The following information has been adapted from a feature article in
the Department's Curriculum Support Directorate PDHPE periodical
(1998, Volume 3 No. 3).
Teachers have hundreds of interactions with students in their classes
every day. Some of them include touch. What parameters can help teachers
to determine whether or not to touch a student? What does the Department
expect of teachers? What are the rights of young people to be touched
or not touched? What is appropriate touch? How do teachers manage the
supervision of change rooms and after-school coaching sessions?
Child protection procedures are in place to ensure that the children
and young people in our schools are protected from harm. While they
have caused teachers to reflect on current practices, they are not intended
to make more difficult the work of committed teachers going about their
day-to-day business.
Child protection education involves teaching students how to recognise
the difference between the touch that most people would consider appropriate
and touch that is inappropriate. Students are taught that an important
aspect of managing their own lives is to be able to say "no"
to unwanted touch.
This explicit teaching should be counterbalanced by two needs:
the need for negotiation to allow teachers to touch students
for medical, instructional and safety reasons
the need for students to accept responsibility not to infringe
the personal rights of others.
Agreements can be negotiated, based upon these needs, to ensure the
safety and well-being of students and to reduce the risk of teachers
being accused of inappropriate behaviour.
Appropriate touch will be part of a teacher's repertoire of behaviours
for managing students. A "hands-off" approach is out of the
question for many sport coaches and instructors because of the need to
support, demonstrate and assist students in the activity (eg. abseiling,
swimming, tackling in football, gymnastics and martial arts).
Expectations
It is an expected, and a natural part of coaching and instructing in
sport, that teachers touch students in such situations as spotting in
gymnastics and demonstrating a range of games skills. This is an important
and necessary aspect of safe and effective teaching.
It is suggested that schools arrange to discuss these issues and develop
agreed guidelines about touch in teaching sport or physical education.
A clear framework should be developed within the guidelines for the physical
contact necessary for the procedures which are consistent with a teacher's
duty of care. In this way, the school can provide a supportive environment
for students and staff which is consistent and well understood and which
models appropriate contact and behaviour.
What Could Guidelines Look Like?
Agreed guidelines should be explicit, with concrete examples. They should
also cover two
main aspects:
seeking permission from the student before performing a particular
demonstration or
lesson which requires touching
clarifying the nature of "in-school" and "after-school"
management of students.
Seeking Permission
In the physical activity arena, the physical handling of a student to
demonstrate a particular action, such as throwing a javelin or a ball,
may seem quite reasonable, but teachers cannot assume that the student
wants to be touched to be shown this particular action.
What can teachers do?
Let students know why there is a need to demonstrate, using a hands-on
method.
Explain what the touching will be and ask for volunteers, or ask students
if they mind you demonstrating with them using a hands-on approach.
At the beginning of a sport program such as gymnastics, explain that
the teaching of it will involve spotting by yourself and peers.
Be explicit about where you will be touching, for example, around
the waist or hips.
Be explicit about the fact that if students need "catching"
for safety reasons, touching may not proceed as planned, to ensure their
safety.
Give the students verbal instructions at first. If they have difficulty,
ask them if they would like you to show them how to do it. If they say
no, listen to them and do not do it. It is their choice.
Minimise the need for touching. Ask yourself if touching is necessary.
Clarifying In School and Out of School Hours Management of Students
Teachers will be required to be with students out of the classroom, in
change rooms and before or after-school commitments. There are some basic
rules to follow. Common sense about student management will always be
the most important guiding principle.
Travelling
Always obtain parents' written permission to drive students anywhere.
When you seek approval, inform parents in writing about how you are
travelling and who will be with you.
Avoid driving an individual student home. Help the student to find
an alternative way of getting there.
Coaching after hours
Inform parents and keep to the exact times stated.
If parents are late picking up students, get on with your own packing
up, but with the student still in your sight while you work.
Ask a parent to help you with the coaching.
Avoid working in the storeroom with an individual student.
Avoid staying in your staff room with an individual student.
Supervision of Change Rooms
Teachers have a duty of care, which means you must supervise change
rooms and not ignore them. Work out explicit instructions and keep to
your own rules.
Develop and give explicit rules about behaviour in the change room.
Set a routine for going into change rooms and keep to it.
Let students know when you are coming in to give them the opportunity
to cover up if they want to.
Don't stand in change rooms. Students have a right to their privacy.
Supervision of Change Rooms by Male Teachers
While the issue of a teacher of either sex supervising the change rooms
of both sexes poses some difficulties, there are particular community
sensitivities about male teachers supervising female students in change
rooms. Some suggestions for dealing with this situation include:
Give explicit rules about what is expected of students' behaviour
in the change rooms.
Make sure that students know, that if there is an emergency, you will
need to enter the change room.
Choose two student representatives to report to you about any problems
in the change rooms.
Call all the girls out, if there is any disturbance.
If, for some reason girls remain in the change room, seek a female
teacher to go in.
If there is an emergency, let them know you are coming in and give
a warning to cover up before going in.
Appropriate touch can enrich human interaction, inappropriate touch can
destroy it. A good question to ask in deciding whether the touch is appropriate,
is: "Is it serving the needs of the student or the teacher?".
Your good practice guidelines can lead to informed decisions that protect
everybody's rights.
