1. Scenario 1: Starting a Lesson in an Orderly Way
Behaviour Scenarios
A specially commissioned set of resources for tutors, school mentors and trainee teachers
Scenario 1: Starting a Lesson in an Orderly Way

2. Scenario 1 Starting a lesson in an orderly way
You arrive late to a lesson after a wet lunch break.
The class are excitable and rowdy.
How do you settle them and get the lesson underway? 2

3. Key Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding of some of the underlying principles for changing activity in a group.
Modelling and practice of some techniques for settling a group quickly and starting up learning and teaching. 3

4. What do you do?
Enter the room and say in a loud voice “Shush. Shush. Shush. Settle down now”.
Stand at the front, glaring at the class with your arms folded and wait for silence.
Turn to the whiteboard and start writing up the lesson objectives while waiting for the class to settle down.
Raise your hand and wait for the class to respond by raising their hands. Apologise for being late.
Pick on the most rowdy group and march up to them, telling them to sit down and be quiet. 4

5. What may be the best choice?
4. Raise your hand and wait for the class to respond by raising their hands. Apologise for being late
This is one of a number of techniques for gaining the attention of a class.
You need first to establish a rule with the class that, if you raise your hand, they do so too and that is a signal to stop and pay attention to you.
By apologising, you are modelling the behaviour that all members of the group should expect from one another. 5

6. How might you prevent a recurrence?
Remind the class at the end of the lesson that, next time, a speedy and orderly start will be the behaviour objective for the lesson.
Establish arrangements to assemble the class outside, entering first and greeting them as they enter your room.
Always be punctual and in the room ready to greet each pupil with a warm-up task as they arrive.
Anticipate that changes in the environment will cause changes in group behaviour. 6

7. Underlying principles
Orderly behaviour in groups is not natural and has to be learned - supported by agreed and understood routines and rules.
Teacher behaviour is a major influence on pupil behaviour. Assertiveness is not enough on its own.
It is essential to gain attention before directed learning can start.
Gaining attention, however, is not an end in itself. It is a process that allows the real business of the lesson, the learning, to begin. 7

8. Rights and responsibilities
It is a professional responsibility for teachers to lead by example and to be punctual and prepared at the start of a lesson.
Teachers have the right to discipline pupils who disobey instructions and delay the start of a lesson.
CTS requires that teachers have a good, up-to-date working knowledge and understanding of a range of behaviour management strategies and know how to use and adapt them. 8

9. Activities to try Work with someone in your school to:
Share the list of techniques discussed in the seminar. Select some to try and ask your colleague to observe their effectiveness.
Ask a group of pupils what they find helps to settle a class down to work. Apply their suggestions and see how effective they are.
Arrange to discuss the outcomes:
“What went well?” “Even better if…………”
Report back at the next seminar 9

10. Want to find out more?
Improving Behaviour for Learning (Secondary Schools) – Settling the class
Group trainee teacher discussions – Starting a lesson in an orderly way
Teachers TV - Teaching with Lanovy-Taylor: Getting their attention
Teachers TV – Teaching with Cowley: Starting over
Teachers TV – Teaching with Bayley: The need for Structure
B4L Glossary item - Anticipating and managing pupils’ behaviour
B4L Glossary item – Bullying
B4L Glossary item - Leadership Styles 10

11. Conclusions
What is the key message have you gained from this scenario material?
How might you apply this approach in your own practice in school.
Further insights and notes for tutors and mentors are available on the website
Updated August 2009