Life in a Boarding House

Nearly a whole year has passed since I first moved into Crake, a boy’s boarding house within Bloxham School. The move itself was never going to be difficult, more so the role as an Assistant Housemaster; which basically means being 2^nd in command of the whole House. I have been very lucky over the past year to have worked within a great team, including my Housemaster, tutors, matron, domestic assistants and of course the 50 boys which are the life and soul of the house itself. Working and living within a house full of 13-18 year old boys does greet you with a variety of challenges and decisions, some of which are expected, but even with all the pastoral training you can receive, the best form of training is experienced within the corridors of the house. With this in mind, and with my 2^nd year in the house soon to start, it seems suitable to share some home truths that I have found valuable since starting the role.

1. Never make a decision in the corridor: events will always unfold around the house, sometimes you witness them as they happen. But to make a decision straight away regarding the punishment of the child is not recommended. Step back from the situation, relocate yourself, and possibly the students to a more relaxed, secure environment where a well-judged decision can be made.
    
2. Who is in charge? Effective boarding houses run well when there is a clear and defined chain of command. At first, because I was new and young (23) to the House I had to make the boys aware of how I fitted into the whole setup. If the Housemaster was ever off duty or sick, then I would assume the role of Housemaster. Now for boys who had been in the house for several years this can be difficult to take, a young Housemaster in charge of them, but as long as they are clear of the leadership setup up from the start then this situation can be avoided.
    
3. Open channels of communication: teenage boys need to talk; problems will occur throughout the year and will require someone to sit down with them and listen. Having a strong network of communication throughout the house is vital, this can be both staff and elected students, such as the House and Deputy House Captain. Electing students in the house with these responsibilities can bring about young positive role models for the boys; they also have previous experience within the House to help guide their decisions.
    
4. Delegation: no matter how many staff you have, the house will not run well unless day to day aspects are delegated to the boys. This of course will ease your working load, but in the long term builds trust and respect between you and the boys. For some of the older boys, we delegate some important responsibilities to them, therefore appropriate training and tracking of their progress will need to co-inside with this.
    
5. Can I add you on Facebook? With all the boys you assume the role of parent throughout the day and into the evening if they board. A close, warm but professional relationship is an absolute must. But making friends with the students is not what the job is about. This also has implications with enforcing rules and regulations around the house. Some teenage boys will try and become close to you so they can have a chance of bending some of the rules.
    
6. Keeping secrets: information will be naturally passed on to you from the students, as they seek advice and guidance on many aspects of their life. However, when asked to keep something a secret it is best to inform the child that if this needs to be passed onto someone else, then you can’t keep that information secret. Although it is important for the students to have trust in your role, holding potentially dangerous secrets can impact heavily on your career.

I find that with this role you learn more about yourself and how to work with children every day; it brings difficulties and obstacles which have to be overcome. For me the greatest satisfaction of this role is being able to see the long term development of a child, as well as playing a huge part in that process too.