Month: September 2017
Behaviour
Behaviour management is a balancing act in many ways, much like walking a tightrope. You’re up in the air, daring to do the seemingly impossible, though through compliance with a few simple teachings you too can reach the other side of the wire in one piece. In one hand you carry the need and desire to motivate and capture your students’ attention while in the other hand you carry the necessity to have a calm and organised classroom. As a learning facilitator, it may feel at times that you are up at the highest of heights barely holding on to these two objectives and really just trying to make it to the other side in one piece. It may seem easier to let go of one of these objectives and to concentrate on only the other one. This would be a mistake, as you would quickly realise that the one objective you have decided to hold on to, with all your might, would be putting you off balance, undermining your role as facilitator and motivator. This would not only put you but all your students who are watching from below, in harm’s way of your mistake.
At our Pivotal Education session on the “Five Pillars of Pivotal Education,” we learned the importance of “first attention to best conduct” (2nd Pillar, 2017). While helping with the management of an afterschool art club, this practice became key to the management of the class. The students had previously been given free range and as those who were disruptive seemed to be the ones always singled out by the teacher, there didn’t seem to be an end in sight where all students were being constructive during the lesson. By focusing on students who were active in the art process and celebrating those who dared to create and imagine, those who had been disrupting slowly started to seek attention by creating rather than troublemaking. I take issue with the use of the word best rather than good, for behaviour is much too multi-layered. I believe it is important to take notice and to praise all increments in good behaviour, not simply the best, As this will show students that you take notice of them and the effort you recognise they are taking, no matter the outcome.
Another of our learning’s from the Pivotal Education session is the significance of “consistent, calm adult behaviour”(1st Pillar, 2017). Not only is a calm adult a good role model for the kind of behaviour that is sought from the students, but will make sure that the students know that they can depend on you. Life for everyone is wrought with ups and downs. To enable the best learning environment for our students, I return to what I mentioned in my safeguarding post, to leave our baggage at the door. It is easy to get stuck in our emotions and let them lead our behaviour and mood. If we act in an emotional way with our students, it will only confuse them and they won’t ever really know whether they can trust you, or what kind of behaviour you are modelling. Don’t let your ego get the better of you. Remove yourself from situations emotionally so that you can deal with them in a rational way. This will enable you to keep your integrity and the trust of the students.
So while you are walking the tightrope of behaviour management remember to stay focused, calm and collected. Keep a clear focus and a keen eye ahead of you for the types of behaviour you are looking for. Who knows, with time you may even potentially be able to juggle more objectives while doing the splits, all while keeping your students motivated, safe and engaged. Remember though, to paraphrase Pivotal Education’s third pillar, practice makes perfect.
References
Pivotal Education (2017) University of Brighton – 21st September 2017 – Five Pillars of Pivotal Practice – Paul Woodward, [Online].
[Accessed Sept. 26th, 2017]
Safeguarding
Developing a safe and constructive environment is the responsibility of all members of staff and professionals dealing with children. As outlined by the Department of Education (DfE) in Keeping Children Safe in Education, teachers are one of many who hold the responsibility of keeping the wellbeing of all students at the forefront of their practice. This document puts emphasis on the collaborative effort that these professionals must take on to ensure an efficient and anticipatory approach to creating a safe space for students (2016). As the document Working Together to Safeguard Children, also from the DfE, mentions, Children seek out stability, respect, consistency, collaboration and a certain amount of individuality from the adults that they come in contact with (2015, p.9).
This brings me to the first potential obstacle that teachers face in promoting the safety and well-being of their students. We are all human and we all have our own personal story going on and potential baggage. We can get so caught up in our own personal dramas and problems that we can blind ourselves from seeing the potential threats and dangers the children in our care are facing. In a way, it is our job to leave our own personal baggage at the door and be completely present both within and out of the classroom when dealing with all students. I am not suggesting that teachers should have no personal life and cut all ties with everyone in their life, for fear that something could come up that would be distracting. Teachers need to develop techniques to be able to let go of things. Whether this is by discussing the issues with a colleague or professional, or meditating before the start of class, it is up to the individual. A clear frame of mind is key to being able to keep a ‘child-centered’ approach, which does not allow for the needs and desires of adults to come before those of the child, as stated in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015, p.9).
Additionally communicating appropriately to the right professionals about concerns and practices revolving around child safety and wellbeing is paramount to an effective program. As mentioned in Working Together to Safeguard Children nobody has all of the information necessary to make a constructive or accurate prognosis of any situation (2015). It is easy to jump to conclusions and make rash decisions based off of very little information. It is also easy to fall into the category of being complacent, and believing that somebody else will notice and take charge. One must remember that it is not a professional individual’s duty to take on full responsibility for wellbeing and safeguarding though still being a key factor. Any information, when it comes to keeping children safe is important. This can tie back to keeping your baggage at the door. When we let our emotions or personal histories get in the way we can potentially overreact and lose sight of the needs and interests of the child in question.
When it comes to appropriate communication and having a proactive mindset in one’s approach, early development of professional relationships with other staff members is incredibly beneficial. Asking questions about what other members of staff potentially know about a situation can also give a teacher a clearer picture of a situation. It is also vital to create a relationship built on trust and respect with all children to ensure that their desires and mindset are at the forefront of any decisions made on their behalf (Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2015). This is also key in keeping their trust to ensure that your relationship with the student is not hampered and you are able to keep safeguarding and teaching them in the future.
References
DfE (2015) Keeping children safe in education, [Online].
Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education–2
[Accessed Sept. 19th, 2017]
DfE (2015) Working together to safeguard children. [Online].
Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children–2
[Accessed Sept. 19th, 2017]
Who am I?
I am a 3rd culture kid, born to Canadian parents and grew up in Switzerland. I am an empathetic, responsible and caring person. I am passionate about the arts having been in multiple theatre groups and choirs, as well as working as an artist. I love being active and outdoors on hikes, skiing, swimming, or just taking a moment to meditate and take in a view. I love to read, a mixture of philosophy, religion and science fiction. I constantly strive to expand my view of the world around me and am always excited by a good debate or critique. Although I still have much to learn about pedagogy, I realise that teaching is something I am passionate about, and I look forward to sharing this enthusiasm and my love of learning with you and my future students.
Cheers,
Michael