School Phobia: Condition or Excuse to Play Truant?
by Children play truant quite often. But are most genuine who claim to be ill and if so, are they suffering from the problem known as "School Phobia?"
Despite Blaggs outlook on this condition there still remains disagreement over both the name for the “illness” but also the ways in which to go about “treating” it.
Blagg also stated that educational psychologists and teachers as much as parents must remain sensitive to the child’s needs. He added that confrontation and getting the child back to school was absolutely necessary in helping treat this condition.
Stay at home kids
According to Blagg he says that parents have to be firm handling and confronting the children to get them back to school. He even suggests in some cases escorting them to school and actually taking them in. He goes on to suggest that for the children who have been absent from schools for periods of time should employ tutors to help them catch up. He also suggests offering them a quiet space to be in at school whilst adjusting back to classroom life.
Still there are people who advocate home schooling and suggest that rather being a psychological problem that requires treating, simple stay at home education would be better suited.
According to Ann Newstead, a spokesperson for the home tuition charity Education Otherwise, was keen to point out that school phobia is a very real condition. She says that there are many families in this situation and suggests many are genuine. She was also keen to add that not sending your kids to school can land you in trouble with the authorities and lead to prosecution.
Newstead added, “You wouldn’t dream of forcing an adult to engage in an environment that wasn’t beneficial to them. So why do we think it is okay to treat children in this way?”
She was quick to add that tackling the problem and not forcing it was better. “That’s like treating someone who is scared of spiders by putting a spider in their hand. You tackle these things gradually, help someone to overcome a phobia and home education is a way of doing that.”
Liked it
-
-
-
-
-
Post Commentlillyrose
On November 21, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I hope lots of parents read this article. My 10 year old hates school, he thinks its really boring and hates what they do. He is one of the youngest in his year, being nearly a year younger that most in his year, he will only have turned 11 for a couple of days before he goes to secondary school next year. He is behind in the work but give him some wood and a saw he can make things, he can cook and is very sociably grown up. I would love to keep him at home and I think I may be the cause of the school hate but thats a whole other story. Thank you for sharing this article, I feel better equipped for the next time I have to force him to school.
LovelyWolf
On November 21, 2009 at 3:59 pm
I used to suffer from school phobia too. It was mainly because I was bullied
Sharif Ishnin
On November 21, 2009 at 8:59 pm
It’s great if there’s a diagnosis for this type of condition. I think a lot of children suffer this type of phobia. At least we know what to do about it now. Thanks for sharing this mate.;)
aunslaught
On November 22, 2009 at 5:51 am
Still in school, still have this phobia =P
PhoenixRox
On November 23, 2009 at 6:05 am
I was scared of my teacher when I was in 1st grade, she was really strict and used to hit kids! Finally, my parents spoke to her and she changed..LOL. I guess she got scared that she may be reported. But she turned out to be a great teacher after that. Thanks for this article. A must read, per me