How can children and young people be integrated in school?
Promotion and integration go hand in hand, so the principles are the same as described above, first and foremost the calm but firm handling and the setting and enforcement of simple, clear rules. In order to integrate a child successfully, he or she must be treated like everyone else, i.e. the same rules apply to everyone else, but efforts must be recognized and appreciated earlier and more extensively in order to promote positive behavior and the child’s self-esteem. It is also important to get to the bottom of the behavioral disorder.
Any conspicuous behavior is an expression of an emotion or conflict and is an indication of what the child actually wants. Aggression and violence, for example, can be a child’s way of dealing with his or her displeasure about being unpopular with other children. Children who damage school supplies or riot in the classroom can thus give an outlet to their fear of failure and pressure to perform.
Self-harming behavior is shown by children who want to escape their inner pressure. Thus, any conspicuous behavior is meaningful for the child at that moment, even if it is counterproductive for their own desires in the long run. For a successful integration it is important to get to know the children and to be able to interpret such signs.
If the cause can be identified in this way, it can be eliminated or at least mitigated. It is also essential to encourage joint activities and to integrate the affected child into the class. Many of the children with behavioral problems are used to the role of outsiders and must first learn the advantages of a large circle of friends and group cohesion.
Mobbing and exclusion of any kind must therefore be prevented at a school that wants to integrate children with behavioral problems. The role of classmates should also not be underestimated. Conspicuous behavior only comes about through the reactions of peers. If the classroom environment is good and the children approach newcomers openly, they make up the most important part of the child’s integration. The goals of integration are therefore to find and eliminate the cause of the conspicuous behavior, to fulfill the child’s actual wishes, to offer an open-minded environment and to demonstrate the advantages of belonging to a group.
