

A CONTEMPORARY CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MANUAL

By Peter Miles

Copyright 2019 Peter Miles

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyright property of the author, but may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial but professional purposes, in part or whole form.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1 - Whatever Happened to Discipline?

CHAPTER 2 - The Bottom -Line of Behaviour Management

CHAPTER 3 - A Formula for Effective Behaviour Management

CHAPTER 4 - The Least Intrusive Pathway to Behaviour Management

CHAPTER 5 - Practice makes Perfect

CHAPTER 6 - What Happens Next? (Intervention Strategies)

CHAPTER 7 - Going the Distance (Teacher Resilience Strategies)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
INTRODUCTION

To date, I have been teaching for over 32 years, and for 14 of those years my role was that of Behaviour Management Support Teacher. In this role, I provided assistance to students, parents, teachers, deputy principals, principals and classes, from kindergarten to university level, in the management of Behaviour. I watched thousands of classes and teachers, presented hundreds of professional development workshops, and wrote 2 textbooks and a departmental program. And most importantly, I developed globally-applicable practical philosophies and logical strategies that could be applied to Behaviour Management across cultures and age levels and school systems. I was able to positively influence the behaviour of students, the teaching practice of staff, and the behaviour policies of schools.

But textbooks are over-priced, publishers and education departments are parochial, and the internet is so flooded with self-help resources that getting the message and assistance out to those who are looking for and can really benefit from it is a difficult process. With only 5 years until my desired retirement, this free resource is my attempt to get valuable, tried-and-true assistance out into the teaching universe, to those who can use it.

Peter Miles (bmskills@bigpond.com)
CHAPTER 1 - Whatever Happened To Discipline?

The sleek starfighter dived quickly down into the channel in the surface of the huge space station, manoeuvring frantically to avoid the barrage of laser fire directed at bringing it to an explosive end. The young pilot gripped the control stick with determination and fear, his eyes flicking back and forth across the myriad of dials and screens in front of him. Ahead lay the target, an almost impossibly small exhaust port, through which he must fire his single photon torpedo, in order to bring about the demise of the space station and victory for his rebel alliance. Behind lay a squadron of enemy starfighters, determined to end his mission in one splash of explosive light and debris.

The young pilot began to program his targeting computer, struggling to fix the coordinates of the target as the starfighter jostled and bucked in the confined space of the tunnel. Suddenly a voice, supernatural yet familiar, filled his mind.

"Use the force, boy.... Use the force. You know you can do it"

The young pilot hesitated, and then once again began to manipulate his computer controls.

Again, the insistent voice spoke within his senses.

"Use the force. It is the only way"

The young pilot contemplated these words, then responded:

"No. Forget it. You can't tell me what to do. I don't have to use the force if I don't want to. I don't even have to blow up this stupid space station. Do it yourself."

And with that he pulled his starfighter out of the channel, and flew off alone into outer space, swearing under his breath as he went..

It isn't the ending we've all come to know and love, but it is the reality that many teachers are facing today. An increasing number of students are no longer prepared to accept advice and assistance, no longer willing to comply to direction and instruction, but instead respond with defiance, verbal abuse, and even physical violence towards the teacher. The result is disruption, frustration, fear and general stress, not only on the part of the teacher, but also for the other classmates exposed to such behaviour.

"What happened to the 'good old days of discipline'?", many older teaching staff, and those who were their pupils and became teachers, are asking. What has changed? Many of us can still remember a time when children were seen and not heard, when the teacher was viewed by child and parent alike as an unquestionable authority, when a student punished for misbehaviour at school generally received further punishment when they got home. Those who weren't of this era but became teachers generally were compliant at school and never dreamed of questioning a teacher's authority, of risking suspension or expulsion

For the older generations, Discipline meant...... the cane, lines, pain, humiliation, punishment, the strap, Dad, detention, fear, grumpy teachers, the smack, the duster, the ruler, yelling, extra work, shaming, bullying." Authority was....... Teachers, the Police, Dad, Mum, the Principal, the Church, Politicians, Grandparents, big brother or sister, any Adult, Prefects."

The 'good old days' that some refer to were the days of 'Automatic Respect for Authority', or A.R.A. for short. Automatic Respect for Authority, as the name suggests, refers to the practice of yielding to anyone who occupies a position in society that provides them with more apparent power or knowledge (or both) than oneself. This generally means Royalty, Politicians, Police, the Church, Doctors, the Military, Teachers, Grandparents and (if you are a child) any adult. You'll know if you have a degree of A.R.A. in your system; as you are driving your car, the sight of a police car will send your heart pounding, your eyes to the speedometer and your foot flying off the accelerator to the brake, even when you're doing 55 in a 60 zone. If if, as a teacher, you're called to talk to the Principal or your immediate superior, you'll immediately begin to worry that you've done something wrong. That's A.R.A.

Automatic Respect for Authority was born and sustained through FEAR, FORCE and IGNORANCE. In the "good old days", methods of teaching appropriate behaviour (conformity) and dealing with socially inappropriate behaviour, in schools or the real world, were highly punitive, often physical and hence the subject of great fear. These were days of corporal and capital punishment, of institutionalised bullying in the military and private school systems, of widely-accepted racism and sexism. The student who dared to question a teacher's knowledge or authority could be 'legitimately' subjected to many forms of humiliation and pain, including the smack, the strap, the cane, the duster, the ruler, lines, toilet cleaning, and public ridicule on assembly. They could be literally dragged from the classroom. Naturally, the student "learnt their lesson" through the resultant emotional scarring, as did those students who witnessed the punishment and subsequently lived in fear of ever having to go through the same experience.

Ignorance had its own part to play in sustaining A.R.A. In the 'good old days', the theory was that 'a little knowledge could be dangerous', and thus the majority of the population, particularly children, were subjected to a limited, often filtered, supply of information. Issues such as corruption, adultery, drug-taking, and sexual abuse were all out there in the world, but government and corporate censorship of newspapers and the limited number of radio and TV stations prevented widespread exposure. Children were protected from the 'adult' world, excluded from adult conversation, banished to the 'kid's table' at family gatherings, and locked away from 'adult' literature, and film through zealously enforced restrictions. To most children, the adult world was a mystery, and even some of the most abhorrent and abusive adult practices were often accepted by children as a natural part of this strange world.

So what happened? How did we get from widespread Automatic Respect for Authority to the current situation, where many people in society (including school students from a young age) seem to have little or no respect for authority at all? An initial answer lies in the development of the media, particularly from the Vietnam War onwards. Until Vietnam, despite America's constitutional emphasis on Freedom of Speech and the existence of similar references in the constitutions of other democratic nations, all war coverage had been highly censored. Reports of crushing defeats, death by friendly fire, allied atrocities and wartime profiteering never made it into print, all in the name of 'protecting' the morale of the general public. Media outlets were also government-owned, subsidised or politically connected.

During the Vietnam conflict, things changed. With an American and world audience not committed to America's involvement, journalists and networks began to test their right to freedom of speech by showing the real face of war. Risks were taken; boundaries and standards were adjusted as a result, stretching beyond the war to all areas of life and media. The behaviour of the 'pillars of society', the soldiers, the royals, the politicians, the priests, and the teachers was now open to comment. With newspapers, magazines, radios and television in almost every home, exposure of the 'common man' to the real world was increased dramatically.

Television in particular opened up the adult world to the child to the point where today, with cable channels, 'Reality' TV, soapies and multi-levelled cartoons dominating screen time, there is little about the adult world that a child cannot be exposed to on a daily basis.

Now, of course, we have the internet. A smartphone or a laptop in the hands of a child exposes them to every aspect of adult life they would ever want to encounter. They can find the answer to every question, and view every aspect of the adult world, good and bad, through a simple Google search. Ignorance has largely gone.

So the ignorance is gone, but what happened to the fear? You will find the answer if you look closely at the consequences of misbehaviour available in society today. Corporal punishment is out in schools (thank goodness). In society, the punishments for crimes are often watered down or non-existent. Read the court reports in newspapers, and you'll notice that many court cases end 'Found guilty, but no conviction recorded'. Parents today frequently come charging into schools following student misbehaviour, accusing teachers of negligence or victimisation of their child rather than accepting that their child may have misbehaved. Students excluded from one school turn up and enrol at a neighbouring school the next day. The modern consequences of inappropriate behaviour just aren't immediate or significant enough to 'scare' a child into behaving anymore.

