Until I Noticed his Body Language
I had a very outspoken student and realised that unfamiliar adults coming into the classroom (which is common in early years) caused him anxiety. Sometimes he would call out loudly ‘That’s a stranger!’. Initially I felt that he was attention-seeking until I paid more attention to his body language. As I got to know him better, and understood how important trust and relationships were for him, I noticed him recoil away from the adult or occasionally hold on to a nearby known adult. I began making a point of introducing visiting adults briefly to the class and explaining why they were in the classroom. ‘This is Mrs Smith. She works at lots of schools and helps the teachers and the kids. She is here to help us with our activity today.’ This helped the student to relax and know who could be trusted.
