crossed. c

When it emerged the relationship had become sexual, it caused turmoil among the teachers. Everyone
recognised the potential damage to the boy and yet no one took it further. The boy himself ended the affair
and has since left for university. It is thought his parents have since found out, but that as the liaison had
ended, they decided not to pursue matters further. So the teacher stayed in her job at the same school.c

Research suggests this sort of scenario is more common than the odd high-profile case that makes it to court
would suggest. Dr Pat Sikes, education lecturer at Sheffield University, has studied interviews between
teachers and pupils over a 25-year period and estimates as many as 1,500 sexual relationships could be
taking place every year. That would be one in every two or three schools. Controversially Sikes has written a
paper arguing it is wrong always to cast students as victims when they are often the instigators of
relationships. "Expressions of sexuality are a major currency in everyday school life exchanges. And nowhere
more so than in the seductive nature and erotic charge that's often a characteristic of good teaching that
provokes an exciting response."c

Teaching unions usually get involved at the messy end of these affairs. A spokeswoman at the National Union
of Teachers confirmed that, during the affair, teachers can lose their grip on reality. "They think they can get
away with it," she says. "They don't realise how damaging what they're doing can be." She is adamant that
there should never be a blurring of the line, however close the ages are between teacher and pupil. "Teachers
know what the law is, and know they'll be endangering their career and getting a criminal record."c
 E JUST CLICKEDc

[
  

     

   



 
c
Mark: I guess I was about 31 when I first became aware of Lucy. Although I wasn't her teacher we'd bump into
each other in the corridors and found ourselves in groups together on school trips. At the time I was living with
her form teacher.c
When Lucy was 17 we started seeing each other. I'd stopped seeing my girlfriend and Lucy had also split up
from her first boyfriend. We were at a dinner with friends when I realised how much I fancied her. She always
seemed older than her years.c
The first two years together felt very illicit and then I ended the relationship. We had five years apart. Then she
rang and said she was off to New Zealand. We met that day and I asked her to marry me. Three months later
we did. Our daughter was born just over a year later.c
It was a very passionate relationship from the outset and we were obviously right because it has endured.c
Lucy: We had always clicked from when I was 15. It was never saucy or dirty, we just had common interests -
hiking and climbing. I had no idea at first that he liked me.c
We both broke off from serious relationships at the same time and chatted about it in the school corridor. We
fixed up to go round to dinner with two of his friends but it didn't cross my mind that anything would happen.
After dinner we went back to his flat for coffee and he kissed me. I remember going home half ecstatic and
half startled.c
After a couple of years we split up. Over the next five years we chatted periodically, but it was over. I hadn't
spoken to Mark for two years but an impulse made me ring him. We met that day and he asked me to marry
him. It was so unexpected, I said yes.c

AS SOON AS I FELL IN LOVE ITH MY TEACHER, SHE ENDED ITc

Y
     
  
 
  
Y 
 
 c
She was a supply teacher. She had cropped dark hair, porcelain skin, and a mouth like Sophia Loren. She
dressed very sexily and I'm sure she was aware of the effect she was having. The boys would fight to get a
seat in the front row.c
The rumour was she'd sleep with you if you asked. This was an inner-city school and the kids were brash,
forward and quite rough. I was inexperienced, insecure and shy, but raging hormones got the better of me.c
I'd give her a wink, make it obvious I was looking at her legs and whisper as I passed that she was driving me
nuts. One day after class I followed her into the lab. I made an awkward attempt to chat and then blurted out
that she was gorgeous. She smiled, but I couldn't read the signs and left feeling about two inches tall.c
One afternoon she was being a bit playful and I grabbed her clumsily from behind and kissed her neck. Kids
were milling around so she stopped me but I could see I was in with a chance.c
A couple of days later I saw her outside the gym where I used to train alone at lunchtime. I ushered her in,
closed the door and pulled down the latch. I went straight for it and kissed her. I couldn't believe she was
letting me. She told me to stop because it was too public and rushed but we met later in a pub and I felt so
grown up when we drove off in her car. That was the first time I had sex. It was awesome.c
I fell rapidly in love. As soon as I told her she pulled back and ended it. The emotional pain was something
new and overwhelming, but I got over it. The experience should be on the curriculum for all boys. Maybe it did
me some harm but, if so, it was far outweighed by the boost it gave to my confidence.c
Case studies: Alice Douglasc

