Dear Diana
> My daughter aged 11 is struggling with her homework, her teacher has set a
> range of emotionally challenging tasks. He has set work so that the
> children dig deep into their past and disclose to him significant events
> in their lives.
I have to say that all my alarm bells started clanging when I read this.
As an ex-psychiatric nurse in Child and Family psychiatry, a 'trauma
worker', and a counsellor, I am disturbed that these children are being
asked to do such work without any back up provision to contain any
anxiety that might be generated from the work.
> Is this teacher being inappropriately invasive and perhaps a little
> voyeuristic. or is this helpful for children, my daughter is currently
> saying she 'cant do it' and engaging in all sorts of avoidance behaviours
> which I fully support
I think that it IS inappropriately invasive, you have not mentioned who
would have access to the story's that the children write, what
'confidentiality contract' the teacher has established or any of the other
things that we, as therapists, enter into with our clients - the issue, for
me, is analogous. That your daughter is indulging in avoidance
behaviours is understandable and as far as I'm concerned to be
encouraged. Fortunately my own daughters are now beyond that age;
however, I personally would have been writing to the school explaining
WHY my daughters would not be participating in the harebrained
scheme. Whoops, I meant the er ... harebrained scheme? 8-)
Best wishes
Paul Carney
Paul Carney
Senior Lecturer
School of Health & Social Science
Coventry University
Priory St
Coventry England CV1 5FB
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