USQ GRAD DIP

1. USQ GRAD DIP Behaviour management micro skills Stephen Smith

2. Some thoughts • Inappropriate behaviour arises as a consequence of a relationship breakdown • Building positive relationships should reduce inappropriate behaviour • Behaviour management implies sustainable, permanent behaviour modification • The emphasis on classroom management might be on managing ‘good’ behaviour not ‘bad’ • Consider: “If I say or do this now, will it bring us closer together or will we end up further apart?” William Glasser

3. Destructive habits for an effective relationshipJohn Boulton • Criticising • Blaming • Complaining • Nagging • Threatening • Punishing • Bribing

4. BM considerations • The decision to behave lies with the student • Teachers influence the conditions to behave • No BM strategy works well for all students all the time • Idle minds are prone to misbehave • Sarcasm rarely works and will often inflame the situation • ‘Its much easier to be firm at the start and relax later than vice versa’

5. BM considerations (cont) • Try to get to know your students and names ASAP • Vary your methods, manner and teaching style but not your expectations • Discipline and self-discipline is established outside the classroom • Don’t blow things out of proportion • ‘Don’t fight a pig in the mud’ • ‘Try to fight fire with water’ • ‘Be hard on the problem but soft on the person’

6. BM considerations (cont) • Show students you have a sense of humour and you are human • Vary your T/L methods and manner • When modifying student behaviour identify the specific issue eg ‘lift your chairs quietly’ • Ask your supervising teacher for ideas which have been successful with the class/student • Consider: What are kids out to achieve when they misbehave?

7. Effective Classroom management micro-skillsEducation Queensland • Establish clear expectations • Give clear instructions • Use waiting and scanning • Acknowledge students on task • Demonstrates encouraging body language

8. Effective Classroom management micro-skillsEducation Queensland • Demonstrate descriptive encouraging • Uses tactical ignoring • Gives clear choices • Follows through with logical consequences • Defuse problem situations

9. 1. Establish clear expectations: why? It is important to have clear boundaries for social behaviour so that everyone is clear about what is, and what is not, regarded as responsible and safe behaviour

10. 1. Establish clear expectations: how? a) Work out rules in a class meeting if possible. If the class is too chaotic at this point, impose a small number of rules you believe are fair. b) Publish the rules where students can see them c) Keep the rules short, simple and phrased in observable terms Eg Arrive prepared Keep hands and feet to yourself Use a respectful voice

11. 1. Establish clear expectations: how? d) Make the rules positive. They have more impact if they describe what students can do e) Refer to the rules frequently f) Model, model, model

12. 2. Give clear instructions: why? Clear, short instructions help students understand what you expect them to do Instructions help students organize what they are required to do

13. 2. Give clear instructions: how? a) Give effective instructions by starting with a verb and keeping them short Eg “Move to your group areas now” b) Chain the instruction to a short pause and scan class c) Use instructions only for ‘have to do’ tasks. Give choices for optional tasks d) Phrase the instruction as a direction rather than a question or invitation

14. 2. Give clear instructions: how? e) Use ‘thanks’ rather than please at the end of an instruction for a crisper, less invitational tone f) Use ‘now’ if the group or student is escalating g) Give the instruction in calm voice: Eg “Come here John’ “Stop what you are doing and look here”

15. 3. Wait and Scan: why? Wait 5 -10 seconds after you give an instruction It gives students time to process the direction. You avoid filling all the available time with excess talk which can inadvertently train the class to stop listening to your voice

16. 3. Wait and Scan: how? • When working with a group, use the time to reinforce stillness with assertive body language, by standing still facing the group • Use the time to work on your self control if needed! • Scan the group, link to a descriptive encourager or a redirection

17. 4. Cueing with parallel acknowledgement: why? To acknowledge students’ on task behaviour with the intention of promoting another to follow It cues other students to match the behaviour that is being acknowledged It is an alternative to redirection, so can help you avoid nagging or becoming too directive This is especially effective with younger students

