Scenario 3: Maintaining standards of behaviour Resources to support Charlie Taylor’s Improving Teacher Training for Behaviour Behaviour Scenarios Scenario 3: Maintaining standards of behaviour This Scenario has been developed for Initial Teacher Training (ITT) to enable trainees to demonstrate knowledge, skills and understanding of behaviour management

Introduction Behaviour2Learn has developed 17 Scenarios focusing on the 8 areas highlighted in the Teaching Agency's document Improving teacher training for behaviour. These are: Personal Style Self-management Reflection School Systems Relationships Classroom Management More Challenging Behaviour Theoretical Knowledge Improving teacher training for behaviour has been developed by Charlie Taylor, the Government’s expert adviser on behaviour, to complement the new Teachers’ Standards that all teachers have to demonstrate from September 2012.

Scenario 3 Maintaining standards of behaviour You have been teaching a class for several weeks and you feel that standards of behaviour are slipping. In your last lesson several individuals spent time chatting when they should have been working. You repeatedly tried to get them back on task. One pupil was particularly restless and disruptive. You spoke to him several times but he continued to disturb the work of others. What should you do now?

Key Learning Outcomes Knowledge of positive techniques, including the use of the language of choice, for maintaining high standards of behaviour. Practice in the use of techniques which are appropriate for your attributes and the context in which you are teaching. Understanding of the need to reinforce standards constantly and consistently.

What do you do? Consider these responses and choose the best one(s) In the next lesson: Make an example of the pupil who showed unacceptable behaviour and tell the class that you will not tolerate it. Remind the class of the agreed Code of Conduct. Set a clear behaviour objective for the lesson about staying on task. Review the outcome positively with the class at the end of the lesson. Tell the class how disappointed you were with them and that you will punish them all if their behaviour does not improve. Stop the class every time someone does something out of keeping with the Code of Conduct and explain why this is wrong. Use praise and rewards whenever appropriate to reinforce actions in keeping with the objective. Warn the class about possible sanctions and then apply them strictly. Speak quietly to the pupil who behaved badly. Set a behaviour objective for him and review it with him at the end of the lesson.

What might be the best choice? 2. Remind the class of the agreed Code of Conduct. Set a clear behaviour objective about staying on task for the lesson. Review the outcome positively at the end of the lesson. 7. Speak quietly to the pupil who behaved badly. Set a behaviour objective for him and review it with him at the end of the lesson. 5. Use praise and rewards whenever appropriate to reinforce behaviour in keeping with the objective. To be effective in promoting the desired learning behaviours, a Code of Conduct has to be reinforced continually. Each lesson provides a fresh opportunity for this. Building on the positive is more effective in improving behaviour than dwelling on the negative. Using the Code helps to depersonalise responses to negative behaviour by correcting the behaviour without rejecting the pupil. Often you need a combination of actions to correct a situation and improve learning behaviour.

How might you prevent a recurrence? Ensure that your Code of Conduct : tells pupils and teachers what they are expected to do relates to general rather than specific behaviours is short and easily displayed and understood reflects rights as well as responsibilities is suitable for regular teaching and reminding. Set a behaviour objective from the Code of Conduct for each lesson. Use praise to reinforce wanted behaviour. Help pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour by using the language of choice e.g. “I would like you to complete this piece of work because it will help you understand the next lesson. If you choose not to complete it during this lesson, you will have to do it at another time and that will be inconvenient for you”.

Underlying Principles Maintaining consistent standards of behaviour for learning requires frequent reminders about agreed expectations. Praise for abiding by the Code of Conduct is more effective than sanctions for breaking it. Indeed, sanctions on their own rarely correct negative behaviour - they only provide a respite in which to establish and then reward the desired positive behaviour. An established Code of Conduct helps the teacher to correct negative behaviour and establish positive behaviour by using the language of choice. Applying the Code of Conduct to correct behaviour depersonalises the process and thus helps to maintain positive relationships between pupils and teachers.

Rights and Responsibilities A Code of Conduct should take into account the rights and responsibilities of all concerned. All pupils have the right to learn in a harmonious and well ordered environment. It is everyone’s responsibility to behave in ways that support the learning of all. Maintaining a positive classroom climate is one of the basic responsibilities of the teacher who has the right in law to discipline pupils in line with the school Behaviour Policy. Governors decide the principles on which the school Behaviour Policy is based and headteachers have the responsibility in law to draw up the policy and ensure that it is implemented.

Activities to try At the start of a lesson, set a learning behaviour intention based on a behaviour from the Code of Conduct for the class. Play “Catch you being good” – tell pupils you will be spotting those who behave well, meeting the objective. Praise them when you do. Summarise at the end of the lesson by agreeing a learning behaviour mark for the class as a whole with them. Hold a discussion with pupils on what they consider to be good and bad rules. Decide what effect their views on this should have on your practice. Examine a school Behaviour Policy to see how well it matches the guidance from the DfE.

Conclusions Maintaining consistent standards of learning behaviour requires frequent reminders about agreed expectations. To be effective in promoting the desired learning behaviours, a Code of Conduct has to be reinforced continually. Each lesson provides a fresh opportunity for this. Building on the positive is more effective in improving behaviour than dwelling on the negative and rules should tell us what to do, rather than what not to do. They should be easy to understand and remember. Praise for abiding by the Code is more effective than sanctions for breaking it. Sanctions on their own rarely correct negative behaviour . They only provide a respite in which to establish and then reward the desired behaviour. Using the Code helps to depersonalise responses to negative behaviour by correcting the behaviour without rejecting the pupil. Often you need a combination of actions to correct a situation and improve learning behaviour.

Developed in partnership with www.ncflb.com