A Guide for Teaching Staff on Handling Suspected Cases Within the School According to Educational Protocols in Jordan

The Role of the Educational Institution in Preventive Safety

The school is considered a “small community” and the first laboratory where a student’s social personality and value-based emotions take shape. Based on Social Control Theory, the stronger a student’s connection to the school as a value system and supportive environment, the more effective the restraints against behavioral deviation. A student who feels belonging to their school is least at risk of substance use.

The school is the environment where adolescents spend most of their time, and the teacher is the person best able to notice subtle changes that may go unnoticed by parents. At this platform, we believe that the teacher’s role is not merely “conditional” but a guiding educational role. Early detection increases the chances of recovery by over 80%.

The goal is not to “expose” the student, but to support them before they enter a path of no return. We see the teacher’s and educator’s role as extending beyond purely academic performance into educational vigilance. By virtue of daily and direct interaction, the teacher acts as the radar most capable of detecting sudden shifts in students’ cognitive and social behaviors before parents notice them.

This guide aims to institutionalize this vigilance so that it does not remain as mere “casual observations” subject to situational moods, but becomes a professional monitoring protocol, balancing the protection of the student as a human being with the security and sanctity of the school as an educational system.

Behavioral and Educational Analysis – Classroom Observation Matrix

The teacher, with educational insight, must be able to distinguish between natural learning difficulties and indicators associated with psychoactive substance use. This distinction is not based on “suspicion” but on a precise scientific analysis of the following dimensions:

1. Cognitive Dimension

Indicator: Sudden and striking decline in mental processes the student previously excelled in, such as quick thinking, memory, and logical reasoning.

Technical Analysis: Neurotransmitter disruption caused by substances, especially cannabis or stimulants, leads to what is called “selective attention scattering.” Here, the student appears “physically present, mentally absent,” repeatedly forgetting simple instructions they previously mastered, reflecting a direct chemical impact on the brain’s frontal lobe.

2. Emotional and Affective Dimension

Indicator: Sharp and unexpected mood swings or the appearance of “emotional dullness” toward events that previously interested them.

Technical Analysis: Sudden aggressive tendencies toward peers, or hysterical laughter episodes that do not fit the classroom context, may reflect a state of temporary “chemical intoxication” or early withdrawal symptoms, putting the student in a state of constant “neural arousal.”

3. School Physiological Indicators

Certain recurring physical patterns within the school environment should be monitored, including:

Motor Pattern: Frequent suspicious trips to the restroom, especially at specific times.

Vital Signs: Chronic fatigue, sudden deep sleep during class, or persistent eye redness which the student may attribute to “allergies” or “late nights.”

Camouflage Pattern: Exaggerated use of strong perfumes, incense, or chewing gum constantly to mask odors that may indicate substance use.

Technical Aspect – Response and Intervention Protocol

When the teacher has formed a “professional suspicion” based on the previous indicators, they must move from the role of “observer” to the role of “wise intervener.” The goal here is to protect the teacher legally and educationally while ensuring the highest level of professionalism in handling a sensitive case such as substance use within the school, following these technical steps:

1. Cumulative Documented Observation Technique

Action: Do not base decisions on a single incident. Repeated behaviors such as date, time, nature of observed behavior, and student response should be recorded in a highly confidential log.

Technical Goal: Build a solid and objective database. When the teacher is asked, “Why do you suspect this student?” the answer is based on recorded facts rather than personal impressions or intuition, protecting the teacher from accusations of targeting the student.

2. Soft Educational Confrontation Skill

Action: Call the student for a one-on-one conversation in a completely private setting, away from hallways or busy staff rooms.

Suggested Technical Script: “(Student Name), I am always proud to have you in my class, but I have recently noticed that your energy and focus are not as usual. I am not here as a teacher evaluating your grades, but as an older sibling or mentor who cares about your future. Are there any challenges you are facing that I can help you overcome?”

Educational Warning: Physical searches or checking the student’s belongings by the teacher are strictly prohibited. This is an administrative and legal matter. Direct accusations in front of peers are also forbidden, as social stigma at this stage may push the student into the hands of promoters or to completely disengage from school.

3. Activation of Institutional Referral Channels

Internal Pathway: Once danger is sensed, immediate contact should be made with the school counselor as the psychological and behavioral specialist. The teacher transfers their observations to the counselor, ending their “supervisory” role and beginning their “supportive” role.

Institutional Pathway (Jordanian Context): Coordination with the school administration is done to activate the communication protocol with parents. In Jordan, such cases are handled with complete confidentiality according to the Ministry of Education guidelines, focusing on the “therapeutic pathway” rather than punitive measures in the first phase, ensuring the student remains within the educational system.

Ethical and Legal Responsibility in Jordan

As educators in national institutions, you must understand that:

Student Protection: The Jordanian Education Law mandates student protection and the provision of a safe learning environment.

Therapeutic-Educational Approach: Handling cases of substance use in schools follows a “therapeutic-educational” approach first; the goal is rehabilitation, not merely punishment or expulsion, because expelling the student is a “gift to promoters,” giving them the opportunity to capture the student on the streets.

The Teacher’s Role in Systematic Awareness (Prevention Within the Curriculum)

Effective prevention in school does not necessarily mean dedicating a lesson titled “Dangers of Drugs” (which can sometimes trigger reverse curiosity); rather, it means “integrated awareness” that strengthens life skills and self-refusal through various subjects.

1. Value-Infiltration Strategy

In Science and Biology classes: Go beyond explaining the nervous system; focus on the “sanctity of the brain” and how external chemicals hijack natural neurotransmitters, robbing a person of their most precious asset: their willpower.

In Arabic Language and Islamic Education classes: Emphasize concepts like “self-respect,” “self-sovereignty,” and “personal strength against peer pressure.” Use texts that reinforce the value of the mind and individual responsibility.

In Physical Education classes: Connect physical fitness with firm refusal of anything that harms the lungs or slows neural responses, such as stimulants and vaping, portraying them as “enemies of physical achievement.”

2. Role-Play Technique in Guidance Classes

Conduct short classroom scenarios on “how to say no intelligently” to a negative peer. This trains the student’s psychological muscle for verbal confrontation so they do not hesitate when facing real pressure on the street or online.

3. Building a Supportive Classroom Environment

A teacher who builds a relationship based on respect, not fear, encourages students to turn to them when facing attempts at enticement.

Action: Establish a “question box” in the classroom, allowing students to anonymously submit questions about sensitive topics, and respond methodically and calmly.

Worksheet (Reflective Educational Self-Assessment)

Exercise: “Classroom Behavioral Map”

1. Select a student showing a mysterious decline in performance.

2. Observe three elements for one week: clothes, eye contact, and social interaction with peers.

3. Determine whether this decline aligns with the “behavioral deviation pattern” described in the guide.

Remember: “The attentive teacher’s eye can save an entire academic journey before it begins to collapse.”

References

1. UNESCO. (2017). Education sector responses to the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs. (دليل اليونسكو للاستجابة التربوية).

2. UNODC. (2020). School-based prevention programmes: A guide for teachers.

3. Botvin, G. J. (2015). Preventing Drug Abuse in Schools: Social and Emotional Learning Strategies. (حول أهمية الذكاء العاطفي في الغرفة الصفية).

4. وزارة التربية والتعليم الأردنية. دليل المرشد التربوي في الوقاية من السلوكيات الخطرة.

5. American School Counselor Association (ASCA). (2022). The School Counselor and Substance Abuse Prevention.