Other reasons behind the demise of respect for teachers, automatic or otherwise, lie in factors which have undermined the intrinsic value of schooling for students; Enforced school attendance to higher age levels; the breakdown of traditional family structures; private access to educational technology; community acceptance or indifference to behaviour problems; and the failure of schooling to keep up and in touch with social change. And, in the 'good old days', schools had resources that students could not access in the home, so there was benefit in attending. Today, with games consoles, laptops, big screen TVs, home gyms etc, the home has more resources than the school.

We now have more students attending senior schooling than ever before, but not with the motivation to learn and clear career goals, but rather a) because no jobs are available or b) in order to access government financial benefits. We have a high proportion of students looking to schools to provide them with the sense of love, belonging and emotional stability that they can't access at home, and feeling rejected or angry when the teacher, focusing on curriculum, fails to provide this. We have students who can access more information from their home computer and the internet, and more stimulation from their video games machine, than they can access in the classroom. We have the 'childcare' parents who have downloaded responsibility for all aspects of their child's development on others, including the school. And we have a school system that still operates on the basis of 1 (at-times disinterested) adult attempting to communicate at length, primarily verbally and in cramped under-resourced conditions, with 25 plus students of differing generation, socio-economic background and/or culture, using a content-focused academic curriculum as the basis for the relationship.

Belief in Automatic Respect for Authority is perhaps the reason that old teaching models have survived so long, that the education system has not historically undergone significant progressive changes in the last century or more. We've simply tacked technology on to traditional models. But A.R.A. is a rarer and rarer commodity. It's loss should not be mourned or recalled fondly, for fear, force and ignorance are poor excuses for good behaviour management techniques. Automatic Respect for Authority was basically a bluff, and now students are calling the bluff, and finding teachers wanting. It's high time we replaced BLUFF with SKILL.
CHAPTER 2 - The Bottom Line of Behaviour Management

Whilst working as a Behaviour Management Support Teacher, helping teachers to manage difficult students or classes, I discovered that many teachers failed to modify their classroom management practice despite being given the proven strategies to assist them. I realised that, in the absence of a foundation of appropriate behaviour management philosophies, the strategies did not stick., What follows are some baseline beliefs and philosophies that assist contemporary classroom management, what I like to term the 'bottom line' of behaviour management. Because behaviour management is a dynamic process, this 'bottom line' will undoubtedly change with time, but I have found these philosophies to be relevant to this point.

BELIEF 1 – You can't make anyone but yourself do anything. Behaviour Management is therefore managing yourself in order to influence the behaviour of others (to get what you want).

Students choose their behaviour. They evaluate and filter their environment through their senses and bank of experience, and act according to their interpretation of it. In the absence of physical force, they cannot be made to do anything. They have no puppet strings upon which the teacher can tug, nor an interface socket into which the teacher can plug and directly impact on thought processes. The teacher is only capable of controlling their own thoughts and limbs. Therefore, in order to encourage students to achieve desired behavioural goals, the teacher must carefully and positively influence the students' environment through self-control, modelling appropriate behaviours and selecting logical and effective behaviour management strategies. If a teacher tries a strategy and it doesn't work, the teacher must adjust their own behaviour and choose another strategy.

BELIEF 2 - Behaviour is needs driven. Address the behaviour without addressing the need, and you will generally fail to solve the problem.

Responding reactively and correcting an inappropriate behaviour in the classroom or playground is only half (if not a lesser fraction) of the behaviour management equation. The displayed behaviour is often just a symptom of some deeper problem, or an action directed at meeting a specific need not currently being met by schooling. If the teacher merely corrects and then walks away, the real problem may never be solved, and the student may seek some other inappropriate method of meeting the need. Therefore, after responding to a behaviour, it is a positive step for the teacher to ask why the behaviour occurred in the first place. Having asked this question, the teacher then takes steps to ensure that the behaviour, or some other variation, does not occur again.

BELIEF 3 - Behaviour is a skill. It has to be taught, learnt and practised.

Whilst I do not believe that we are born 'bad', I do believe we are born ignorant of societal standards of appropriate behaviour. Any teacher who has been a parent will be able to confirm this latter belief. We therefore have to be taught these standards, not just through everyday experience and observation (supposed sources of 'common-sense', which itself often means a lot of people making the same mistakes), but rather directly and overtly. Having been taught the skills, we still need to be reminded of them frequently, and we need organised structures within which to safely practise these skills before being set loose on the world. Students require and use different skills in the outside world than they do in schools, and the end of the school day, term and year severs their connection with the school environment regularly. When they re-enter the school, they often need to be reminded of the rules and procedures required to survive in the classroom and the playground.

BELIEF 4 - The basic societal expectations of any group behaviour are Safety, Effort, Respect and Self-Responsibility. (SERS)

I have surveyed staff, parents and students at many schools about their expectations of the ideal class and school environment, and have noted that their expectations, whilst slightly different in some respects, all can be classed under the four headings listed. Not only this, but the behaviour expectations apply not only to students but to all school community members. Extrapolating even further, Safety, Effort, Respect and Self-Responsibility are also the general behaviours required of people in any cooperative group setting, be that setting a workplace, a sporting team or club, or even just a casual social occasion. When we note a student misbehaviour, it will be a violation of one of these basic codes. Safety and Respect (Emotional safety) are the founding elements of a supportive learning environment, and take priority when assessing problem behaviours.

BELIEF 5 - An engaged student is a student who is open to a relationship with a) the teacher, b) the curriculum or ideally c) both

Contemporary teaching is relationship based. If the student likes the teacher, they can be led to engage with the curriculum. If the student likes the curriculum, they can be led to engage with the teacher. If the student likes both the teacher and the curriculum, the teaching role is easy and the student is 'a joy to teach'. Teachers must do everything possible to protect their relationship with the student through positive practices, and the student's relationship with the curriculum by using effective organisation and engaging presentation. They must avoid killing their relationship with the student through emotive and punitive practices, and killing the student's relationship with the subject through unimaginative lessons or by using the curriculum as a form of punishment (eg detention)

BELIEF 6 - Disruptive behaviour is behaviour which prevents the teacher from teaching or other students from learning. The teacher must be the least disruptive person in the room

Many student behaviours are non-disruptive, for whilst they may (but not always) prevent the perpetrator from learning, they do not stop the teacher from teaching or other classmates from learning (eg chewing gum, wearing hat in class, texting under the desk, doodling in their book, daydreaming, slowness to start work). Teachers can over-manage and be more disruptive to teaching and learning than the student behaviours they correct if they charge in immediately, verbally and/or emotively. Non-disruptive behaviours can be addressed after direct teaching has finished, or after other students have been assisted, or even at the end of the lesson in some cases. They can also be addressed using low intrusion strategies (to be discussed in a later chapter) that cause class disruption

BELIEF 7 - There are essentially 5 sources of inappropriate behaviour – Medical, Emotional, Environmental, Organisational and Relationships. The teacher has direct influence only over the latter two.

The motivation for student behaviour arises from 5 basic source factors, but teacher training, responsibility and skill stretches to only two of these factors. Teachers are not medically trained, and can neither diagnose nor treat medical conditions that impact on student behaviour. Teachers lack adequate training in psychology, and lack the time and ability to formally 'counsel' students or effectively overcome daily emotional crisis. Teachers also cannot remodel the child's home environment or socio-economic/cultural setting, modify weather conditions or dramatically impact on the physical surroundings of the school. Focusing upon 'untouchable' factors such as these amounts to a fruitless waste of time and energy. The teacher can, however, focus on the physical organisation of the classroom, method of curriculum presentation, use of resources, class routines and procedures and the relationships within the classroom (student-student, teacher-student) and between those impacting on the classroom (parent-teacher, teacher-teacher). Teachers therefore need to expend most effort and planning on these latter factors that they can directly influence and control. By doing so, they can have an indirect influence on the former three factors.

BELIEF 8 - In any behaviour incident, there are 2 types of problem involved – the Source Problem and the Behaviour Problem. The student owns the former, the teacher the latter, but the teacher, the person most desirous of change, must ultimately address both.