18. 4. Cueing with parallel acknowledgement: how? • Scan the group regularly. When students are off task, choose to acknowledge someone in close proximity who is on task • Acknowledge that person with a descriptive encourager in a loud enough voice for others to hear • Follow up with a low-key acknowledgement to the student as soon as they choose to go on task. For example, use body language encouraging, smiling, finger signing, proximity or touching of student material

19. 5. Body language encouraging: why? To intentionally use your body language to encourage students to remain on-task It takes no time to do It promotes a positive tone in the classroom Between 70% – 90% of our communication is affected by body language messages

20. Body language encouraging: how? • A) Walk near students who are on task • B) Touch the work of students who are on task • C) Smile and make eye contact. These are positive signals that help the student feel welcome and noticed. This intentional use of body language encouragers does not describe, or preclude, all of the spontaneous body language messages that you send

21. Body language encouraging: how? Avoid the following: Standing too close to a student. This can be intimidating and cue hostility Holding eye contact, since it can become a ‘stare out’ challenge Standing near to a student indicating that you are waiting after you’ve given a direction. Walk away and scan back Showing irritation through foot tapping, pursing of lips or pointed frowning. If someone

22. ReviewEffective Classroom management micro-skillsEducation Queensland • Establish clear expectations • Give clear instructions • Use waiting and scanning • Acknowledge students on task • Demonstrates encouraging body language

23. So you want to be teacher?Courtesy of Steve Taylor • We were all sitting around the dinner table discussing life and the man across from me decided to show his brilliance. He says the problem with teachers is, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?" He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about teachers: Those who can, do; those who can't, teach. I decide to bite my tongue and resist the temptation to remind the dinner guests that it's also true what they say about lawyers. Because we're eating, after all, and this is polite company.

24. "I mean, you're a teacher, Taylor," he says. "Be honest. What do you make?" And I wish he hadn't done that (asked me to be honest) because, you see, I have a policy about honesty and ***-kicking: if you ask for it, I have to let you have it."You want to know what I make? I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal of Honour, and an A- feel like a slap in the face. How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best?

25. I make parents tremble in fear when I call home: I hope I haven't called at a bad time, I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today. Billy said, 'Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?' And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen. I make parents see their children for who they are and what they can be.You want to know what I make? I make kids wonder, I make them question.I make them criticize. I make them apologize and mean it. I make them write. I make them read, read, read. I make them spell 'definitely beautiful', 'definitely beautiful', 'definitely beautiful' over and over and over again until they will never misspell either one of those words again. I make them show all their work in math. And hide it on their final drafts in English.

26. I make them understand that if you have brains then you follow your heart and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you pay them no attention.Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true: I make a difference in the lives of hundreds of children.Now what about you? What do you make?"

27. Effective Classroom management micro-skillsEducation Queensland • Demonstrate descriptive encouraging • Uses tactical ignoring • Gives clear choices • Follows through with logical consequences • Defuse problem situations

28. 6. Descriptive encouraging • To encourage students to become more aware of their competence by commenting on their behaviour

29. Descriptive encouraging: why? • It describes back to students the behaviour that you know will help them learn • It reinforces the rules • It promotes a positive, supportive learning environment • It focuses on strength and is esteem building • They become more able to display the courage it takes to tackle difficult work, or practice self-control

30. Descriptive encouraging: why? • It gives students information about their competences • It directs attention to strategies that are useful for problem solving • It strengthens your relationship with students

31. Descriptive encouraging: how? • A) Describe exactly what you see or hear that you want to see or hear more frequently, in other words, state the obvious eg ‘Steven has started his work’ ‘This group is on task’ ‘Melissa, you followed a class instruction’

32. Descriptive encouraging: how? b) Use in a respectful rather than flamboyant tone c) Use in a genuine fashion, but don’t wait until you feel like giving it. Look for opportunities d) Use privately to individual students e) Use collectively to groups f) Use frequently

33. Descriptive encouraging Avoid the following: Giving conditional praise. Eg: ‘Good, why didn’t you do it like this the first time?’ The student will probably resent it and the teacher/student relationship will suffer Replacing descriptive encouraging with ‘warm fuzzies’ Eg: ‘Good, great, terrific, that’s beaut etc’ These terms must be used as add ons Eg ‘Well done Nikki, I liked the way you spread you fingers to catch the ball’

34. 7. Selective attending To intentionally give minimal attention to off-task behaviour.

