Educators have significant responsibility, which often involves safeguarding children and teens from drugs and alcohol.
Yet, how are teachers supposed to identify if their students are using drugs?
With the right resources, this process is not as hard as it may seem. Some behaviors are easy to spot, while others are trickier to identify.
Finally, how are teachers supposed to intervene and provide help? While this may seem like a difficult hurdle to overcome, there are practical approaches.
Generally, problems related to student drug use are incorporated with student safety and accident prevention. It is the responsibility of all staff at a school to keep the students secure and look out for their well-being.
Most jurisdictions have laws to ensure schools and learning environments remain drug-free. Teachers are also responsible for reporting any drug use or addiction in the school. Additionally, there could be mandatory reporting laws.
These laws are often applied to cases of child neglect or abuse. Still, they may apply to a situation where parents expose children to illicit substances.
Finally, it is the responsibility of educators to incorporate drug and alcohol prevention programs and encourage students to participate in these programs. For example, keeping youth safe from drugs online, as social media and the internet are part of everyday lives.
General symptoms apply to the use of virtually any illicit substance. Some drugs, such as hallucinogens, have noticeable signs of usage in a person that are unique to that drug.
Overall, common symptoms are as follows:
Individuals who use drugs or alcohol will likely try to hide it because of shame, guilt, or denial. Behavioral indicators are the most telling and may include:
Memory problems—These are visible problems related to schoolwork, where they would not typically have any issue prior.
Understanding that most substance use cases involve multiple symptoms with some degree of frequency rather than a one-time occurrence is crucial. There are legitimate non-drug-related explanations for many of these signs.
Educators or teachers notice everything, yet frequent occurrences of the symptoms mentioned above, such as daily, weekly, or monthly, should raise a red flag.
It would be difficult to know how to approach a situation if a teacher suspects a student is using drugs or alcohol outside the classroom.
Some are afraid of making false accusations, which is understandable given today's social climate. In addition, underlying illness or prescribed medication may cause similar effects. Overall, actions should be taken carefully and quickly but not be rushed. Here are some tips:
Once it has been determined that a student is likely abusing drugs or alcohol, the teacher should notify the school administration, parents, or guardian. Yet, the goal should be to provide help.
If it is blatantly evident a student is using drugs or alcohol at school, immediate action should be taken. Every school has internal policies to manage such a situation.
Should a student abusing drug or alcohol approach a teacher, they are likely asking for help—which means they have approached you because they trust you. Consider the following tips:
A teacher can be a source of support at school and act as a moderator with the students and their parents about their substance use. In addition, they can coordinate with parents to access counseling and drug rehab resources.
Young people spend more waking hours in the school environment around teachers than at home with their parents.
The school environment is a crucial factor influencing the development of young people. A positive relationship with school creates a greater sense of community, attachment, and performance, which is associated with reduced potential for drug use.
As a teacher, you can help a student have a positive relationship with their school by doing the following:
Children have common misperceptions about alcohol and other drugs, such as it is normal to use drugs. However, the vast majority of young people have never tried an illegal drug. Teachers are essential to lead by example and create a positive learning environment.
The following information is from the National Center for Drug Abuse and Statistics (USA). These stats help paint a picture of the importance of drug prevention and education and staying involved in the lives of every child:
A research article exploring teaching competency of teachers for curbing drug and substance abuse stated the following:
"to increase the effectiveness of drug prevention in educational institutions, especially for teachers. Schools must create positive motivation for instructors to include drug misuse prevention aspects into their classrooms. Second, schools provide high quality professional development with an emphasis on effective preventative strategies that teachers may apply."
The early use of drugs increases a person's chances of becoming addicted. The risk of drug use also increases significantly during times of transition. For a teen or young child, difficult times include moving, family divorce, or changing schools.
These are all circumstances that educators come across. Prevention and education programs are the keys to curbing early drug and alcohol use.