A Case Study: A Beginning Teacher Deals with Students¶ Misbehaviour at the Technical Senior High School
(STM) in Indonesia c
April 12, 2008 by yulirahmawatic
On my first day, I came to one class electricity stream, they were just smiling in silence. Suddenly, they threw
a lizard at me to frighten me. My face turned pale, but I had to be calm even though was very afraid. I told
them that I was not afraid with that lizard. I started my lesson by introducing myself, but they did not listen to
me. They only talked to each other. I was angry but stayed silent. At that time, I did not know what I should do.
Then, I decided to ignore their action. I just taught materials beyond the chemistry curriculum. I had to finish
my teaching material. I did not care whether they understand or not. I just wanted to get out of that class. Until
I finished my lesson, they still talked to each other. It was my worst time as a new teacher.c
Introductionc
The story above is one of my exiciting experiences when I was a beginning teacher at STM. Senior Technical
High School (STM) is an occupational high school, which trains students (mostly male- skills necessary) to
become mechanics and electricians. Many STM school had reputation as not-so-good schools due to many
problems such as students¶ low academic achievements and misbehaviors. Some of STM students are drug
dependents. They were also involved in brawling with students from other schools, which often led them to
injury and had problems with the police.c
I had experiences as a beginning teacher to teach at STM for two years. The exciting experiences such as
they threw a lizard that tremendously frightened me at the first time, shape me to be a reflective and creative
teacher. I had to face the class, which was very noisy. They did not sit on their chairs. They ran around like
kindergarten students and threw ³ball papers´ at each other. Furthermore, they were bored, sleepy, and
unable to concentrate when I taught because they used drugs. Sometimes I found stones in their bag. They
make use of stones to fight with other students. However, those experiences taught me many meaningful
reflective teaching. Because, then I did some improvement in teaching strategies and personal approach with
my students. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to investigate the teacher competences to deal with
students¶ misbehaviour as a case study at STM, especially for the beginning teacher. It also informs the
pedagogical universities to prepare their students to cope with those problems.c
A Beginning Teacher and Students¶ Misbehaviourc
Most research studied students¶ misbehaviour state that relationship between teacher beliefs and competence
with students¶ behaviour (Ulerick & Tobin 1989; Brophy, 1988; Doyle, 1986 as cited in Weinstein, 1996).
Furthermore, a recent survey show found that ³disruptive student behavior to be a major learning inhibitor
(Seidman, 2005). In Indonesia, this research is very important, because most teachers have to prevent and
cope with those problems. It is also unexplored area, comparing to other high school, there are few number of
STM schools in Indonesia. Therefore, in Indonesia, most educational researchers did not explore it. In
addition, most of beginning teachers do not want to teach STM because of students¶ misbehaviour.
Nevertheless, beginning teachers have to aware with STM conditions.c
Based on my previous experiences, as a new teacher I had expectations that my students would have well
behaved, even though I realized that most senior high school students do not like chemistry. In university, my
lecturers taught me teaching methods, evaluation, and class management. I also had a field teaching
experience in the good reputation school, which has mix class and well-behaved students. According to
Schlosser & Balzano (2002), the field-teaching experience is a powerful motivator for beginning teacher.
However, I was still shock because when I graduated, I had misbehavior students, all of them were boys, and
they did not like chemistry. It like I jump up from wonderful world to messy world, theory to practice. Kyriacou,
1997, (as cited in Mulholland, 2003, p. 880) claim that it is difficult for beginning teacher not only to apply
theory into practice but also to develop new perspective. Furthermore, according to Mackler (2005, p.2) ³a
false assumption that there is theory-pure, untainted and rationally perfect-and there is life-messy,
unpredictable, and in need of repair.´ However, that false assumption has to overturn. Teachers have to use
their creativeness to shape the wonderful theory into practice. However, the common problem is ³when
behaviour problems arise, teachers often avoid creative instructional approaches because they have to deal
with increased misbehaviors´ (Manning & Bucher, 2007, p.6). Therefore, they have to prepare their skills,
especially in classroom management. My experience on this case study motivated me to change
myclassroom management, teaching strategies, knowledge on applied subject, and personal approaches. c
