Transcript Behaviour Scenarios A specially commissioned set of resources for tutors, school mentors and trainee teachers Scenario 9: Responding to a pupil who refuses an.

Behaviour Scenarios
A specially commissioned set of resources for tutors, school mentors
and trainee teachers
Scenario 9:
Responding to a pupil who refuses an instruction
Scenario 9
Responding to a pupil who refuses an
instruction
You tell a pupil who is disturbing the work of
others to move from the back to the front of
the class. The pupil refuses to move.
How do you respond?
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Key Learning Outcomes
• Gaining knowledge and skills in ways to
manage potential conflict without disrupting
learning.
• Modelling, practising, and evaluating
techniques to avoid and reduce conflict.
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What do you do?
1. Stand close to the pupil and repeat the instruction
clearly until the pupil moves.
2. Go over to the pupil and say very quietly, “If you
choose not to follow the class rule about where you sit,
you will have chosen … (insert sanction). I need you to
move now please.” Then walk away.
3. If the pupil will not move, take the rest of the class out
of the room and continue with the lesson elsewhere.
4. Send for a senior member of staff.
5. Put a “Restorative sheet” on the desk asking “What
happened? What part did you play? Who has been
affected? and What do you need to do to put the
situation right?” Ask the pupil to fill it in then follow up.
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What may be the best choice?
2. Go over to the pupil and say very quietly, “If
you choose not to follow the class rule about
where you sit, you will have chosen… (insert
sanction). I need you to move now please.”
Then walk away.
If you are able to achieve what you want in this
way, try to ignore any secondary behaviour e.g.
the pupil slamming a book down (unless this
behaviour is dangerous).
If the school uses restorative approaches you
could use 5. Put a “Restorative sheet” on the
desk.
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How might you prevent a recurrence?
1. Use the language of (limited) choice earlier e.g. ”If you
choose to continue to do x, you will have chosen to
continue to disrupt the class and there will be a
consequence, is that clear?”
2. Remember that pupils often regard a request to move as
a personal affront and public humiliation.
3. In the initial phase when rules are being sorted out,
establish with the class that it is part of your job to make
decisions about where people sit and that you may need
to change this often in order to help learning.
4. Ensure that there is a behaviour for learning outcome for
the lesson that you can refer to if disruption is likely.
5. Put more emphasis on rewards both for the class and
individual (who may need a special reward system for
compliance).
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Underlying principles
• Orderly behaviour has to be learned.
• Setting ground rules together with the pupils
before things go wrong can help to minimise
conflict.
• Creating a positive climate for learning is vital.
• You can, and should, ask for help if the
learning is being disrupted. You are learning
to be a teacher and staff will want to help.
• In the end, however, you are the one who
needs to establish your authority with the
pupils, helped by more experienced staff if
needed.
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Rights and responsibilities
• You have the right to set up and change seating plans –
don’t be bullied into thinking otherwise! You may decide
to give pupils a free choice, but remember that this may
emphasise the isolation of some pupils.
• Pupils do need to feel that they will be listened to and
you will benefit from creating a positive climate where
this happens regularly, both inside and outside lessons.
• Pupils have a right to learn without disruption.
• In extremis you do have the legal right to physically
move a pupil if he or she is disrupting a lesson but this
should be used with great caution and never in anger.
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Activities to try
1. You obviously cannot deliberately set up a situation where a
pupil is refusing to do as you ask but, if it happens, try as
many low intervention/quiet techniques that you can think
of – share some ideas here.
2. Try, in pairs, saying, “No”, each time your partner asks you
to do something and see how many requests they can make
without repeating themselves! Imagine this in a classroom.
3. Keep a note of what helps, and what does not help, to avoid
or reduce conflict in the classroom (What went well / Even
better if…)
4. Try to make time for review and reflection on these
approaches; make a note of the key points that occur to you
for future reference
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Want to find out more?
References on the B4L site
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Primary Behaviour & Attendance - Promoting positive
behaviour (individual)
Group trainee teacher discussions – Responding to a pupil
who refuses an instruction
Teachers TV - Teaching With Bayley - Believe in Yourself
Teachers TV - Teaching With Bayley - Oh! What a Lovely War
B4L Glossary item - Restorative Approaches
B4L Glossary item - Social Skills
Restorative Justice in Education - Transforming Conflict
website
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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