MANAGING BEHAVIOUR TIPS & TRENDS while working with students by Mark Davidson MANAGING BEHAVIOUR TIPS & TRENDS while working with students by Mark Davidson

Student entry Sets the tone of your lesson. Ensure you can see students as they enter the room/ work-site to minimise problems. Sets the tone of your lesson. Ensure you can see students as they enter the room/ work-site to minimise problems.

Welcome Students Formally or informally greet students. Welcome students back from breaks. Formally or informally greet students. Welcome students back from breaks.

Late students Welcome students or give no response. If you have to, deal with the lateness at a time convenient to you. Welcome students or give no response. If you have to, deal with the lateness at a time convenient to you.

Rules / Expectations Rules Clear Have clear rules (no more than 5 or 6). Fade rules in / out as is necessary Rules Referred to Refer to rules if one is broken. Consequences applied Consequences must be familiar and used if necessary. Rules Clear Have clear rules (no more than 5 or 6). Fade rules in / out as is necessary Rules Referred to Refer to rules if one is broken. Consequences applied Consequences must be familiar and used if necessary.

Focus / Attention Establisher Teacher employs some means of getting students’ attention eg a joke, a ‘teaser’ about the content of the lesson - something that hooks them in and gets them focused.

Involve Students / Encourage participation Rather than the teacher doing all the talking encourage student participation to talk about the topic, perhaps a demonstration, review of learning’s, etc.

Instruction Time Introduce and have students ‘doing’ within the first 5-7 min Make instructions clear and concise. The following describes an effective process: give the instruction give 2 descriptive encouragers move in thank student if compliance occurs or give a choice if no compliance Use “thanks” instead of please at the end of a request / instruction. Introduce and have students ‘doing’ within the first 5-7 min Make instructions clear and concise. The following describes an effective process: give the instruction give 2 descriptive encouragers move in thank student if compliance occurs or give a choice if no compliance Use “thanks” instead of please at the end of a request / instruction.

Reference to workplace / industry Link learning with the relevant industry by sharing an anecdote of your own experience or how the skill links into the workplace.

Activity Change When ending or changing an activity during a teaching period - review the previous lesson if following on - ask questions and encourage discussion to ensure there is understanding - include as much routine as possible When ending or changing an activity during a teaching period - review the previous lesson if following on - ask questions and encourage discussion to ensure there is understanding - include as much routine as possible

Communication techniques Use a variety of techniques to address behaviour eg. Question for understanding ie.”Do you know what to do?” “What should you be doing?” Use reflection questioning ie. “Remember what we agreed upon…” “How could we demonstrate respect…..?” Actively listen ie. be aware of other cues when discussing problems with participants such as body language. Speak using a calm, friendly, firm, measured tone. Use a variety of techniques to address behaviour eg. Question for understanding ie.”Do you know what to do?” “What should you be doing?” Use reflection questioning ie. “Remember what we agreed upon…” “How could we demonstrate respect…..?” Actively listen ie. be aware of other cues when discussing problems with participants such as body language. Speak using a calm, friendly, firm, measured tone.

Individual / Group Encouraging Give positive feedback individually, to groups and whole class - regularly. Touch their work, make eye contact and smile or give a thumbs-up message. Give positive feedback individually, to groups and whole class - regularly. Touch their work, make eye contact and smile or give a thumbs-up message.

Descriptive Encouraging Having given an instruction wait and scan the group, if some are not on-task refer to those who are: eg. “Everyone looking this way, thanks (……wait & scan) This group is looking at me (not looking at anyone in particular) and people down the front have nothing in their hands, ….thanks again everyone… ” NB only give 2 Having given an instruction wait and scan the group, if some are not on-task refer to those who are: eg. “Everyone looking this way, thanks (……wait & scan) This group is looking at me (not looking at anyone in particular) and people down the front have nothing in their hands, ….thanks again everyone… ” NB only give 2

Cue with parallel acknowledgment “Great to see people putting on their safety gear.” or Used collectively eg “This group is getting some great ideas down on paper.” “These people have finished half the page, great stuff.” “Great to see people putting on their safety gear.” or Used collectively eg “This group is getting some great ideas down on paper.” “These people have finished half the page, great stuff.”