When a student behaves inappropriately, there is some motivating factor involved, stemming from one or more of the five source problems previously mentioned. As this Source Problem is internal to the student themselves, they are the owner of it. Ultimately, however, it will fall upon the teacher to initiate some response to the Source Problem, as the student will either lack the skills or the desire to address the problem. For the student's behaviour to be deemed inappropriate in the first place, someone has made a judgement call regarding the behaviour. When such a call is made, a Behaviour Problem comes into being. No judgement call, no behaviour problem. The 'judge', is generally the teacher, and as the 'keeper' of the internal set of standards used to make the call, the teacher is the owner of the behaviour problem, and is responsible for initiating some action to overcome the problem.

BELIEF 9 - A least intrusive to most intrusive correction and intervention methodology is most effective. (Physical Environment, Work Demands, Social interactions, Student)

Human beings in general find the process of change to be stressful, and are therefore generally resistant to it. A teacher needs to be mindful of this when correcting a student exhibiting inappropriate behaviour, and especially when planning intervention strategies to prevent recurrence of behaviour. The less intrusive the behaviour management strategy utilised, the better the chance of a positive outcome. Modifying the physical conditions in which the students operate can be very successful, given that the inanimate physical elements of the classroom will not protest at being moved or modified. Similarly, the content and presentation of the curriculum can also be altered without significant impact on individuals (other than some creative thought on the part of the teacher). If changing the physical environment and work demands doesn't have any impact on student behaviour, then it is time to start looking at interpersonal relationships and interactions that might impact on the situation, from the perspective of the more 'movable' people in the equation - the teacher themselves and the students around the student with the issue. If this doesn't bring about the desired change required, then and only then is it time to focus directly on the student themselves, but at this stage the problem will lie in the areas of medical, emotional and environmental factors which are largely out of the teacher's direct influence, and therefore it will be necessary to seek the assistance of qualified support personnel.

BELIEF 10 - The teacher is a Service-Provider, not a parent, boss, expert, emotional dependent or friend. Students may choose to accept or reject the service.

Teachers have learnt a trade, providing a vital service called 'Education' at service centres called 'schools'. It is a professional service that is offered with care and understanding, but teachers cannot 'make' students accept the service, nor should they want to. They will do everything possible with the skills and resources they have to make their service attractive to the students. Even so, students are free to reject or accept the service provided, though the law often states that they have a right and requirement to some form of the service until a prescribed age. Students must voluntarily accept the service, doing so freely by presenting themselves at the school and in the classroom. A student who consistently rejects the service may ultimately leave the service centre.

BELIEF 11 - Teaching is a mobile service. Use classroom movement as a behaviour management tool

Teachers do not sell education door-to-door, but teaching is still a mobile service. There is no requirement that a teacher must perform their profession from the front of the classroom. The teacher's voice can carry just as effectively from any point in the room, and sometimes the teacher's roving presence in the classroom can negate the need for the teacher to use their voice for behaviour management purposes at all. Some of the best teaching also occurs at the one-to-one rather than whole class level. Proximity is therefore both an effective teaching and behaviour management tool.

BELIEF 12 - Service provision is bounded by specific behaviour expectations of clientele (Safety, Effort, Respect and Self-Responsibility), by the extent of teacher influence (Engaging Curriculum, Positive Relationships and Effective Organisation) and by departmental expectations of teaching practice– that it be Student-focused, Quality and Accountable

As a service, teaching is bound by certain professional requirements. The teacher must maintain standards of safety, effort, respect and self-responsibility in their own practice as well as in the practice of their clients, the students. The teacher must focus on classroom organisation and relationships whilst presenting the curriculum in an engaging manner, in order to ensure a supportive, safe learning environment. Teaching should also be focused on the students (especially as individuals) rather than the textbook, it must represent the best efforts of the teacher given their skill level, and the teacher should be prepared to accept responsibility for their classroom practice, primarily by having an 'open door' policy that lets others scrutinise their practice without any sense of fear or guilt on the part of the teacher.

BELIEF 13 - There is no room for strong emotion in behaviour management. It must be non-emotive, systematic and logical.

Strong emotion can be dangerous, clouding reason and judgement. In behaviour management, emotive responses are generally spontaneous responses, unpredictable and outside normal routine and therefore often illogical or irrational. Strong emotion is the enemy of self-control, and self-control is the crux of behaviour management. The most common strong emotion in teaching is anger, which leads to student humiliation and/or an escalation of inappropriate behaviour, and occasionally physical or verbal abuse on the part of the teacher. At the other end of the emotional scale is love, which in teaching causes problems of its own, many of them legal.

BELIEF 14 - It is more effective to focus on positive behaviour than negative behaviour. Inappropriate behaviour is easy to spot because it is the exception, not the norm.

In a sea of conformity, it is the non-conformist who will stand out. This is the case in classroom behaviour. Statistics indicate that approximately 80% of students behave appropriately all the time, a further 15% behave but require regular prompting to meet acceptable standards, and the remaining 5% (the 'untouchables') will misbehave no matter what measures are put in place to support them. Given this information, it is easy to see that the vast majority of students, up to 95% on a good day, can do the right thing in the classroom. The minority of misbehavers will thus certainly stand out in the crowd and attract the teacher's attention. However, the teacher is better served redirecting their attention to encouraging the students doing the right thing rather than correcting the misbehavers. If the 80% of appropriated behaved students are focused upon, the 15% of sometime-offenders will want a piece of the 'attention', and are drawn towards appropriate behaviour. If, however, the 5% of misbehavers get the teacher attention, no matter how negative, many of the 15% will be drawn towards misbehaviour as a means of attention-seeking.

BELIEF 15 - Physical behaviour management strategies are very effective – Use additional adults, behaviour monitoring systems, visible cues (flashcards, pictures), audible signals, and objects.

'Talk is cheap', as the saying goes. This is no more true than in behaviour management. Verbal redirection is the easiest of behaviour management strategies, but tends not to have a lasting impact. The reason may lie in the fact that the teacher's voice is also used for teaching, and the student tends to become oblivious to it. Student memories, short-term and long-term, are also not known for their storage capacities. Therefore, physical, tangible behaviour management strategies are the most effective and memorable. Anything that is highly visible, can be touched or which is audibly different from mainstream classroom sounds will serve the purpose. The best physical tool is the second teacher, teacher aide or parent helper in the classroom, but this generally comes at considerable cost to the school. Displayed rules, Behaviour books, playground licences and other reminders that the student carries with them or which sit on their desk are useful, as are timing devices for work periods or 'time-out' measurement, and whistles and bells for attention-gaining.

BELIEF 16 - Ultimately you are the most important person. Save yourself before saving others.

Duty of care starts with the teacher. Before becoming involved in a behaviour management issue, the teacher needs to evaluate the situation with regard to the potential impact on themselves. Whilst the teaching role brings with it professional responsibilities, the teacher must remember that their prime responsibility is to themselves first, especially given the dependents outside the school who rely emotionally and financially upon the teacher. A teacher on stress leave or physically injured as a result of an overactive sense of 'duty' can be of little service to anyone in the long-term. Any behaviour management situation should be assessed according to its possible danger (physical and emotional), according to the teacher's level of confidence, skills and current mood, according to the physical and policy back-up available should problems arise through intervention, and according to the simplicity of response measure that can be instigated. A teacher who feels unable to respond personally to a situation should still initiate some response, but in the form of seeking more qualified or capable assistance.

BELIEF 17 - Wherever possible, save your voice for teaching curriculum. Familiarity breeds contempt

A teacher's core business is teaching, and the primary tool for this is generally the teacher's voice (though hopefully the teacher has a range of other resources and pedagogy to call upon). If teacher talk is also the predominant behaviour management tool ("Would you boys stop talking", "John, are you on task?", "Mary, sit down" etc), then students will become very accustomed to the sound of the teacher's voice, and somewhat desensitised to it both in formal teaching and behaviour management. The impact of the teacher in transmitting information and maintaining order can be diminished. Not only that, but the teacher ends the day with a strained voice that can quickly succumb to colds and flu's and be lost altogether through laryngitis. Where possible, the teacher should try to use non-verbal behaviour management techniques, or at least minimise the language of correction, to spare their voice for teaching purposes.

BELIEF 18 - Student 'busyness' and engagement is a simple key to behaviour management. The spectator is always the most critical of the referee and game, whilst player is too involved to dwell on anything but their own game play.