a. Classroom Managementc
Classroom management is strategies to support teaching and learning process, which are controlling
misbehaviour and effective teaching (Manning & Bucher, 2007, p.4). In general, classroom management is
important, especially to convince students¶ behave. In addition, according to Wang, Haertel, & Walbergs, 1993
as cited in Kullina, Cothran, & Requalos (2006,p.39), ³classroom management had the largest effect on
student achievement. Furthermore, one model of classroom management is assertive discipline ( Malmgren,
Trezek, & Paul, 2005, p.36) which is developed by Lee Canter in 1970. Eventhough, it focuses on behaviour
control through reward and punishment, but sometimes it works for conduct students¶ positive behaviour.c
However, negative reinforcement such as physical punishments do not work. In my case,, I gave my students
physical punishment. Sometimes, I punished them for running around yard because I found stones in their
bag. They make use of stones to fight with other students. I was very angry with them, but the punishment did
not work because other teacher already did even more punishments. Although they were given punishments,
they would still brawl with other students. Sometimes, they hid the stones in the rubbish bin outside the
school. They were very clever and careful to hide something they could use as weapons to fight. Another day,
during my class, some of them were very noisy. It was a common perception that noisy class because of
students¶ misbehaviour is the effect of teacher incompetence (Amada, 1994 as cited in Seidman, 2005 p.44).
Then, I reminded them but they went on talking. I asked them to leave the class. I hope that they will be
deterred, but it did not happen. They went to canteen to eat and chat again. I learnt that the punishments were
no longer work for them. They are used to endure punishments from other teachers.c
Classroom management relates to prevent from students¶ misbehaviour. Therefore, teachers have to manage
it appropriately. In my experiences, establish the rules and rewards are effective to conduct positive classroom
environment (Wong and Wong, 1998 as cited in Ackerman, 2006, p.39).Because they used to receive the
punishments, which did not influence them anymore, positive reinforcements will be more effective. According
to Acerman (2006, p.40), ³effective teachers employ more positive reinforcements than negative ones.´c
b. Teaching Strategiesc
Teaching strategy is one important factor to create statisfactory learning environment for the students. A
research of ³student satisfaction and retention found that instructional effectiveness was the top predictors of
overall student statisfaction (Polinsky, 2003 as cited in Seidman, 2005 p. 45). Students¶ statisfaction relates to
their motivation to study. However, as a beginning teacher, I did a mistake which was I just taught my students
with ³speech´ method. They are bored with the material. They told me that they did not like chemistry because
it was very difficult for them. At that moment, I just thought about how to finish the syllabus considering the
high load of chemistry curriculum. I just wanted to share the material so that they can pass the examination.c
The other mistake was I used complex language that they did not understand. Furthermore, I did not use the
analogy, the examples to make it simple. I was also too serious. I never told a story, a joke or everything to let
them stay relax. The last mistake was that I always arranged difficult questions for their test. There are some
competencies in curriculum that they have to achieve and it was very difficult for them to achieve those
competencies. This condition influences them to feel inadequency in academic achievement, which
contributes to students¶ misbehaviour (Acerman, 2006, p.41). Of course, the low exam scores did not help to
raise their morale.c
Related to three interests of Hubermas in Grundy (1987, p.10) which are technical, practical, and
emancipatory. I used that story as my reflection in technical interest. I did not care of my students¶
understanding. I just thought that they had to have a good result. Therefore, I frighten them with chemistry
result. At that time, I always did it and sometimes it did not work for my students. According to Grundy (1987,
p.12), technical interest focuses on the controlling students and academic achievement. In addition, I tend to
finish the curriculum and using the ³wonderful teaching strategy´ without concern on my students¶ background.
I just talked and used the complex language, because chemistry was complex. I did not realize my perception
on complexity of chemistry influenced me to teaching chemistry in complicated way.c
I tried to solve the problems in my classrooms. It was very difficult for me as a new teacher. However, I tried to
come up with some solutions. First, I tried using variations in teaching methods to cope with students¶
misbehaviour (Tomlinson, 1999 as cited in Ackerman, 2006, p. 40). I chose a demonstration method to
explain acid-base material. I used acid-base indicator such as litmus paper to identify acid-base solution. The