Move about to participants working individually or in groups Make the effort to engage in discussion about the task at hand with each participant during the lesson - not just those that raise their hand to ask a question. P praise / encouragement P prompt P push off before they begin working Make the effort to engage in discussion about the task at hand with each participant during the lesson - not just those that raise their hand to ask a question. P praise / encouragement P prompt P push off before they begin working

Movement about the room Your movement about the room will assist to engage students and discourage inappropriate behaviour. Your movement about the room will assist to engage students and discourage inappropriate behaviour.

Glancing around while working While working on a board or one to one with students, ensure you scan the group regularly.

Tactical ignoring Pay minimal attention to off-task behaviour if it is not seriously disrupting the lesson or group. Do have a post lesson discussion if you feel it is necessary before they go. Pay minimal attention to off-task behaviour if it is not seriously disrupting the lesson or group. Do have a post lesson discussion if you feel it is necessary before they go.

Giving Redirections: non-verbal and verbal & Describing a seen behaviour Use head, hand and eye contact, proximity, body language, smile or pause in talk. Verbally by individual close talk, curriculum and questioning to redirect. State what it is that you see: eg. If a person is sitting staring out the window when the rest of the class has began working, state, “Mark, we’ve started the activity” or “Mark everyone is now working.” “Your books are closed.” Use head, hand and eye contact, proximity, body language, smile or pause in talk. Verbally by individual close talk, curriculum and questioning to redirect. State what it is that you see: eg. If a person is sitting staring out the window when the rest of the class has began working, state, “Mark, we’ve started the activity” or “Mark everyone is now working.” “Your books are closed.”

Giving a choice Give it in a calm, firm, measured tone in close proximity and avoid making it sound like a threat. Allow up to 15 seconds for the student to make their choice. Follow through if necessary. Give it in a calm, firm, measured tone in close proximity and avoid making it sound like a threat. Allow up to 15 seconds for the student to make their choice. Follow through if necessary.

Enter secondary behaviour Avoid being led into secondary behaviour issues eg. “Michael, have you made a start?” “Yeh, see” “Is that what you’re meant to do?” “It’s what you told us to do.” “No, weren’t we looking at….” Another form of secondary behaviour is where a student attempts to anger/frustrate the teacher by responding sluggishly to a request, giving provocative responses of grunting and other non-verbals. Avoid being led into secondary behaviour issues eg. “Michael, have you made a start?” “Yeh, see” “Is that what you’re meant to do?” “It’s what you told us to do.” “No, weren’t we looking at….” Another form of secondary behaviour is where a student attempts to anger/frustrate the teacher by responding sluggishly to a request, giving provocative responses of grunting and other non-verbals.

Summarise topic / learning requirements Review the curriculum of the activity/period eg. “The tasks set today were quite difficult but you used the resources well and asked focused questions, well done.” Review behaviour of the activity/period eg. “You people need to be congratulated again as you cooperated and discussed concerns without yelling, well done.” Review the curriculum of the activity/period eg. “The tasks set today were quite difficult but you used the resources well and asked focused questions, well done.” Review behaviour of the activity/period eg. “You people need to be congratulated again as you cooperated and discussed concerns without yelling, well done.”

Post lesson discussions Tell a student who was off-task, annoying, disruptive, late, etc. during the lesson that you will need to speak with them at the end of the lesson. NB Can be for positive behaviour. Tell a student who was off-task, annoying, disruptive, late, etc. during the lesson that you will need to speak with them at the end of the lesson. NB Can be for positive behaviour.

Assistants Engage assistants purposely: plan for and with them if possible. Engage assistants purposely: plan for and with them if possible.

Parting formalities Exchange parting formalities at the end of the day / session. eg. Exchange parting formalities: “See you later.” “Catch you next week”. “Enjoy the rest of your day.” “Did you see Current Affair last night……?” “What’s your weekend looking like?” Exchange parting formalities at the end of the day / session. eg. Exchange parting formalities: “See you later.” “Catch you next week”. “Enjoy the rest of your day.” “Did you see Current Affair last night……?” “What’s your weekend looking like?”

Student exit Establish routines of dismissal to ensure the room is left how it was on entry.

Encouraging on-task behaviour See additional handout.