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One of the main concepts that stood out to me from the lecture I attended on behaviour management presented by Pivotal Education was the need for consistency. Consistency of routine and expectations and consistency of adult behaviour (Pivotal Education, 2017). The Department for Education (DfE, 2016) also reiterates the need for consistency in its advice for schools when designing their behaviour policy. When writing the ‘Good Behaviour in Schools Checklist’ Charlie Taylor, former government expert advisor on behaviour, sought insight from head teachers from “‘outstanding schools’ about key principles followed for improving behaviour” (Taylor, 2011, p2). Consistency was again citied as the most essential element.
The positive implications of having a school-wide initiative to address behaviour is discussed and recommended within the literature (Rogers, 2015, Porter, 2014, Adams, 2009). However, it is imperative all members of staff are included and empowered to act upon it. Dix (2014) argues that efforts within the classroom are easily disrupted by inconsistencies from other areas of the school.
This universal approach was evident within my placement setting and instigated through the behaviour policy. The policy focused on “rewarding good behaviour and providing encouragement… rather than merely deterring inappropriate behaviour” (Positive Behaviour Policy, 2015). The ‘baseline’ for this was rooted in the ‘Golden Rules’ which are used consistently throughout the school. Rogers (2015) discusses the need for children to feel safe around each other and the adults they are working with and these rules are grounded in this ideology. The policy explicitly outlines the use of ‘Whole School Reward System’ directly relating to behaviour and compliance with the ‘Golden Rules’. The children were awarded house points throughout the day for following the ‘Golden Rules’ and would receive a Head Teacher’s award if they made it to the top and earn time towards a whole class reward.
I noticed this was especially effective when particular children were displaying disruptive behaviour as the emphasis was placed upon those who were doing what was expected rather than those who were not, resulting in a reminder and subsequent display of the expected behaviour. A potential challenge for teachers when utilising rewards systems is ensuring pupils are making a conscious effort to comply rather than solely motivated by reward (Adams, 2009). This can be difficult to identify however, I noticed that the teachers would link the reward, or sanction when they applied, directly to a rule, emphasising its importance as recommended by Rogers (2015).
The whole school rules for behaviour
The whole school reward system.
I observed this system consistently used throughout the school by all members of staff, including administrative and specialist staff brought in to teach specific lessons. However, I believe the main challenge within the school is the consistency within the classrooms as every class has two part-time teachers, either end of the week. Extreme behaviour is recorded as per the behaviour policy (Positive Behaviour Policy, 2015) however, reoccurring ‘mild-moderate’ behaviour issues may be missed that need addressing. The teachers I worked alongside would arrange a ‘hand-over’ conversation to discuss the progress of the class in an effort to combat this. Furthermore, every pupil is unique and may respond to strategies differently. It is important to keep the needs of each pupil at the forefront and be willing to adapt from the ‘norm’ if required, to best aid them in their learning journey (Ellis and Tod , 2015). This is particularly important when considering a child with SEND as their behaviour can become difficult to manage due to their condition not their disposition and require teachers to implement specific interventions (DfE, 2016).
Finally, strategy alone will not ensure positive behaviour; there are many other dimensions that need to be considered. I witnessed a culture for positive behaviour delivered with consistency and mutual respect. In the words of the Pivotal Behaviour team:
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
https://youtu.be/6P_FsLa6Mls
References
Adams, K., 2009. Behaviour for Learning in the Primary School. Exeter: Learning Matters
DfE, 2016. Behaviour and Discipline in Schools. [pdf] London: Department for Education. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/488034/Behaviour_and_Discipline_in_Schools_-_A_guide_for_headteachers_and_School_Staff.pdf [Accessed 06/01/2017]
Dix, P., 2014. Why staff are all in this together. Pivotal Education, [online] Available at: https://pivotaleducation.com/why-staff-are-all-in-this-together/ [Accessed 06/01/2017]
Ellis, S., Tod, J., 2015. Promoting Behaviour for Learning in the Classroom. Oxon: Routledge
Pivotal Education, 2017. Behaviour Management Resource Bank. [online] Available at: https://pivotaleducation.com/classroom-behaviour-management/resource-bank/ [Accessed 06/01/2017]
Porter, L., 2014. Behaviour in Schools, Theory and Practice for Teachers. 3rd ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press
Positive Behaviour Policy, 2015. High Hurstwood CE Primary School Positive Behaviour Policy. [online] Available at: http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupDownloadFile.asp?GroupId=342425&ResourceID=5095799 [Accessed 06/01/2017]
Rogers, B., 2015. Classroom Behaviour, A Practical Guide to Effective Teaching, Behaviour Management and Colleague Support. 4th ed. London: Sage
Taylor, C., 2011. Getting the Simple Things Right: Charlie Taylor’s behaviour checklists. [pdf] London: Department for Education. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/283997/charlie_taylor_checklist.pdf [Accessed: 06/01/2017]