Over my years in behaviour management, I have noticed certain interesting phenomena. A highly distractible ADHD student, who can't stay on task for more than 2 minutes during a Maths lesson, can sit rock-still for 90 minutes watching a video or playing a computer game. Similarly, in many classes, I have noted that when the teacher talks, the students talk, and when the teacher goes quiet and begins to write on the board, the students go quiet and begin to write in their books. The conclusion I have drawn is that students can stay on task and behave provided that they are engaged quickly in that task, and the task is sufficiently challenging or effort/attention-consuming as to allow no time for the student to direct their energies to other less-productive pursuits. Many teachers create their own behaviour issues by spending too much time on introductory processes (housekeeping, verbal revision of previous lessons, verbal introduction of the new concepts), or by including too much 'chalk and talk' in their teaching repertoire. Students need to be engaged in the learning task as quickly as possible, and actual whole group, verbal teaching segments of a lesson should be kept short and sweet. This is what I like to term 'Playstation Pedagogy'. At an individual, one-to-one level, teacher verbal input can be increased, so a teacher ideally should get the class started on a task, and then move about and work individually with students as needed. This not only serves to cater for individual student needs, but also is a good relationship builder, which has positive offshoots to behaviour management.

BELIEF 19 - Keep students in the learning environment as long as possible. If withdrawing them, withdraw them to a similar environment

As I mentioned earlier, teaching is a service, and the teacher a service-provider. If the student rejects the service (does not want to adhere to the behaviour codes under which the service is provided, or does not want to learn), then it is logical that the student may have to be removed from the service site (the classroom). However, given that education is a valuable service, and given that the student needs to understand this and learn the behaviour skills necessary to operate effectively within the class setting, it is not overly useful to withdraw a student to the office or even to the comfort of their own home. In neither of these settings will the student be exposed to the conditions of the classroom, and therefore neither setting will adequately prepare them for their return to the classroom. They need to be withdrawn to a setting in which curriculum is being transmitted to students, in which there exist classroom organisational structures (eg routines, physical set-up) and in which typical and appropriate classroom relationships are modelled. This alternative setting is the 'buddy class', another pre-arranged class in the school that is outside the peer range of the student being sent there. Within such an environment, whilst not actively involved in the classroom interactions, the student benefits from 'sidestream social skilling' in the area of appropriate behaviour.

BELIEF 20 – Never restrict biological functions

Serious behaviour incidents can arise from the most minor of things, including teacher refusal of what, to students, seem reasonable or necessary requests. Some of these requests relate to biological functions – that is, students requesting to go to the toilet, to get a drink of water, or to go to the sick room in response to perceived illness. Teacher refusal of such requests generally is justified in the following terms:

"You just came off a break. You should have (gone/had a drink) then."

"There are only 5 minutes left in the lesson. You can wait."

"You don't look very sick. See how you feel at the end of the lesson."

"You'd already been once this lesson. You can wait."

"Wait until you've finished this activity, then I might think about it."

"Didn't you have to go to the sick room the last time we did Maths? I don't think you

need to go now."

"No!"

Whether the teacher feels justified or not in their refusal, the fact is that there is no real way of determining the biological requirements of anyone but oneself. Thirst, hunger, illness, and bodily waste evacuation are all internal to the individual, their feelings and perceptions. I may think the student is trying to avoid work by escaping to the toilet block, I may think that dehydration may not set in for the remaining 15 minutes of my lesson, but I can't know this for certain. I base such beliefs on my own experiences and my own body's biological processes, which are similar but not the same as another human's. Based on personal experience, there is nothing more uncomfortable, and less motivating with regard focusing on external issues such as listening and learning, than feeling the urgent need to drink, go to the toilet or deal with illness such as nausea or headaches. For this reason, when a student asks me for permission to go to the toilet, or to get a drink, or to go to the sick room, I let them go. If another student is already at the toilet or getting a drink, I may delay their departure until the other student returns, but even here, if the student expresses urgency, I will let them go.

BELIEF 21 - Avoid chasing lost sheep.

As a teacher, it is my job to help people. I get a great deal of professional and personal satisfaction from doing so. The bane of my existence, therefore, is to come across someone who needs my help but refuses to accept it. Their denial amounts to self-harm, and also robs me of my source of satisfaction, and therefore I have an urge to expend great amounts of energy and thought in trying to help them, regardless of whether they want it or not. But this urge is an unhealthy one. In directing my energies at a service-refuser, I deny many willing service-receivers the opportunity of needed assistance. The frustration and dissatisfaction I develop in fruitlessly trying to help the service-refuser is generally taken out on the willing service-receivers. And the mental exhaustion and negativity that results from failed plans and wasted effort can only adversely impact upon the quality of my performance when working with the willing service-receivers, to the point where, in the case of teacher burn-out, I can no longer even provide a service anymore. Therefore, to provide a quality service, I need to focus my attention and effort on those who want the service. By making my teaching a positive and quality service, I can satisfy the needs of the majority (the willing service-receivers) and at the same time can hopefully reach out to potential service-refusers and discourage them from that pathway. But if they run, I ultimately have to let them go, and let others more qualified, with more specialised services relating to the student's needs, do the chasing.

BELIEF 22 – Teaching is a job. Keep it in perspective.

The majority of teachers I encounter are dedicated to their profession, and expend significant amounts of time, thought and energy on planning and problem-solving in relation to their chosen field. If teaching was not a salaried position, and teachers were able to claim overtime, the respective education departments would go broke in a week. But teaching is a salaried position, and there are no financial rewards for overtime. A teacher who puts in only the bare 6 hours of effort, 9am to 3pm, will collect the same sized pay cheque as the teacher who arrives at school at 7am and departs at 5pm, only to spend another 2-3 hours of planning time at home. Nor are there rewards, financial or personal, sufficient to make up for the stress and frustration that can develop from dealing with many of the behaviour issues that can arise in daily teaching practice. Many teachers will spend break times at school discussing their problems, and then continue this process after school with partners and friends. Not only that, but it is not uncommon for teachers to lose large chunks of their holidays recovering from illnesses that relate to the stresses developed during the school term. As soon as they take a holiday, so do their immune systems.

My belief is that teachers need to find a realistic relationship between dedication and reality. There is a 'real world' outside the school gates, a world where people smile more, can walk without needing to monitor the behaviour of others, can speak freely and naturally, can come and go as they please. It is a world of families and friendship, fun and personal pursuits, which comes with its own unique responsibilities. School is a microscopic part of this real world, but lacks the macroscopic significance it has to the teacher. This is probably never more evident to a teacher than on long service leave, the one time they can take a break when everyone else is also not simultaneously on holiday. When a teacher becomes stressed over the demands of their job, especially the behaviour management aspects that can be especially frustrating, it helps to put the teaching role back into 'real world' perspective. To help stressed teachers do this, the question I sometimes ask is this: "If you won the lottery tonight, and received $10 million, would you come back to school tomorrow?". The responses are generally in the lines of:

"No way";

"Yes, but only to hand in my resignation";

"Yes, but only to clean out my desk"

Even the most fervent, child-based teachers admit that they'd probably take time off immediately, but one day return to teaching once they've "travelled the world". The fact is that teaching would not play such an active role in a teacher's consciousness if it were not financially significant, and yet, as I mentioned earlier, a teacher will reap the same financial compensation from teaching whether they devote six or sixteen hours to it a day. A balance therefore needs to be found between professional responsibility (teaching) and personal responsibility (health and family), that leaves room for relaxation and the meeting of other 'real world' responsibilities. There must be life outside the school gates.

BELIEF 23 - Education is a journey, not an end point

Old school authoritarian teachers believed that the end justified the means, so they would do everything possible, including punishing students, highlighting and chastising their mistakes and ramming the curriculum down their throats, in order to get skill mastery. The ultimate end result, however, was that many of the students ended up hating both the teacher and the subject, and became fearful of learning anything new in general. This is hardly the formula for creating the 'lifelong learners' that most schools aim for today.

Teachers today must be protectors of learning. They must create a safe, supportive environment in which students are comfortable learning, and make the experience positive and interesting enough that students want to keep on learning. Initial compliance to instruction and direction will in this way develop into Self-Responsibility for learning, and the self-responsible learner will still engage in educational experiences even after they have graduated from formal schooling.

For longevity in the teaching field, teachers must also enjoy the educational journey themselves, looking for new challenges in their careers and opportunities to 'make their vocation their vacation'.

