Avoiding physical contact with students

April 22, 2025

As a substitute teacher, you should NEVER engage in physical contact with students or their personal belongings.

In rare circumstances, an administrator may give explicit instructions to the contrary and it is appropriate to follow their instructions under their supervision.

If a situation with a student gets out of control, you should immediately call for support. Administrators expect to be called in these situations. Do not engage with the student or escalate the conflict.

Consequences for physical contact include written warnings, suspension, or termination from the Swing platform.

Suggestions for alternative actions you can take instead of engaging in physical contact:

• Use proximity. By walking over to the student you can speak to them directly and discreetly, engaging their attention without escalating the situation.

• Make eye contact with them at their eye level if possible. Do not lean over them, but crouch down directly in front of them.

• Use a tone of voice that is assertive but calm and not angry or threatening.

• Tell the student directly that their behavior is not meeting expectations and ask them to stop the undesired behavior.

• Call your point of contact, an administrator, or another teacher for assistance.

• If you cannot get in contact with school staff, send a different student to the office with a note requesting assistance.

Below are some common scenarios in which subs mistakenly engage in physical contact. In these situations subs should follow these strategies:

1. A student tries to run out of the classroom.

• Let the student run out of the room and immediately call your point of contact, an administrator, or a teacher who can further engage with the student.

2. A student is harming themselves or school property.

• DO NOT restrain the student, grab objects from the student's hands or move the student's personal belongings.

• DO remove other non-personal objects from the student's area and ask other students to move away.

3. A student is engaging in potentially harmful behavior, such as throwing objects or hitting others.

• First, ask the other students to move away from the danger.

• If the student is violent or throws desks or chairs, escort all other students into the hallway.

4. You were instructed to take cell phones/ headphones if students had them out in class.

• Give the student a warning first. Ask them to put the object away and let them know the consequence for taking it out again: confiscation or being sent to the office/calling an administrator.

• Never use force to take an object from a student. Use only your voice and explain the consequences if the student does not voluntarily give the object to you.

5. You are working with a special needs student and you were asked to engage in a specific type of physical contact, but they aren’t allowing you to.

• You do not have to engage in any physical contact. It is okay to tell the school that you do not feel comfortable with any physical contact with students and let Swing know the situation.

• Never use force to engage in the requested physical contact.

• Take notes on the student’s behavior and on why you were not able to follow through with instructions.