7. Being disorganized in your behaviour management
Consider the recent major floods in Queensland and Brisbane (Australia). In terms of the response from authorities and government, three key phases were apparent: preparation, the flooding itself and the recovery. In each of these phases observation, communication and action were present, providing clarity and autonomy in particular.
Imagine the impact of the disaster if this level or organization was absent. No communication, people not knowing what to do or where to go, assistance not being targeted to those who needed it most.
Your classroom can be its own disaster zone. Using the floods as an analogy, behaviour events in your classroom fall into the same three phases: preparation, the event and recovery. Poor teachers respond simply in the moment, without strategy and without plan. The inefficiency of this approach leads to frustration (for all) and rising Red Zones.
Outstanding teachers use observation (as opposed to assumption and judgement), communication and action in the following way:
Preparation:
- A behaviour management plan that allows the teacher to stay calm under pressure, and allows students to make choices around behaviour, developing their self-managing ‘muscles’
- Development of the pan with, and communication of the plan to students
Unwanted behaviour (the event):
- Calm and fair application of the behaviour management plan, using the Blue Zone (adult) mind state, not the Red Zone (child) state
- Adaptability to unexpected outcomes
Recovery:
- A facilitative/coaching approach to (re)engaging the student into the classroom
- Identification of special or extra support for the student
- Reflection, feedback and adaptation of the plan
Just as the Queensland government have announced an inquiry into the 2011 flood events, outstanding teachers seek to take a learning and development approach to their behaviour management plan.
In terms of behaviour management, teachers can gain a tremendous amount of skill through coach training.
Some suggested ‘Blue Zone’ strategies and behaviour management plans are available via our Success Zones Classrooms manual and training.
Related articles
- ‘I learned to teach on the job’ (guardian.co.uk)
- Government teacher training reforms are misguided (telegraph.co.uk)
