1 Creating a Positive Atmosphere! Reaching, Relating to and Rejoicing in Those “Terrible” Teens Bobbie Henley, BCI&VS Jo-Anne LaForty, OISE/UT

2 Agenda  Who are Our Learners/Users/Clients?  Preventative Practices  Positive Responses  Final Summary

3 God created teenagers to punish us so we would know what it felt like to have someone created in our own image that denied our existence! - Comedian Jeff Allen

4 Behaviours that annoy  Think about teenage behaviours that get under your skin.  Share these with your neighbour  Be prepared to share with the whole group Think, Pair, Share

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6 Possible reasons for adolescent behaviours  Brains are still developing  Hormones are raging  Bodies are growing  Constantly hungry  Often sleep deprived  Attention seeking (showing off/love interest)  Having a bad day/week/life

7 The reality of our Libraries: learning commons

8 Creating a Positive Learning Atmosphere! Visible ProactiveReactive All people will break some of the rules some of the time. All people should follow the rules all of the time. Invisible

9 Managing the Atmosphere Prevention & Response

10 A Voice from the Field… What preventative strategies are provided? How is a warm and welcoming environment created?

11 Being Preventative... Be open and approachable Show an interest in students Greet at the door & get to know their names Be polite Smile Set Expectations and Routines Early Be consistent Anticipate problems Involve teens in all aspects of program

12 Being Preventative... Be pro-active Orient new students to the facilities Go out to the local schools (elementary or high schools) and talk to potential library users Understand the culture of youth Be with it Use ‘hip’, friendly language for signage Hear the students’ voices Be technologically savvy Adjust your attitude

13 Managing the Atmosphere Prevention & Response

14 The Less Effective Person Why you did not respect that person?  no consistency  no follow through  lacked sense of humour  did not really like being there  rude, condescending  unfair, played favourites  disorganized… How he/she responded to misbehaving students  didn’t respond, ignored  yelled  made disparaging comments  always asked person to leave  not consistent in response  painted everyone with the same brush…

15 The More Effective Person Why you did respect that person?  sense of humour  enthusiastic  cared about others  polite, fair  warm, welcoming  seen to be human How did he/she respond to misbehaving students?  appropriate intensity  proximity, the look, gave choices, talked privately, made alternative suggestions  very polite  consistent in approach

16 Managing the Atmosphere Escalation of behaviour is usually the choice of the student’s but… You can either add water or gasoline to an explosive situation.

17 RESPONSES 1. Low Key 2. Intensified low key 3. Repertoire of Responses 4. Either/Or Choices 5. Deescalating  Based on the work of Barrie Bennett

18 1.“LOW KEY” RESPONSES  Proximity  Facial expressions  Minimal-verbal  Eye Contact  Gestures  Signals  Ignore Why are these considered low key responses ? Think/Pair/Share:

19 “LOW KEY” RESPONSES  Barely noticeable to others  Intervention is short  Tone remains positive

20 2. “INTENSIFIED LOW KEY” RESPONSES  Pause or stop  Turn body  Intensify eye contact  Use minimal verbal response  Complete with ‘thank you’

21 3. A REPERTOIRE OF RESPONSES  Make eye contact  Smile  Avoid the word “you”  Focus on problem not person  Explain why the behaviour is problematic  End with a thank you

22 Know the Impact of ‘You’ Messages “You” Message You people can’t sit between the shelves. You have to move. “Not You” Message It’s not a good idea to sit between the shelves as it blocks other students. Let’s find another spot. Thank you.

23 Let’s Practice!  Think of a library situation that might create conflict.  Use a “you” or confrontational statement to respond to the situation on the paper provided.  Scrunch your paper into a snowball and throw it into the basket

24  Pick up one of the snowballs from the basket.  Rephrase the statement into an ‘I’ or positive message and tell it to the person beside you.  Let’s share some before and after statements. Snowball Activity

25 EITHER/OR CHOICES Task:  As a group, examine the list of choices on the sheet provided.  Follow the directions included  Record the characteristics of effective choices.  Be prepared to share with the large group. Concept Attainment

26 Critical Attributes of Effective Choices  The choice is: –related to the misbehavior. –not seen as a punishment. –given as immediately as possible. –not an ultimatum. –done in a positive or neutral tone.  You can follow through on the choice.

27 Escalation of behaviour is usually the choice of the student’s but… You can either add water or gasoline to an explosive situation.

28 De-escalating the Situation Student: refuses to put away food.  Response: “Aw, come on Bill, it’s no big deal. All I’m asking you to do is put away the food. Thank you.” And move on. Student: “I don’t care what you do.”  Response: “ I care. We have a problem and I can’t leave until it’s resolved.” Student: “Other kids do it.”  Response: “ Some might, but right now the problem is between us. So where do we go from here?”

29 Conclusion  I am every emotion times ten, I conform yet I'm rebellious, always obeying but somehow still an outlaw, always talking but never heard, I am a teenager. ~Author Unknown  “Children today show no respect for their elders and tyrannize over their parents.” ~ Socrates  There is nothing wrong with today's teenager that twenty years won't cure. ~Author Unknown

30 Selected Resources Bennett, Barrie and Smilanich, Peter. (nd)Classroom management: A thinking & caring approach. Ajax, Ontario. Bookation. Gallaway, Beth. (2005) Pain in the brain: Teen library behaviour 101. NMRLS Presentation. Harden, Susan and Higgins, Melanie. (2004) Here comes trouble: A sure-fire approach that works with unruly teens. School Library Journal. Nunley, Kathy. Brain.org: Practical classroom applications of current brain research.