Graduate Diploma in Learning & Teaching 11th February, 2007

Session 3, Sunday ► One Theory for Understanding Student Behaviour ► Building Relationships Based Around this Understanding

Outline ► Understanding Student Behaviour  Individual psychology  Purposes of classroom misbehaviour  Identifying the goals of classroom misbehaviour  Misbehaviour and its sources  Encouraging students  Consequences v Punishments

Why do teachers need a theory of behaviour?  To help select approaches relating to student motivation  To help select approaches to behaviour change in students  To help them understand their own behaviour

Principles of Individual Psychology ► Four principles through which teachers may understand student behaviour  Belonging is the basic motivation  All behaviour has a purpose  Lifestyle is unique and unified  Loss of confidence results in behaviour problems

Belonging is the Basic Motivation ► Humans need to belong to social groups ► Children seek behaviours which will gain them recognition and belonging ► Behaviour can only be understood in its social context

All Behaviour has a Purpose ► No behaviour is random – there is always a goal consistent with seeking to belong ► The key to modifying behaviour is to identify its purpose ► Behaviour will only change when “better” alternatives exist

Lifestyle is Unique and Unified ► All people have their own characteristic way of behaving ► Different people respond in different ways to similar experiences ► A person’s private logic becomes their “reality”

Loss of Confidence leads to Behaviour Problems ► Schooling confirms many children’s view of themselves as inadequate ► Both peers and teachers can be sources of discouragement ► These children believe they can’t “belong” through positive behaviours, so they turn to problematic behaviours

Purposes of Classroom Misbehaviour ► Dreikurs – all unsatisfactory behaviour is directed towards one of four goals  Attracting attention  Demonstrating power  Seeking revenge  Escaping by withdrawal

Attracting Attention ► Attacking  Clown  Nuisance  Smart Alec  Show off  Walking “?” ► Defending  Laziness  Anxious  Untidiness  Over pleasant  Frivolous

Demonstrating Power ► Attacking  Arguing  Defiance  Bullying  Temper tantrums  Contradiction ► Defending  Unco-operative  Dawdling  Stubbornness  Non-compliance  Forgetfulness

Seeking Revenge ► Attacking  Stealing  Viciousness  Destructiveness  Violence  Delinquency ► Defending  Sullenness  Moodiness  Moroseness  Passive hate  Refusal to participate

Escaping by Withdrawal ► Defending  Stupid  Idle  Incapable  Hopeless  Juvenile  Solitary activities

Identifying the Goals of Misbehaviour ► Two ways of identifying which of the four mistaken goals is being sought ► 1. By how the behaviour makes you feel ► 2. By how the student responds to your correction of the behaviour

By how the behaviour makes you feel ► Irritated, impatient, annoyed  Attention ► Provoked, angered, under challenge  Power ► Deeply hurt  Revenge ► Hopeless, despairing, inadequate  Escape

By response to correction ► Students seeking attention respond to correction by  Stopping (temporarily) ► Students seeking power respond to correction by  Continuing ► Students seeking revenge respond to correction by  Escalating verbal, physical violence ► Students seeking escape respond to correction by  Disinterested martyrdom

So What if you Understand Behaviour? ► Basic motivation is to belong: all behaviour has purpose ► Inappropriate purposes: attention, power, revenge, escape ► Children turn to disturbing ways of belonging when they are discouraged from feeling confidence that positive behaviours will produce belonging ► Behaviour can only be changed if it doesn’t achieve its purpose ► Teachers respond effectively by ignoring their first impulse

Building Relationships by Encouraging Students ► Teachers encourage students by:  Accepting students as they are now  Show faith in students’ ability to learn  Acknowledge genuine improvement/effort  Building on strengths to develop skills sequentially  Promote genuine social integration and belonging in the classroom group  Helping students learn from mistakes, rather than avoid them

Building relationships by Encouraging Students ► Language use is important:  You do a good job of …  Everyone makes some contribution  You have improved in …  Acknowledge progress  We like you, but not what you did when …  Separate child and action  You can help us by …  Feeling useful is important  I understand how you feel, but you can do …  Empathy, not sympathy; Confidence not doubt

Using Consequences Instead of Punishment ► Punishment  Teacher decides that the student has done wrong and decides to apply a sanction/penalty ► Consequence  Students choose behaviours, each of which have logical consequences which follow automatically as a result

Consequences and Punishments ► Punishment 1.Teachers responsible for student behaviour 2.Teachers know what is best for students 3.Concerned with retaliating for the past 4.Expresses power of teacher’s authority ► Consequence 1.Students responsible for own behaviour 2.Students can make their own decisions 3.Concerned with the present 4.Expresses reality of the situation

Consequences and Punishments ► Punishment 1.Arbitrary connection between action and consequences 2.Involves moral judgments 3.Anger and resentment part of the process ► Consequence 1.Logical connection between action and its consequences 2.No moral judgments 3.Relationship is friendly despite consequence