Creating Climates for Learning Managing Behaviour Creating Climates for Learning

Expectations As a visitor to a school, you will not be responsible for students’ behaviour and teachers present should lead on this aspect; But understanding some basic principles of behaviour management will help you in your interactions with students; These skills are often useful in other social situations too – such as dealing with colleagues, or leading teams.

Thinking Ahead Three stages to think about: PLANNING: to minimise issues PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT: demonstrate the behaviour you would want reciprocated DEALING WITH ISSUES: to minimise disruption As a classroom visitor, you are more likely to need to consider points 1 and 2, but you may well learn from how teachers handle the third point, if issues arise in your session.

Planning In terms of behaviour management, planning is pre-emptive and helps to avoid problems through having already thought through some basic points: Are your resources well-prepared? How will you use them? Do resources need handing out? How will you do this? Are there valuable resources that need care? Is there IT which needs setting up in advance? … Room layout? What layout works best for your activity? Will there be group work? How will you divide students into groups? Tasks and activities: are these clear? Engaging? Connected to students’ own lives?

Professional Conduct How you conduct yourself is a powerful signal to students of how they should behave: Model the behaviours you wish to see; Treat students with respect; Use polite, courteous language to make requests; Remain calm, even if you feel irritated!

Modelling Behaviours What learning behaviours do you want to see in your session? Passive/active? Accepting/questioning? Wanting to have the right answer /prepared to risk being wrong? Sometimes right answers are what is needed; other times you want students to speculate, hypothesise, imagine, empathise… REWARD POSITIVE BEHAVIOURS. BE CONSISTENT.

Avoiding Problems Be there first and greet pupils Be clear about your expectations for work for behaviour think especially about starts, finishes and changes Match work to pupils Plan your response to ‘risky bits’ of the lesson Plan use of equipment

Being Assertive

Assertiveness is the ability to exercise authority: it is not domination, aggression, or arrogant opinionation.

Characteristics of assertive teachers Assertive teachers do not ignore or avoid seeing bad behaviour, except for very good reasons. Assertive teachers can shift status within the classroom. Assertive teachers are flexible. Assertive teachers enjoy being in the classroom and are prepared to take risks and be experimental.

Assertive body language Central classroom position for whole class attention Relaxed upright posture Scan the room during whole class interactions Use eye contact during individual interactions Non-verbal gestures (nods; hands to calm down; pointing; the look) Open expressive face: not dead-pan or unsmiling Open body language

Assertive vocal skills Speak clearly: use tactical pausing and a relaxed face Modulate the voice: avoid monotones Use different tones for different kinds of interactions Adopt a lower, slower tone for disciplinary talk Avoiding shouting wherever possible

Planning Professionalism Personality Plenary Remember that as a visitor to a school, you are not responsible for students’ behaviour. But developing an understanding of some of these skills of managing behaviour will help make your work with students more effective and more enjoyable. Three Ps: Planning Professionalism Personality