BELIEF 24 - There are no 'right' or 'wrong' responses in the behaviour management situation - only accountable ones

Behaviour, and hence Behaviour Management, is dynamic. In managing student behaviour, the teacher will (hopefully) do the best that they can, with the skills that they have, in the unique circumstances of the situation. And then they will be judged on their actions. They will be held accountable by their students, some of whom may pass judgement vocally and immediately. They will be held accountable by parents, who today seem to believe everything their children tell them without question. They will be held accountable by their teaching colleagues, most of whom won't comment to the teacher's face, but behind their backs (The teacher's behaviour may become a staffroom in-joke or a source of private ridicule or derision). The teacher will be held accountable by their supervisors, using policy and the law as the standard. The teacher will be held accountable by their own conscience, especially when hindsight comes to visit. And ultimately, the teacher will be held accountable by the universe, be it via karma or judgement day, depending on beliefs.
CHAPTER 3 - A Formula for Effective Behaviour Management

Teaching isn't rocket science. Far from being a derogatory statement, this effectively sums up why teaching is so difficult. Rocket science is bond by the unchanging laws of physics – the rocket scientist utilises a series of specific formulas applicable in explicit environments and conditions, factoring in the known dependent and independent variables to determine a predictable outcome. Teaching, on the other hand, operates entirely within the realms of human behaviour, which is anything but predictable. A factor that causes occasional disaster in the field of rocket science, human folly, is the daily burden of the classroom teacher and the reason why behaviour management is such an important element of the teaching profession. Strangely, however, many teachers who manage behaviour on a daily basis don't have a working definition of what this 'behaviour' they're managing actually is.

From experience, the best practical definition of behaviour and the closest behaviour equivalent of a rocket science formula, comes from William Glasser. 'Behaviour is one's best attempt, at any given time, given the skills one currently has, to meet one's needs'. Its strength as a practical formula is that it identifies four distinct areas of focus for reflection and change on the part of the teacher.

1) 'Behaviour is one's best attempt' – this implies that behaviour requires effort, through conscious thought and action. Generally speaking, if the teacher can engage a student's thoughts and actions in the curriculum, then the student's efforts are productive and conducive to teaching and learning. If the teacher fails to engage the student, then the student's thoughts and actions are directed at other less-productive activities. The disengaged student becomes a spectator in the classroom and the spectator will, by nature, spend their time interacting with other spectators and/or critically analysing the situation and voicing their opinion in various ways – encouraging, disparaging or even exiting.

For effective classroom management, concepts such as Classroom Momentum, Lesson Flow and Rhythm (Steiner schools) come into play. Students must be directed on-task quickly and kept busy once there. Effective teachers minimise the time lost in transitions - from playground to classroom, from classroom entry to first activity instruction, from first instruction to student independent work, and from activity to activity. They have resources pre-organised for activities and in sufficient number to minimise waiting time. And they recognise the need for task variety.

In 1948 the Disney company first coined the term 'Edutainment' to define a series of child-directed documentaries. Teachers today can't just be educators, but rather 'edutainers', helping students to learn but at the same time keeping them entertained. As Glasser defined it, 'teaching is the process of helping students discover that learning can improve the quality of their lives', but with the current generation the words 'at this very moment' need to be added at the end of the definition. In 'edutaining' the students, the teacher can use the principles of what this writer coins 'Playstation Pedagogy', replicating many of the qualities of the computer games that seem to hold the attention of a child (even one with ADHD or ASD) for many hours. Such qualities include significant focus on hands-on and visual learning, minimal instruction time, frequent feedback and rewards, changes in pace and task, use of music and colour, opportunities for competitive and collaborative goal achievement and the provision of a reset function, whereby the participant can 'survive' their mistakes and have another chance to master the task.

2) 'Behaviour is one's best attempt at any given time' – this implies that behaviour is dynamic and contextual, and therefore that behaviour management is very much about the unique conditions of the 'here and now'. A significant implication for teachers is that they must always be aware of what is happening within the educational setting, what Jacob Kounin in the 1970s termed 'Withitness'. 'Withitness' is achieved through active supervision, via a high level of teacher mobility, regular scanning of the setting and use of peripheral vision when not mobile. Obvious teacher presence equates to interest, attention, security and, where necessary, external motivation to behave.

When behaviour issues arise with specific students in the classroom, teachers can be quick to identify the student as the 'behaviour problem'. The fact is, a 'behaviour problem' is actually a relationship breakdown within the current system, and in the system of the classroom there are a number of relationships that a student is involved with – the teacher-student relationship; the student-peer group relationship; the student-curriculum relationship; the student-environment relationship and so on. Focusing only on the student means missing other possible flaws in the system.

For repeated issues arising within the classroom setting, the effective classroom manager re-examines the system and assesses where the changes may need to occur. The logical place to start is with the most easily changed aspects of the classroom, which are the physical elements of the environment. Is the classroom well-organised and comfortable? Consider lighting, temperature, lay-out and accessibility of resources, desk set-up, seating plans. Once the physical elements have been addressed, then the curriculum can be considered because, like the physical environment, the curriculum is more easily modified than the people who teach or learn it. Is the curriculum being presented in an engaging format? Does the student or the class understand the task or have the pre-requisite skills to do it? Is there a need for more hands-on activities, more visual/auditory components, more task variety, shorter-periods of independent work, stretch or game breaks, less direct teaching and more 1-1 instruction, legitimised social interaction through collaborative group activities and so on. Once the organisational elements of the setting and curriculum have been addressed, then the social relationships of the classroom are examined. Are teacher expectations clear, fair, known and consistently-enforced? Are these upheld by other adults in the room? Is the teacher over-managing or under-managing specific behaviours? Do peers around the 'problem student' need to be skilled in assisting that student to behave?

3) 'Behaviour is one's best attempt, at any given time, given the skills one currently has' – this implies that all behaviour is skill-based. This writer asserts that the essential skills of social behaviour fall under four headings – Safety, Respect, Effort (alternatively termed Engagement or Participation) and Self-Responsibility (alternatively termed Self-Discipline). A new-born child has none of these skills, and therefore social behaviour is learnt, with parents and siblings as the first teachers. There are no professional standards attached to parenthood or 'siblinghood', so the quality and content of initial social skills teaching is highly variable. Add to this the fact that, within specific social settings, the general skills of Safety, Respect, Effort and Self-Responsibility are manifested in different forms. In the classroom, for example, a Respect skill is demonstrated in raising one's hand to speak, and in the playground, a Safety skill is demonstrated by not running on the cement. Such school-specific skills don't translate to other social settings encountered in life. A student's behaviour in the classroom and school, therefore, will not only be dependent on their level of skill development but also on whether the skills they have are relevant to the particular setting and/or whether they are able to recognise the differences between social settings and the resultant need to adjust behaviour accordingly.

It is the responsibility of the teacher to teach the students within their care the specific social skills required within their setting. Because the end of the lesson or the end of the school day ends the students' contact with that particular social setting and sends them off into another where skills may vary, the teacher must always be prepared to revisit and reteach those specific skills when the students return or when problems arise. The teacher also needs to be aware that the rate of skill development and skill mastery differs with individuals. As with Maths and English skills, some students reach competency quickly, some students need more time and teacher input to progress, and some students have extreme learning difficulties and struggle despite extensive teacher assistance, and require the involvement of external support intervention.

4) Behaviour is one's best attempt, at any given time, given the skills one currently has, to meet one's needs – this implies that all behaviour is needs-driven. Humans behave with goals in mind, and conflict arises when attempts to meet such goals are thwarted by the actions of others attempting to meet their own needs. Glasser summarised these as Survival, Love and Belonging, Personal Power, Fun and Enjoyment and Freedom. For a young child starting school, their dominant needs in the early days will be Survival (the need for security and protection) and Love and Belonging, and the key source of needs-fulfilment in these areas will be the teacher. Compliance to the teacher guarantees needs are met, and so is generally forthcoming. As the child grows older and more independent in the middle primary years, Survival is no longer a priority, Love and Belonging is satisfied less by the teacher and more by peers and Fun and Enjoyment becomes a stronger need, linked with Personal Power in the form of competing with peers academically and/or on the sporting field. By late primary school and high school, the majority of the child's Love and Belonging needs are satisfied by peers (hence the difficulty some high school teachers and parents have in communicating with teenagers, who reject their attempts at relationship building), Fun and Enjoyment is still important but Freedom (the need to be in control of one's life) is also a dominant need. Personal Power at this stage is often exerted by avoiding any form of competition that might bring one's skills into question or be the subject of shaming, so many high school age students pull out of competitive sports, lower their standard of work performance or opt for easier subject selection.

