Introduction

It was morning registration for Year 2. Joe refused to sit at his table and shouted out that he wanted to do some colouring. A teaching assistant tried to talk to him, but he yelled back and dashed across the room. He banged a cupboard door, shouting all the time. The teaching assistant tried some gentle distraction techniques, but Joe could not regulate himself and threw a chair across the room. The teacher put down the register, ready to approach the child, since his behaviour was clearly dangerous to himself and others. As the teacher walked towards him, Joe pushed past and ran out of the room. The teacher followed Joe and the teaching assistant finished taking the register. By now, most of the children were agitated and unable to sit and listen quietly.