35. Selective attending: why? • It avoids unintentionally reinforcing off-task or disruptive behaviour. It decreases the likelihood that this behaviour will be repeated • It gives you time to think of how to handle the student’s behaviour in way that is positive • It gives you time to attend to other students who are on-task

36. Selective attending: why? • It sends a message to all students about your expectations • It is a powerful modelling device saying I can stay focussed on my work despite the disruption • It is a deliberate process used within a discrete time-frame, it has a beginning and an end

37. Selective attending: how? a) Do it when student is choosing off-task behaviour that is not seriously disturbing others b) Keep the student who is concerned in your peripheral eye sight. Avoid turning your back at this point, you might miss a training opportunity to use a descriptive encourager as the student starts work

38. Selective attending: how? c) Stop this process when the student: Starts work Begins to seriously disturb others If this occurs: ‘give choice’ or ‘follow through’ d) ‘Slide’ you eyes away if you discover you’re maintaining eye contact

39. 8. Giving a choice To respectively confront the student who is disrupting others with the available choices and their natural consequences

40. Giving a choice: why? • It provides the student, or group with information about your expectations and the likely consequences of their choice • It puts the responsibility for decision-making onto the student

41. Giving a choice: how? a) Do it when the student has remained, (despite redirection) off-task and is disturbing other students. The student may engage in ‘secondary behaviour’ ie sulking accompanied by paper tearing, spitting, chair ricking etc in order to deflect the original focus of your concern.

42. Giving a choice: how? b) Do it when the student is overly hostile to you and is challenging your management c) Do it when you can’t think of anything else to do! d) Do it as soon as it is escalating by saying: “Steven, the choices are: move to the place near the window and you will be able to join us or stay here on your own. Make your choice now.” e) Use a firm, calm and measured tone in close proximity to the student

43. Giving a choice: how? f) Walk away straight afterwards and scan back intermittently g) Chain to the most logical management skill: Descriptive encouragement: if they return to work Selective attention: if they de-escalate Follow through: if they escalate AVOID making the choice sound like a threat.

44. 9. Follow through Resolute, planned action in the face of on-going disruptive behaviour that is seriously disturbing the learning environment

45. Follow through: why? It clearly establishes that you mean what you say It models assertive behaviours in the face of a threat It models morally courageous behaviour NB Behave as if you are confident even though you may be feeling nervous, uncertain, terrified or any other debilitating emotion!

46. Follow through: how? • Fake confidence by working on your body language • Do what you planned and said you would. MAKE IT HAPPEN NOW • Avoid letting your embarrassment about what others may think erode your confidence • Consider removing the class from the problem situation • In a crisis event send for help immediately and put the school crisis plan into action

47. Follow through: how? f) Make an anecdotal note of what has happened g) Re-assure the class and work on your self-control h) ‘Following through’ looks and feels messy. Do it anyway as it establishes and reinforces the boundaries. ALL students know you mean what you say. They will feel safer and build their trust and respect in you as a teacher

48. Follow through: reflection • Reflect on the event later with a colleague: ‘Defuse’ Critique your action What did I do that helped? What did I do that didn’t help?

49. 10. Defusing To provide an opportunity for people who have participated in, or witnessed, a potentially traumatic classroom or playground event to talk it through

50. Defusing: why? • It helps prevent an escalation of the original problem • It helps people calm down and get perspective on the problem