For teachers, conflict comes in the form of rejection. Teachers driven by a strong Love and Belonging need find it difficult when students reject them in favour of peer attention. Teachers with a strong Personal Power need (the need to make a mark on the world via subject knowledge or recognition of authority) will experience conflict when encountering students who reject the teacher's subject for not meeting ideals of Fun and Enjoyment ("This subject sucks"; "This subject is boring") and/or reject the teacher's authority because they want the freedom to control their own lives, not be controlled by another ("You can't make me").

For conflict avoidance, the effective classroom teacher examines their classroom and lessons to ensure that many of the basic needs are addressed within the context. The classroom is a safe and comfortable physical environment. Systems are in place to allow students to meet basic biological needs (toileting, drinks, sick bay) and access essential educational resources. The teacher maintains positive relationships with all students, keeping their half of the relationship bridge unburnt even if the student burns their own half. Rules, promoted and enforced, encourage positive student relationships and within the curriculum are structured educational opportunities for students to interact with each other. Student strengths are recognised, acknowledged and highlighted where appropriate. Curriculum activities are presented in an engaging manner and there is also opportunity for 'downtime' where students can relax via free time or whole class games. Students are also given opportunities within the day or lesson to select curriculum or free time activities, or work towards personal goals.

'Behaviour is one's best attempt, at any given time, given the skills one currently has, to meet one's needs'. As a behavioural formula, Glasser's behaviour definition provides the teacher with clear but general direction for proactive, corrective and intervention support in the field of behaviour management. Unlike rocket science, the teacher can't program this formula into an inertial navigation computer to accurately plot the passage and outcome of every lesson. However, armed with the understanding of behaviour (student and personal) it provides, the teacher can venture forth into the dynamic setting of the classroom and playground with a frame of reference for what may or has already come to pass. It's one small step for man, but one giant leap for effective classroom management.
CHAPTER 4 - The Least Intrusive Pathway to Behaviour Management

Mr Simpson, standing at the blackboard, turned around at the sound of Danny's raised voice. Casually he strolled over to Danny and, taking him in a skilful headlock, wrapped the insulation tape several times around Danny's head, completely covering his mouth and lips and thereby successfully ending the disruptive chat. As he strolled back to the board in satisfaction, he noticed Sandra swinging on her chair, so he quickly pulled the chair out from under her and tossed it out of the window, once again bringing an end to the inappropriate and unsafe behaviour. It was just a shame the window hadn't been open as the chair went through it, but he'd report the damage to the janitor in the next break. At this point Mr Simpson noticed that Carl had left his desk without permission, so he moved quickly behind Carl and, taking him by his collar and the seat of his pants, threw him across the room and back to his desk in a very creditable impersonation of Superman. At that moment, the bell rang for the end of the lesson. Mr Simpson asked all those who had failed to complete the set task to remain seated, and dismissed the remainder of the class. Then, taking out his flamethrower, he dealt swiftly and effectively with the lazy students...

There are no 'right' or 'wrong' approaches to classroom management, but all approaches are accountable. Students, parents, colleagues, supervisors, conscience and even the universe will judge the teacher on their actions, either immediately or in the long-term. To safeguard one's profession, and the teacher-student relationships essential for a supportive environment, it is important that the teacher adopt a non-emotive, least disruptive philosophy when addressing classroom behaviour issues.

Minimising Disruption To Teaching and Learning

Behaviour management is not intended to be the core business of mainstream teachers – if it were, then behaviour management courses would occupy a significantly larger proportion of teacher training courses. The intended core business of teaching is the transference of the relevant academic and social curriculum to the students, equipping them to proceed somewhat successfully through the twelve or so years of the formal education production line and onto bigger and hopefully better things in adult life.

For this reason, the amount of time and effort devoted to daily behaviour management should be as little as possible. The flow of the lesson, the passage of the school day, should be minimally disrupted to maximise teaching and learning. The first step in promoting this minimisation of behaviour management interruption is to invest the most amount of behaviour management time and effort into proactive strategies at the commencement of the school year, establishing rules and routines, procedures and structures, and developing student social skills. If the teacher can cement their classroom organization and relationships in these early stages, even at an initial sacrifice of formal curriculum, the return for investment in later stages of the year, in time gained on-task, can be quite significant. The need for reactive corrective strategies will be less, and the response to such strategies more decisive and immediate.

I always begin the school year, no matter what year level or subject I am teaching, by informing students of my Three Golden Rules:

a) THIS IS A SPECTATOR-FREE ZONE - Students who don't want to participate, or can't participate for some reason, are removed to an alternative setting (eg buddy class, sick bay). Students without the correct materials to participate are provided with them (pens, computers etc). Spectators in a classroom are toxic - they disrupt, and they lure other students off-task with their presence

b) THIS IS A PUTDOWN-FREE ZONE - All communications in my classroom have to be positive, so I jump on any name-calling, negative comments, or potential bullying very quickly. Respect is an essential element of a supportive learning environment. Students who violate this rule can be temporarily removed from the immediate environment (the reflection area or 'Sin Bin' nearby) or for repeat offences removed entirely (buddy class, Head of Department etc)

c) DON'T FEED THE ATTENTION-SEEKERS - This encourages students to be self-responsible for their own behaviour, and avoid fuelling the disruptive behaviours of classmates. Students are to ignore the attempts of other students to take them off-task, to not 'bite back' if baited by another student, to not laugh or protest at the antics of the attention-seeking classmates. Their alternative to ignoring the behaviours is to seek teacher intervention if necessary.

The second step in minimising disruption to lesson flow and teaching caused by behaviour management input is to ensure that, having established rules and routines, consequences and social skills, the teacher continues to reinforce and re-visit them on occasion throughout the school year, never becoming so focused on curriculum goals that they turn their backs on the organisational and relationship elements of the supportive classroom environment. The teacher remains prepared to surrender the curriculum temporarily as issues arise, to take the students back to 'first principles', reviewing rules, practising social skills, re-establishing the routines that may have been abandoned through laxity, busyness or which initially were considered unnecessary.

The third step in minimising lesson disruption, and the focus of this chapter, is the use of a logical, ordered approach to correction of inappropriate behaviour. This approach is termed the "Least Intrusive to Most Intrusive' approach. This logical process aims at the application of the simplest possible strategy to match the circumstances and nature of the inappropriate behaviour. 'Least Intrusive' refers to the physical and emotional impact of the strategy on the classroom environment, on the student on whom it is being applied, and on the teaching practice of the teacher applying the strategy. It recognises that the more confrontational the strategy, the greater the possibility of disruption to learning and the greater the potential for emotive input and behaviour escalation.

The key to the effective application of the 'Least intrusive to Most intrusive' approach to behaviour correction is teacher self-control. Behaviour management involves managing oneself in order to influence the behaviour of others. The teacher must maintain a calm and rational disposition, and sum up a behaviour situation carefully before stepping in to intervene.

A method that can help the teacher maintain this rational detachment is the following simple behaviour incident risk assessment process.

Q1/ What rule or behaviour code is being broken? Is it Safety, Respect, Effort or Self-Responsibility? Is it my rule about raising hands to speak, or seeking permission to leave your seat, or not using phones in classtime? If you can't identify a behaviour code or rule, should you correct the behaviour at all?

Q2/ What is the current impact on teaching and learning? Many student behaviours are non-disruptive - that is, they do not stop you teaching, or other students from learning, but simply impact on the offender's own learning. Daydreaming, doodling, texting, chewing gum. Whilst they may need to be addressed eventually, their management can be delayed whilst other classroom priorities are addressed. Generally, Safety and Respect issues must be focused on fairly quickly, but Effort and Self-Responsibility issues (unless involving Safety and Respect) can be dealt with less urgently. It is essential that whatever strategy the teacher uses, their intervention is less disruptive to teaching and learning than the student behaviour being corrected.

Q3/ What is the simplest approach in these circumstances? The KISS principle comes into play – Keep It Sweet and Simple. Expend the least amount of physical and emotional energy, expend the fewest words possible, make the briefest contact with the student as is possible, keep it positive and disrupt lesson flow as little as possible.

Q4/ Was I successful? Monitor whether the behaviour strategy implemented achieved the desired result (the student is back on task and the behaviour has been corrected), and implement a more intrusive, or repeated strategy, if not?

