We all have responsibilities to keep our students safe and fighting
isn't safe. Yes, men are often stronger and bigger than us. I
haven't found telling them to stop is very effective. They're
young warriors and they don't hear when they're fighting and their
adrenlin is pumping.

I put myself into it. So far, I haven't been hurt and so far every
time it stops the fight. They're shocked to see me in there mixing
it up and shocked to see me fearless. I put myself between them-
maybe someday I'll catch a punch on the jaw but I will not stand
helplessly by shouting at them to stop when they can't hear it.

All that said, I believe none of our students carry knives - if I
did, I wouldn't be doing what I do.

> I'm a 52 year old woman of 120 lbs. I teach high school math. I
> haven't dealt with any major fights between boys, but I will
> tell you: 200 lb high school boys are startled when I don't
> mind sticking myself right in the middle of confrontations. I
> think they are more likely to calm down when this skinny old
> woman jumps in than they are when the gym coach starts pulling
> limbs.
>
> Rebecca, I don't think you were stupid, nor lucky. I think you
> were brave and smart.
>
> On 8/04/08, Rebecca wrote:
>> It is our job to get help (getting another teacher, calling
>> the office, whatever it takes). Districts do not want a
>> teacher hurt if at all possible and would probably not advice
>> a female teacher to get in the middle of two high school boys.
>> So don't feel bad about not getting in the middle of it. And
>> don't beat yourself up over it. It is so hard to act in the
>> moment of something like that. You aren't thinking straight
>> and your adrenaline is running.
>>
>> I dealt with one fight the year before last, right outside my
>> room at a time when there were not many students or teachers
>> around. And honestly all I was thinking was how can I stop it
>> so I jumped right in the middle of the two boys and push them
>> apart and yelled for help. One teacher called the office and
>> then came to help while another showed up to grab one of the
>> boys. The other two teachers didn't have classes at the time
>> (were on lunch) and so they each took a boy and walked him
>> down to the office and I walked back into my classroom
>> absolutely shaking and continued teaching (which I'm not sure
>> how I accomplished but it was just what needed to be done).
>> Looking back, it was probably pretty stupid to get in the
>> middle of two boys who were both bigger than I was.
>>
>> On 8/04/08, Teach wrote:
>>> Hi everyone! I wanted to ask your opinion about fights. I
>>> am a very new female teacher in a high school. Last year
>>> there was a fight by my classroom between two boys. I had
>>> yelled at the students to break apart before the fight
>>> began, but instantly punches were thrown. Quickly a male
>>> teacher had shown up and broke the boys apart. Both boys
>>> ended up ok with no major injuries. The administrators were
>>> fine with how I handeled the situation, and never mentioned
>>> any concerns about my procedure. Yet,I was never satisfied
>>> with how things happened.
>>> My question for you is... Should female teachers verbally or
>>> physically break up fights? If so what is the most
>>> appropriate and safe procedure to do so?

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