solutions that I used were vinegar to identify acid and soap to identify base. They were interested because
the colour of litmus paper changed to different colour. For example, if I put the blue litmus paper to vinegar, it
changes to red. They told me that it was like magic. Then, I started my lesson because I already got their
attentions.c
The other strategy was sometimes, I used to giving test after class. The questions were related to my
previous explanations, only few questions. Some of them had better scores because they could still remember
the material. Sometimes, I gave them writing tasks related to environmental problem. I just tried to link
chemistry with their day-to-day activities. The other strategy to help them to memorise chemistry easier was
using acronym. For example, elements in IIA class which are Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra. I told them that they
could memorize the elements by these words: Be (Besok), Mg(Minggu), Ca (Camping), Sr(Seregu), Ba
(Bakal), Ra (Ramai). In English it means ³Tomorrow, Camping will be interesting´. This strategy did not only
motivate them to study but also motivated me to come up with creative words. c
c. Knowledge on Applied Subjectc
Knowledge on applied subject helps teacher to deliver the subject effectively which increase students¶
attention (Mc Intosh, Herman, Sanford, Mc Graw, & Florence, 2004, p.33). On my experiences, I used
knowledge related to my students¶ major subject on engines and electricity, for example, I told them about
electroplating process in the ³car frame.´ I used simple electrolyte solution to show them how the process
works. I used rings and pens with silver solution. Later, I knew that some of them used principal of
electroplating process for working. They told me that they were more interested because chemistry is close
with their life. Sometimes, they came to me after class just to ask about something related to chemistry, such
as the dangerous of smoking and chemical compound in drugs. I was very happy that they show their interest
to study.c
d. Personal Approachesc
Another important strategy to dealing with students¶ misbehaviour is personal approaches. Building good
teacher-student relationship will assist teacher to cope with students¶ misbehaviour (Acerman, 2006, p.41).
Most reseach studies find that good relationship between teacher and students lead to successful behaviour
management. Teachers have to ³show respect respect for each student dignity´ to create positive classroom
environment ( Abrams, 2005, p.41). Even though, sometimes, it is very difficult for techers, especially
beginning teacher, but this approaches will help them.c
Based on my experiences at STM, I use a strategy to be closer with them by learning their slang words, chat,
and hang around with them in the canteen. I became more concerned with naughty and lazy students. I also
tried to remember my students¶ entire name. They were surprised that I could remember 160 students¶ name
that I taught for 2 weeks. However, I still had problems with my students who used drugs. They still slept in the
classroom under drugs influence. They were not conscious about their action. It was a big problem for me.c
In addition, pedagogical universities should aware about those problems to prepare their students as
teachers, because the university does not give curriculum analysis at STM. Therefore, the students never
realize that the curriculum is different from other high school. They have difficulties to using their knowledge
and skills in applied chemistry. In university, the lecturers taught teaching methods, evaluation, and class
management. However, they never give case study to give description of the real teaching experiences. In
addition, most students will have field teaching experiences in the good reputation school, which has mix class
and well-behaved students. Therefore, they will shock to cope with students¶ misbehaviour like at most STM
schools. As a result, it is important for pedagogical universities have to prepare their students to face with
various classrooms environmental. According to Kullina, Cothran, & Requalos (2006, p.38), ³ideally, pre
service teachers would have opportunities to participate in quality field experiences in multiple school settings
which wouldallow them to see different, effective management techniques´.c
Conclusionc
Teachers, especially beginning teachers who face the students¶ misbehaviour will find their job as a stressful.
However, their conscious of the problems will help them to be a creative teacher to create the improvement
and solve the problems. As beginning teachers,, management classroom is more important than their
cognitive skills to cope with students¶ misbehaviour. However, to solve this problems, integrated solution are
needed, there are not only teachers¶ strategies such as classroom management, teaching strategies,
knowledge on the applied subject, but also the role of pedagogical university which prepare their students to
be teachers.c
c