This simple risk assessment (examined in more detail in a later chapter) takes little actual thought time but it can be sufficient time to override impulsive and emotive response. It also serves as an accountability tool whereby the teacher can justify their professional judgement after intervention has taken place.

CORRECTIVE STRATEGIES - LEAST INTRUSIVE TO MOST INTRUSIVE

1) TACTICAL IGNORING \- tactical ignoring is the simplest approach in behaviour management in terms of teacher input. It is not always the easiest strategy for a teacher to use, however, because it involves the teacher overriding their authoritative nature and the desire to stamp out every single inappropriate behaviour, whether out of duty or personal dislike. Tactical ignoring involves the teacher deliberately letting an inappropriate behaviour go uncorrected. It represents a professional judgement that:

a) the behaviour is essentially non-disruptive to the learning setting or lesson flow

eg A student is using a type of felt pen that is not recommended class stationery, but is working diligently on their project. The teacher does not interrupt the student or comment on the pen.

OR

b) the behaviour has gone unobserved by everyone except the teacher

eg A student sitting at the back of the group on the carpet is playing with their shoelaces as the teacher reads the class a story, and is not following the storybook. The teacher keeps on reading.

OR

c)the teacher is uncertain of who committed the behaviour offence or the exact nature of the offence

eg The teacher walks past a group of boys in the playground, and overhears muffled swearing, possibly directed at them. The teacher feigns deafness and keeps walking.

AND (the crucial reason for not stepping in)

d) the teacher's intervention may actually cause more disruption than the student behaviour itself.

The teacher utilises tactical ignoring because they do not want to become the most disruptive element in the classroom or playground, and do not want to be responsible for escalating a behaviour that was initially minor.

2) SELECTIVE ATTENDING \- Selective attending is the next logical step on from tactical ignoring. Selective attending starts as tactical ignoring, but is applied to behaviours that have the potential to self-escalate or continue to the point of becoming significantly disruptive to the learning of others or the student themselves. Because of this, the teacher initially lets the behaviour go uncorrected, but actively monitors the student (using peripheral vision or direct observation from a distance) to note whether the student self-corrects their behaviour. If the student self-corrects, the teacher does not address the initial behaviour. If the student does not self-correct, the teacher will step in after what they consider a reasonable time for self-correction has passed.

eg The teacher notes that John has left his chair without permission and is proceeding toward the front of the room. He may be going to the tissue box for a handkerchief, or to collect a textbook from the front desk, but he may also simply be avoiding work or going to chat with his friend Tom, sitting near the front. The teacher continues to work with the student they are helping, but peripherally monitors John's progress. She notes that he collects a textbook and then moves back to his seat. The teacher refocuses all her attention on the student being helped.

eg The teacher notes that Sarah has stopped work and is staring out the window. She may be daydreaming and off-task, or taking a short break to clarify thoughts etc. The teacher continues to peripherally observe Sarah from his own desk as he marks some work. After 2 minutes, Sarah is still staring out the window. The teacher calls her name across the room, and when they make eye contact, he gestures towards her book. She nods and starts work again.

3) PROXIMITY -Teaching is actually a mobile service, which does not need to be restricted to the front of the classroom, the blackboard or the teacher's desk. The teacher is free to move about the whole of the room, and can often teach from any vantage point, whether teaching is at a 1-1 or whole class level. The teacher's physical presence is one of the most powerful behaviour management tools they have, and often mere presence can stop a behaviour 'in the bud' without a word being spoken. This is what the low-intrusion strategy of Proximity is all about. When a teacher notes an inappropriate behaviour in progress, they simply move themselves to the locality of that behaviour, whether they are talking to the whole class in the process, or whether the class are working independently on a task. The teacher need not make eye contact with the student or even indicate in any other way that they have witnessed the inappropriate behaviour. If the behaviour is deliberate on the part of the student, the 'guilt' factor (also called the "I don't want to get in trouble' factor) kicks into play when the teacher draws near, and the student generally stops the behaviour.

eg The teacher is addressing the whole class, but notices that Alice and Marie are chatting to each other instead of listening. The teacher keeps talking, but slowly moves to a position directly beside the girls' desks. The girls go quiet.

4) PROXIMITY WITH TOUCH INTERFERENCE -This is essentially the same strategy as Proximity, but escalated to a more intrusive level by the introduction of the teacher's physical contact with the student's property eg desk, work, or item being played with. It is used when mere proximity has not been sufficient, or is deemed insufficient on its own to end the inappropriate behaviour. The teacher moves to a locality directly beside, in front of or behind the student and without talking directly to them or verbally addressing their behaviour, touches their book (to indicate the need to focus on work), closes the book that should not be open, or picks up the object being played with and puts it back down on the desk away from immediate reach (signifying the end of play).

eg The teacher notices Chris reading a car magazine at his desk, instead of working on his English assignment. The teacher wanders slowly over to Chris' desk, reaches over and closes the magazine and taps his finger on the English exercise book sitting closed on the desk. The teacher then the moves slowly away, but observes peripherally to note whether Chris opens the correct book.

An important consideration to note when using touch interference is that personal space extends to a person's possessions, and no one likes their personal space being invaded. It is therefore recommended that teachers do not physically confiscate student property from student desks, but rather simply move it or indicate that it is to be put down or away. If the teacher confiscates the property and carries it away with them as they walk from the student's desk, the student will feel 'violated' to some degree, will probably focus on watching what the teacher does with their property, and will continue to focus thought and emotion on this rather than the work at hand. Legally, the teacher may have no right to take the property, and once taken, from an insurance perspective, they will bear full responsibility for the safekeeping and return of the item.

5) BODY LANGUAGE ENCOURAGING \- Body language encouraging is a strategy that can be used in isolation, or combined with most of the verbal and non-verbal strategies that follow. I deem it more intrusive than proximity because the teacher uses body language encouraging to send a direct message to an individual student or a group of students, a message relying on attaining their eye contact and attention. A direct connection is made with the student/s exhibiting the behaviour. Strategies prior to this, such as proximity, do not. Body language encouraging involves the use of face expression, stance, body movements and gestures to convey a message of expectation, approval or disapproval.

eg The teacher observes Andrew flick a piece of rubber across the room with his ruler. The teacher moves towards Andrew's desk and Andrew looks up at her. The teacher adopts a stern expression on her face and shakes her head from side to side – the message sent is that the behaviour is not acceptable. Andrew puts the ruler down and begins to work.

6) WAITING AND SCANNING \- Waiting and scanning is most commonly used following the provision of an instruction to a group of students. The key to effective instruction-giving is to give one clear instruction at a time, and await compliance before proceeding with the next instruction. This is where waiting and scanning comes into play. The teacher issues the instruction, and then adopts relatively relaxed body language (eg places hands by sides, feet relatively close together, standing straight but not tall). The teacher stops talking, and looks about the room, noting the progress of students in following the instruction. If the students are slow to comply, the teacher modifies body language to a more assertive stance (eg hands on hips or arms folded, feet further apart, body upright) to signify expectation and even disapproval or disappointment (frown, shaking of head). The teacher may move to a position in the room where their presence can be better felt, such as closer to non-complying or slow-complying students (Proximity). A simple verbal phrase may be added at this point if necessary (eg "I'm waiting", "I'm still waiting")

eg The teacher instructs the students to put their pencils down and turn eyes and ears on the teacher. The teacher stands and scans the room to note compliance. Some of the students on the right side of the room are slow to respond. The teacher moves slowly to the right side of the front of the room, and stands with arms folded, saying firmly "I'm waiting". He waits and scans again. Some of the students begin to encourage the slower students ("Come on, he's waiting." "You're wasting our time. Hurry up". "You're going to get in trouble") When all eyes are on the teacher, he begins to explain the next activity.

7) PAUSE IN TALK \- Pause in talk is a little like waiting and scanning, but actually involves stopping mid-sentence or mid-explanation as a result of an inappropriate behaviour from someone in the class. Generally this behaviour will be a verbal interruption in one form or another (eg two students chatting, a student calling out, a silly noise). Because it involves direct disruption to teaching, it is labelled as more intrusive than waiting and scanning, which occurs in a more natural part of the teaching process eg after an instruction. When the teacher pauses in talk, they may look directly at the offending student and give a little bit of body language encouragement (especially with facial expression) – this is most common when the teacher has completed a sentence before pausing. On the other hand, if the teacher has paused mid-sentence, they may simply adopt a 'frozen in time' expression as they pause, and then re-animate as they recommence the sentence that was disrupted. In Pause in Talk, the most powerful attention-grabbing device is the break in the program and silence represented by the pause.

eg The teacher is issuing an instruction to the class, when a student suddenly breaks into laughter. The teacher stops mid-sentence. "When you have finished your first draft, I want you to ta...". The teacher pauses and waits for silence, which takes about 5 seconds. She continues "...take out your dictionaries and use them to check for spelling errors."

