Developing you presence We all know presence when we see it but it is hard to define Broadly, presence is your ability to use your personality and body to command attention Your pupils will make up their minds about you within 30 seconds of meeting you – so preparation is crucial The key areas to focus on are your image and your behaviour

Developing you presence Look the part – the way you dress says a great deal about you Walk tall and appear confident – a straight posture make you look strong and commanding Walk into the room slowly – nervous people rush, confident people don’t Make eye contact with your pupils – confident people make good use of eye contact

Developing you presence Speak in a clear and audible voice – avoid rushed dialogue and keep your head still while you are talking Adjust the tone and volume of your voice - to convey emotion and to add pace to the lesson Convey energy and enthusiasm – they can be infectious Don’t be afraid to improvise and be spontaneous – this can re-energise your pupils when they start lose focus

Developing you presence Use theatrics, where appropriate – to engage your pupils’ imagination and interest Move around the classroom – this conveys to pupils that you command the space Have a set teaching spot for whole class instruction – move to this spot when you want to reduce noise levels Remember that presence starts with how you perceive yourself – and practice Adapted from the work of Kerra Maddem, 2013

Exercises to practice In pairs, have a go at the following exercises: Take deep breaths to ensure you are calm In through the mouth Out through the nose Hold for a count of three Repeat the process four times Practice voice projection Take a deep breath Hold for three seconds Now speak as you breathe out

Exercises to practice Balance your weight on both feet Now allow your arms to hang loosely and slightly to the front Relax your shoulders Let your arms swing by your side Speak about anything you want for at least 15 seconds Use gestures to punctuate what you say Move around purposefully to command the space

Convince yourself Emotions Hormones Thoughts

Behavioural styles: Passive Teachers, who behave passively: Are inconsistent React to behaviour Have limited routines Fail to plan to manage behaviour Often do not communicate boundaries clearly Tend to be easily led by pupils e.g. Mr Nice always lets us do this How are pupils likely to respond to this type of teacher behaviour?

Behavioural styles: Hostile Teachers, who behave in a hostile manner: Respond aggressively to pupils and are confrontational Are overly authoritarian Don’t listen to pupils Expect some pupils to behave inappropriately and often “labels” them Often treat pupils with sarcasm How are pupils likely to respond to this type of teacher behaviour?

Assertive Behaviour A way of communicating our feelings, thoughts, and beliefs in an open, honest manner without violating the rights of others.

Behavioural styles: Assertive Teachers, who behave assertively: Clearly identify boundaries Have clear expectations for both learning and behaviour Are fair and consistent Listen to pupils Value pupils’ opinions Model desired behaviour Use humour Praise achievement and effort Communicate directions using “I” statements – more of this later

Likely pupil responses to a teacher behaving assertively Understanding of boundaries Feeling valued Trust Feeling able to pass opinions Feeling safe and secure Not being frightened of making mistakes Are more likely to behave positively than negatively

Steps to being assertive Work on your appearance – your look tells a lot about you – dress for success Have a confident demeanour – upright posture, eye contact Use a clear, calm voice Know what you want so that you can clearly communicate it Develop and practise scripts – more later Routinely use “I” statements

“I” Statements “I” Statements are among the most powerful you can make By using “I” statements, you are affirming who you are and what you want “I” statements are the hallmark of assertiveness Using “I” statements (such as “I need you to….” or “I want you to”) routinely in the classroom leads to real improvements in pupils’ compliance with teachers’ directions

“I” Statements – What other teachers say…. Indeed there is a god! I too can say "I need you to.." and they do it. (Greg H)

... It's great! I told my subject leader about the "I need you to..." statements - he tried it and he can't believe how well it works either. I wonder how many other teachers are oblivious to this simple - yet effective - strategy? (Rachel W)

The non-verbal cues and I statements have also helped massively. I'm a lot happier! (Emma T)

I have also tried the “I” statements - they are working great. I went into school on the Friday and wrote down the most common ones that I would need to use. I rehearsed them and then carried them out. They are one of the best things I have ever introduced. The children are responding really well and I am not using my voice as much. (Pauline C)

I have been using the I Statements which are working well. (Lida N – three days after attending a course)

Developing “scripts” 1.Think of a situation you want to change 2.Think of what you want from the situation 3.Script what you are going to say and learn it 4.Practise your script – out loud – and use appropriate body language 5.DO IT FOR REAL 6.Reward yourself for doing it, learn from the experience and now develop a new script

Assertiveness Skills when Intervening Focus on the facts Use a “matter of fact” voice and maintain positive body language and good eye contact Use empathetic statements (I understand this may be difficult for you ….) State what you want clearly, using “I statements” and finish with “thanks” Recognise and reward positives (Thanks for listening to me ….)

The impact on one teacher learning to be more assertive