1. LOW KEY SKILLS AND THE THEORY OF BUMPS Professional Development May 2019

2. The “Theory of Bumps” Explained This is a summary of the strategies for classroom Management strategies known as “Bumps” For detailed explanations and descriptions of the strategies look at Classroom Management : A Thinking and Caring Approach (Bennett.B & Smilanich. P 1994)

3. The Key Principles of the ‘Theory of Bumps’ ● An effective teacher expects and plans for student misbehaviour as a natural part of the learning process. They aim to prevent or reduce the severity of student misbehaviour, minimising its “impact on the learning process”. ● Student misbehaviour is purposeful, falling into one or several categories-attention seeking, power seeking, revenge, assumed failure (the “I can’t do it” syndrome). ● Student misbehaviour is designed to provoke particular responses, which often escalate/ reinforce the negative behaviours. NO INFLUENCE ● Teachers have NO INFLUENCE over the emotional baggage the students bring to school. They only thing they CAN control is their response to students’ misbehaviour.

4. Bump 1: Low Key Responses Purpose: To clearly communicate that the teacher is aware of what is happening in their classroom by managing routines, and swiftly and quietly dealing with student misbehaviour before it becomes a problem.

5. Key Characteristics of Bump 1 Winning over 1. Winning over - meet kids at the door/ take a genuine interest in their lives/ develop positive relationships. Explicitly teach 2. Explicitly teach and reinforce signals for gaining attention and procedures for lesson transitions. WHAT,WHENWHO Specify the WHAT,WHEN and WHO of the transition.

6. Bump 1: Continued ● Vary your position in the class ● Vary your position in the class. Be a moving target. Don’t be afraid to move in amongst the kids to ensure compliance, especially when seeking their attention prior to issuing instructions. ● Non - verbal/ Minimal verbal responses ● Non - verbal/ Minimal verbal responses - active scan/ use of proximity, ‘the look’, use of names, dramatic pause, hand gestures, assertive body language, planned ignore (of attention seeking behaviour) allies, ● Your allies, those students who are actively demonstrating their best behaviour, are an asset. Reinforce their positive behaviour, and try to avoid collective punishment. ● Focus on the behaviour, not the student ● Focus on the behaviour, not the student. This communicates to the student that they are accepted in the classroom, not their negative behaviour.

7. Bump 2: Square Off squaring off” The teacher bumps up to “squaring off” when the use of several low - key management strategies have failed to stop misbehaviour.

8. Key Characteristics: ● You pause (and stop talking) square off) ● You turn towards the student ( square off) ● You give a minimum verbal request to stop ‘Thank you’ ● Finish with a ‘Thank you’ ● Resume the lesson

9. Bump 3: Either/ Or Choice ● Stop, make eye contact with the student, and offer them a either/ or Choice. ● Use an assertive, unemotional voice. For example: “You have a choice - you can either choose to behave or go to the buddy room class. What do you want to do?” Wait for a response, and end with a “Thank you”.

10. Bump 3: Continued Kids hate to be shamed or humiliated, This process doesn’t have to be conducted in public. Kids hate to be shamed or humiliated, and a public reprimand is not always the best approach. Taking misbehaving students aside for a quiet chat, or keeping them behind for a few minutes can be very effective, particularly if you are dealing with an angry/ attention seeking student. Bump 3 makes the student responsible for their own behaviour, and the consequences they have to face if they choose to continue their behaviour

11. Bump 4: Implied Choice If the student continues to misbehave, follow through with the consequences from Bump 3. “You’ve made your choice to ………, please …………” please …………”

12. Bump 5: POWER This is NOT easy ● If a student tries to draw you into a power struggle, you need to recognize and circumvent. This is NOT easy, but essential if you wish to maintain your sanity in complex situations. ● If the student moves to power, it is often best to take a step back from the situation, ignore or calmly describe the behaviour or ask the student to leave the classroom due to the severity. ● If you are faced with a situation where the student has lost control of their anger (e.g. throwing chairs), it is of essential importance to remove the audience (either the class or the student) to avoid escalation and to allow them to calm down. This also allows the teacher some time to consider an appropriate course of action.

13. Bump 6: Informal Behaviour Contracts This usually involves formal/ informal agreements between the teacher and the student. It may be the formulation of Individual Behaviour Plans, in consultation with parents, student services etc.

14. Possible scenarios open for discussion Working in pairs, have a look at the following scenarios that can take place in a classroom on a daily basis: What behavioural management strategies would you use to deal with the following scenarios?

15. Scenario 1: You are 10 minutes into your lesson. You are in the middle of explaining the objectives of the lesson when Courtney, a Year 9 student arrives. She walks noisily to her desk and proceeds to talk to the girl next to her as she sits down. She then gets her mobile phone out and proceeds to text. What do you do?

16. Scenario 2: In the middle of a Year 7 class, as the students are working quietly, a particular student called Jayden begins to tap his pencil repeatedly on the desk. You ask him to stop, which he does briefly. Then he begins again, this time getting louder and more persistent. What do you do? What do you do?

17. Scenario 3: As a year 10 general class are walking into class, Liam shouts at another student, Kayden, “You f****** black c***”. He then proceeds to sit at his desk and get his books out of his bag. What do you do? What do you do?

18. Scenario 4: You are teaching a Design and Technology woodwork lesson. Generally all of the students are on task using the machinery in the correct way in the workshop. It is then you notice that two of the boys are trying to sand a metal sheet into the electric sander. You tell them to stop, which they do temporarily. As you walk away and deal with another student you notice they are going back to sanding the metal again. What do you do? What do you do?

19. Scenario 5: A year 10 girl is texting on her phone during your lesson. You ask her to put it away, which she refuses. She proceeds to text on the phone whilst you are stood in front of her desk. What do you do? What do you do?