Help teacher to help students

THE EDITOR: Sociologist Dr David Mohammed has said that children younger than 12 years old are being indoctrinated into gangs. If this is in fact true, then I think it is important that all our teachers are trained in counselling.

If our difficult and violent children, of whatever age, are not handled in the right way when they manifest negative behaviour in school, the situation will become worse.

So many of our children are from troubled homes and because they need a sense of belonging and suffer from low self-esteem, they feel empowered by being involved in gangs and being videotaped in school brawls.

Teachers who are professionally trained in how to handle these difficult students and who are caring in their approach can make a world of difference in their lives.

HILMA BARNES

via e-mail