Transcript Behaviour Scenarios A specially commissioned set of resources for tutors, school mentors and trainee teachers Scenario 5: Setting Classroom Standards.

Behaviour Scenarios
A specially commissioned set of resources for tutors, school
mentors and trainee teachers
Scenario 5: Setting Classroom Standards
Scenario 5
Setting classroom standards
It is your first lesson with a class. You want to
establish some ground rules.
How do you set about it?
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Key Learning Outcomes
•
An understanding about the key features of
effective ground rules.
•
Practising the skills needed to establish
shared ownership and engagement with
classroom standards.
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What do you do?
How might you start most effectively with a new
class?
1. “Right, these are the standards that I expect from you
….”
2. “Before we begin let’s remind ourselves of the school
code of conduct ….”
3. “Let’s agree some ground rules that will help us all
learn together ….”
4. “That is good example of what we don’t want …. I
shouldn’t need to tell you ….”
5. “I know you are all fed up with teachers going on
about rules but ….”
6. “What are the behaviours we will not tolerate in our
classroom? ….”
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What may be the best choice?
All of the approaches except 3. - “Let’s agree some
ground rules that will help us all learn together…”
may cause you problems in the future.
Agreeing ground rules together with the class at an early
stage in the first lesson allows you to find out what pupils
already expect, and to show your personal focus on the
importance of behaviour for learning.
You should be prepared with the school code of conduct to
hand and refer to this as a reminder that the ground rules
for your class are in line with the school code of conduct.
You can also create an opportunity to give early praise for
individuals, or the class, for showing a cooperative
approach.
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How can you help pupils abide by the
code of conduct?
You will help pupils abide by the code of conduct if you:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
agree the code of conduct with the class
keep the rules short, positive and simple
frequently praise pupils who behave in support of the code of
conduct – and point out why you are praising them
ALWAYS abide by the code of conduct yourself and model the
rules frequently
expect visitors to abide by the code of conduct and model the
rules too
publish the code of conduct clearly on a wall so that it can be
easily referred to
use the code of conduct to set behaviour targets for the
lesson
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Underlying principles
• Establishing expectations for behaviour with the class at an
early stage helps pupils learn how to take responsibility for
their behaviour.
• Effective codes of conduct set positive standards for
everyone, are non-specific, short, easy to understand and
help sustain learning.
• The code of conduct for your classroom should be
consistent with the code of conduct for the school.
• The code of conduct is not a rod to beat pupils with – it is
best established by positive behaviour improvement
techniques such as “catch you being good”.
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Rights and Responsibilities
• Pupils have the right to know what is expected of them so
that they can learn in a harmonious and well-ordered
environment.
• It is everyone’s responsibility to behave in ways that support
the learning of all.
• Creating a positive classroom climate one of of the basic
responsibilities of the teacher.
• It is a recommendation in the Steer Report (2005), and a
requirement of the Education and Inspection Act 2006, that
all schools have a Code of Conduct for pupils.
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Activities to try
1. As a group, write a code of conduct for your classrooms.
Use language the pupils will understand easily and limit
yourselves to five rules.
2. Collect the codes of conduct from your practice schools
and compare them to consider similarities and
differences.
3. Hold a discussion with a group of pupils and ask them to
draw up a code of conduct for the class while you listen
in. Note the insights that you gain in your B4L folder
and discuss them with colleagues.
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Want to find out more?
References on the B4L site
• Group trainee teacher discussions – Setting classroom standards
• A useful taxonomy for rules - School children's reasoning about
school rules
• Crowhurst Primary School – Self Esteem & Behaviour Plan
• Teachers TV - Teaching With Bayley - The Trouble with Girls:
Back to Basics (illustrates the need for ground rules)
• DCSF guidance - School discipline and pupil-behaviour policies:
guidance for schools
• Steer Report - Learning Behaviour: The Report of the
Practitioners’ Group on School Behaviour and Discipline
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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