According to the psychologist, teachers should not be afraid to offend the child. The relationship must be clearly established and each one must keep a proper distance. ?There must be a coherence in the relationship and the teacher must be diplomatic in his/her approach. Teachers must know how to keep a distance while remaining close enough for the child to be comfortable,? she insists.

In fact, the word to be banned is ambiguity. During adolescence, the behaviour of the girl or boy is sexualised. It is a period when the young person becomes aware of his/her body and may be ready for any experience. ?With this in mind, the teacher must always have a uniform attitude. If the adult realises that the attitude of the adolescent is becoming ambiguous, through a look or a remark, then it is the adult?s responsibility to react and define the limits,? Emilie Duval adds.

The problem arises when the teacher is vulnerable or if he/she feels flattered by the pupil?s attraction. This is why work should be done on teachers prior to their entrance at school. ?There are many tests which can be done to obtain an idea of the psychological profile of a teacher. We could for instance create scenarios where the teacher is confronted with situations where he will have to manage the pupil,? the psychologist states. During recruiting, the interviewers should make sure they prepare teachers for embarrassing situations to know how they would react.

<B>Mentorship programme</B>

She adds that a mentorship programme should be implemented where young teachers would be able to obtain help from more experienced ones in order to fight anxiety related to a first experience in class. ?Moreover, I think it is high time to adopt a code of ethics to state the limits of the relationship between the pupil and the teacher.? Regular consultations between teachers, parents and the pupils are also recommended, ?as this helps the teacher face his/her responsibilities towards the parents and helps him realise that the child has a family cell and that they should be careful?.

In fact, teachers need to be made aware of their responsibilities towards children. Teachers ? the more so as the pupil admires them ? have a great impact that will last throughout the pupils? whole lives and may influence their careers or the values they will favour when they become adults.

In fact, the relationship is based on an imbalance, as the child is in a position of learner while the teacher should represent authority and power. ?How could a love relation arise from such a situation,? wonders the psychologist. Although the feeling that it is not allowed can be exciting for the child, the teacher must be aware that a possible relationship will break the model of integrity he/she might represent.

?Girls become aware of their bodies at an early age and this will be even more noticeable as time goes by. The teacher must be aware of the vulnerability of his positionand take appropriate decisions,? concludes Emilie Duval. Pupils at this age are in ?experimental mode?.

COMMENTS

<B>Teachers? viewpoints</B>

■ Vincent Brasse, teacher in a girls? college: ?I have been ?approached? by girls at school but I have never wanted to play their game. If they send me SMS or emails for instance, I just ignore them and never reply. And they understand by themselves that this was not the right behaviour?.

■ Allan Brunet, teacher in a mixed college: ?Although we have a particular relationship at school, I have never been the subject of any unwarranted behaviour by pupils. Pupils can come and confide in us but rules are established at the very beginning to make sure that the relationship remains respectful. In fact, our own behaviour makes it clear that there are limits which should not be exceeded?.

■ Linda Prayag, teacher and counsellor in a boys? college: ?I have already witnessed the case of a young woman who was embarrassed by the attitude, compliments or look of a student. I always advise teachers to talk of the problem with the child to make sure he understands that the teacher is in a position of authority. Teachers must learn to make themselves respected by the child and this includes the way they dress or the way they address the students?.

BEC project

<B>The counsellors? responsibilities</B>

■ As the person in charge of organising training for teachers at the Centre de Formation des Educateurs, psychologist Emilie Rivet set up a project to grant all schools under the aegis of the Bureau of Catholic Education with counsellors ? but they have also opened up to other schools. Forty teachers are presently getting trained to become counsellors and help students, parents and teachers to deal with their difficulties at school. Those ?trainees? are being made aware of the difficulty they may have in keeping a certain distance from the students. ?This relationship can become very intimate because the pupils share their personal problems but the counsellor must only be a person who listens to the problem and helps the child solve it himself,? comment Emilie Duval. But counsellors will also be there to help teachers who may be facing embarrassing situations with their pupils? Other schools as well would benefit from implementing this system!