ODD
I have been teaching for 10 years and experienced a student with ODD for the first time about 6 months ago. It really took me by surprise. My supervisor had to get involved and it was very distressing. The student was in my class again (different subject) during the next term. I chose to come into the class the first day with a clean slate. That worked very well but I felt like I had to walk on egg shells for 10 weeks. She ended up focusing her ODD on another teacher during that term. Now all the other teachers are leery of her.
Mark,
I am not sure it is our responsibility to "help" them -- at least, not in the context of trying to get at the roots of the problem. You COULD help by setting clear limits to behavior that is acceptable and making sure the student understands the ramifications of not staying within those limits (AND presenting this in an informative, rather than punitive or threatening way). the student may not thank you for the heads-up at the time, but knowing those limits may provide some outside boundaries that the student can use in self-monitoring behavior.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
How do you or should you as an educator help this person? It's obvious that ODD can affect everyone around the person with it which intern will alienate them. It has to effect the person’s ability to learn and to get or hold a job in the future.
Francine,
What you describe is a difficult situation in lots of ways. First, there is dealing with the inappropriate behavior in class and serving the student without it letting the her problems disrupt the class for everyone else. More, though, is the difficulty in NOT treating the student differently in the future. It would be naive to say, "you are not allowed to consider what you know and have experienced with this student in the past." You chose to make the effort and you were lucky in that she focused on someone else and you came through unscathed. But the student is digging her own hole here. When the time comes that EVERYONE is leery of her and she wears out the patience of staff, there will be little option available. That is disappointing, but it is NOT the fault of the institution.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
