ABSTRACT
A frequent remark in the staffroom is that a particular child is fine on their own but quite a different person when in a class group. Many young people, both within educational establishments and elsewhere, are vulnerable to pressure from their peers. Despite increasing awareness of social skills and emotional literacy, there is a strong tendency for individuals to 'follow the group'. When faced with peer pressure from students, teachers can quickly become defensive, stressed and in a general state of panic. It is easy for teachers to find themselves 'hooked' by distraction techniques or goaded into shouting at students in an effort to control a skirmish in the classroom. Peer pressure can easily result in an increase in the numbers of students involved. Some students find it difficult to resist being sucked into the action.
