POSITIVE BEHAVIOURS

S A F E , O R D E R L Y A N D P R O D U C T I V E

LEVELS OF BEHAVIOUR

•

Low level behaviours

•

Medium level – Continuation of low level behaviour

•

High level behaviour that are persistent and acute (Refer to school behaviour guideline

)

MANAGING LOW LEVEL BEHAVIOURS

• The earlier the teacher can intervene, the lower the level of misbehaviour that occurs. • • • For all of these interventions: Allow time for compliance. Bill Rogers calls this take-up time, the “time a teacher gives a student to respond to corrective discipline. After giving a direction or a reminder to a particular student, the teacher may conduct a relaxed eye-sweep of the entire group or turn away to attend to another student. In doing so, she conveys the expectation that the student will do what she has directed. This allows students to save face while they comply and permits teachers to avoid unnecessary, prolonged confrontations.” Reinforce the return to positive behaviour. This is better done after an interval and in the same low-level way the original intervention was done — a gesture or brief comment. This is preferably part of a pervasive program of authentic encouragement and affirmation for all students. • Remember every child is an individual and a strategy that may work for one may not work for another.

PLANNED IGNORING

• • Where the behaviour is meeting the need for adult attention, it makes sense to not give that attention. This can be very effective but needs to be used with great care. Firstly, the student is likely to try harder (ie intensify the misbehaviour) to pursue that attention. This is likely to have an unfavourable effect on the rest of the class. If the behaviour becomes intolerable and you then want to intervene, you have reinforced the higher level of misbehaviour. Secondly, even if you ignore the behaviour, the attention from the rest of the class may be support enough. Thirdly, if that is not the purpose of the behaviour, the activity may be so absorbing that the student isn’t aware he/she are being ignored by the teacher. Lastly, the remainder of the class may perceive that it is unfair that the misbehaviour is ignored in that student but responded to in others. Ignoring can be useful if: • The behaviour is not harmful to others.

• It is explained to the student and other class members. It is complemented by planned frequent attention when the expected behaviour is present

ACKNOWLEDGE OTHERS

• Thank or acknowledge students who are behaving as expected, especially those close to those who are not, before responding to unacceptable behaviour. For example, say: “Great, Pat, Tai, you have packed up. Nat, your books are still out.”

WATCHING YOU

• This intervention requires pausing and looking steadily at a student who is misbehaving. Many students will then stop what they are doing and return to the expected behaviour. That provides the chance to reinforce that choice with a non verbal gesture like a nod or thumbs-up, or a brief comment like “Good choice, Sam”.

PROXIMITY

•

Proximity is moving near an off-task student, without saying anything. Approaching from the side is more low-key than approaching from the front.

REMIND

• Remind the students what they are expected to be doing. This should occur in a low key and non confrontational way (eg a calm impersonal statement such as “The task is reading the paper quietly” or pointing to the expectation poster). For an individual student, you might use an agreed non-verbal sign. Overuse of reminders is counter productive: it too easily sounds like nagging and suggests powerlessness on your part. If students don’t respond to the reminder, move onto another approach.

DISTRACTION

• Distraction can assist a student, and the group around him/her, to refocus. Direct the student who is the centre of attention to another task, such as taking a message or collecting books, and so diffuse the group’s attention from that student and back to the expected behaviour. When the student returns, the context will have changed.

REDIRECTION

• Direct the student from the inappropriate behaviour to the expected one, using a neutral tone; for example, “Lee, you are calling out and you need to put up your hand” or “You are talking, Kerry, and you need to be reading”. Allow the student “take-up” time by moving away or redirecting your attention for a minute or so and then check to see that the expected behaviour is occurring.

CRACKED RECORD

• Once an instruction is given, do not engage with a student until the instruction is followed. For example, if the class has been told to return to their desks and a student approaches you with a request, avoid eye contact and repeat the instruction calmly. Repeat up to three times. If the student is still not complying, respond with a direct instruction

REMEMBER

• • The most mature person makes the first move to turn down the power.

It is very easy to get drawn into arguments over who was or wasn’t doing what and when. It is easier to stay calm and focused when you recognise secondary behaviour and understand the intention behind it. However, if secondary behaviour is too disruptive, it will need to be addressed, briefly and firmly, with a focus on the unacceptable behaviour and a refocus back to the expected behaviour.