What to Do When a Student Verbally Attacks a Teacher?

Remain Unaffected by the Attack

• When a student verbally attacks you, it's important that you remain calm. You can do this by practicing stress management techniques such as taking deep calming breaths, counting down from 10 or imagining yourself in a peaceful place. You can also do your best at distracting yourself by thinking about what you'll make for dinner, what you'll do the next day or anything else. Depersonalizing yourself works well too but it does take practice because students can be cruel. Do not take anything the abuser says personally and view it as irrational behavior rather than truth. If you cannot maintain your composure, it's best to walk away from the student than to begin yelling at her.

Turn the Table with Reflection

• Some students will act out because they believe no one listens to them. When you're able to get a word in edgewise, reflect what the student is saying and then end with a "but" followed with an appropriate action. For example, "I understand that you are upset that you have stay after school today, but when students don't have a note for missing class the rules are that they must stay for detention." When you reflect, you show the student that you do understand why he is upset, but the reason why he is angry is through no fault but his own.

Implement Consequences

• Verbal attacks should not go without consequences. Discuss with the class what the consequences will be for these attacks. The next time there is an attack, the punishment must follow. This can be a detention, an office visit to the principal, or a call home to the parents.

Hold Student Assembly on the Topic

• Verbal abuse towards a teacher is a serious topic that needs to be addressed immediately. Hold an assembly to discuss how there is no tolerance for verbal attacks against anyone in the school (students or teachers), discuss consequences and then do some role playing activities, either during the assembly or in the classrooms afterwards. Form groups of four and ask them to think of situations which may result in a verbal attack towards a teacher. Have each group member think of an appropriate way to handle the situation to present it to the class.