8) CUEING \- Cueing is used to model appropriate behaviour to students who exhibit inappropriate behaviour. It is a positive behaviour management strategy because it highlights the 'good' behaviours rather than the 'bad' ones, and also has an educational role because it not only acknowledges the appropriate behaviour, but also teaches the non-compliers what they should be doing. There are various forms of cueing. In its simplest form, cueing involves the teacher, verbally and or non-verbally, telling the students what is required of them behaviourally as they explain the task.

eg "Put your hand up if you know the answer to Question 5".

OR

"The answer to Question 5 is?" The teacher accompanies this question with the raising of her hand to signify this is how the students should respond.

In another form of cueing called 'Cueing with Parallel Acknowledgement', the teacher notes the inappropriate behaviour of a student or students, and deliberately highlights the appropriate behaviour of a student or group of students nearby through praise and encouragement. The aim is to avoid direct confrontation with the student, but teach them what is required and hopefully bring about immediate behaviour change. Once the cueing has taken place, if the student with the inappropriate behaviour ceases that behaviour and adopts the cued behaviour, then the teacher should acknowledge this to reinforce the behaviour.

eg The teacher sees that Shane is drawing graffiti in his book margins instead of working on the set task. The teacher moves to Alex and Lisa nearby. "Wow, you two are working away beautifully. And your books look very neat. Well done". Shane stops drawing in the margins and goes back on task. The teacher moves to Shane. "Good to see you working, Shane. Maybe some of your drawings could go in the story instead of the margins." The teacher moves away but peripherally monitors Shane to see if his behaviour change is lasting.

Cueing with parallel acknowledgement using the highlighting of individual behaviour (eg "Goodness, Mary is sitting up really nicely") can be very effective in the lower primary school, but can actually 'shame' students in the upper primary and secondary school levels, and can lead to bullying of the student highlighted. You may as well pin a target on their back with a 'Hit me' sign attached. If using this strategy at these levels, highlight the behaviour of a generalised group rather than an individual, to avoid victimisation

(eg "There is some great work going on over this side of the room").

A third form of cueing is termed 'Description of Reality'. This cueing doesn't necessarily focus just on positive behaviours, but provides general information regarding teacher expectations to the whole group, without targeting specific individuals. In cueing using a Description of Reality, the teacher makes a statement of opinion that describes current behaviour state in the classroom, or highlights behaviour consequences. This information reinforces student behaviour, or encourages change in behaviour, based on the message of the description.

eg "There is too much noise in this classroom"

"It's good to see those hands up in the air."

"If we don't stay focused on this work, it may have to be done at morning tea"

"Those people who want free learning time Friday afternoon will have their homework in tomorrow morning."

9) DESCRIPTIVE ENCOURAGING \- Descriptive Encouraging is focused solely on describing and highlighting positive behaviours, and takes two forms. In its first form, directly following instructions, it is a cueing technique that acknowledges those who have demonstrated immediate compliance and encourages slower students to follow suit.

eg The teacher issues an instruction. "Pencils down, thanks, and eyes this way". He waits and scans, and notes the quick compliers. "Tom and Sarah are ready. So are Helen and Brian. Thanks guys...The back row is ready too...Okay, everybody is ready. Great. Now, lets look at the next activity...."

In its second form, descriptive encouraging is simply used as a form of low-intrusive acknowledgment of appropriate behaviour whilst the students are working on a task. It is an individualised form of Description of Reality. The teacher moves about the room, observing student work and behaviour, and making simple, descriptive statements about the student behaviour eg "You're working quietly", "You're sitting nicely", "You're reading silently", "You're writing neatly". By naming the behaviour for which encouragement is provided, the teacher cues the student to repeat the behaviour.

10) NON-VERBAL REDIRECTION \- Non-verbal redirection, whilst not a verbal strategy such as cueing and descriptive encouraging, is considered more intrusive because it is not only focused on correcting the inappropriate behaviour of an individual or group, but is directed at that person or group. In using the non-verbal redirection, the teacher makes eye contact with the student and uses some form of non-verbal signal to let the student know that their behaviour has been noted and modification is required. The non-verbal signal may be via:

a) Hand Signals (eg thumb down; 'Stop' gesture; pointing at work; timeout 'T' gesture);

b) Touching of the student's work (eg tapping finger on page of book);

c) Use of a Flashcard with a descriptive picture or word on it, or part of a warning system (eg yellow card, red card)

d) Facial Expression (eg frown)

e) Shaking of head

11) DISTRACTION/DIVERSION \- Distraction/diversion is basically used in two contexts. In context one, the teacher senses that a significant number of students are going off-task, and realises that attempting to keep the class focused on the task at hand any longer will be a difficult and possibly fruitless task. The teacher decides to temporarily suspend the curriculum in the interests of re-energising or re-focusing the students, by introducing some activity that diverts them from their off-task behaviour. This may be in the form of a quick game (eg 'Simon Says' or 'I Spy'), a stretch or drink break, or (especially in the primary setting) a clapping or action sequence known by the class (eg "Hands on head, hands on shoulders, hands on knees, hands on feet")

In context two, the teacher notes that an individual student appears to be upset or angry, perhaps due to curriculum frustrations or some current or past peer situation (which could lead to explosive behaviour), or is extremely restless and may disrupt others. The teacher suspends the curriculum for that student, either setting them a new task (which is a strength area or preference), sending them off on a message, or sending them to get a drink.

12) NON-VERBAL DIRECTIONAL ACTION \- A non-verbal directional action is any non-verbal action used to gain whole group attention, whether to talk about behaviour or curriculum. It may involve the use of sound, via a whistle, bell, handclap, tapping on the desk or board, or the turning off of music or noise-making machinery in the room. It may involve a visual action, such as the flashing of lights, or the turning off of the overhead projector or television. It can also involve a physical action, such as placing one's hands on one's head or initiating a clapping sequence which students copy as their attention is gained. All of these actions and signals are taught to the students, so they can recognise them when used by the teacher.

eg The class are copying notes projected via an Overhead Projector. Some of the students are chatting amongst themselves instead of writing. The teacher turns off the overhead projector and waits and scans. The students stop writing and look up at the teacher. "The reason I stopped you is that some of you aren't focused on what you are writing..."

13) ORAL DIRECTIONAL PHRASE \- An oral directional phrase is the verbal equivalent of the non-verbal directional action, used to gain whole group attention via the issuing of a set, rehearsed phrase. In high school settings, standard oral directional phrases include "Pens down, eyes this way", "Eyes and ears this way please", and "Close your books and listen, thanks". Where relationships are close and founded on humour (one would hope), it may even include "Right, shut-up and listen". In the primary school setting, the previously-mentioned oral directional phrases are also used, though in some schools and in lower year levels teachers also use sequenced phrases which the students can contribute to eg "I-2-3, eyes on me" – the teacher may say the whole phrase, or just the "1-2-3" section, with the students contributing the "eyes on me" as they attend to the teacher. Other phrases can include "Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more", "Stop, look and listen" and any catchy phrase a teacher can think up. Some teachers even sing the phrase, or use collections of nonsense words. The aim is simply to gain student attention. As with non-verbal directional actions, oral directional phrases must be rehearsed.

From this point onward, the strategies become focused solely upon the individual and progress from the verbal ultimately to the physical. This coincides with the level of behaviour of the student, or lack of response to earlier less-intrusive strategies.

14) CURRICULUM REDIRECTION \- With Curriculum Redirection, the teacher uses a question about the task the student is supposed to be focusing upon, in order to refocus them on that task and end the inappropriate behaviour.

eg The teacher sees that Ben is talking to the student beside him instead of doing his Maths. She issues a curriculum redirection: "Ben, what is your answer to Question 15?" Ben hasn't done this question yet and admits it. "Then you'd better get a move on, Ben. The bell will ring in 10 minutes, and you wouldn't want to have to finish this work for homework, would you?"

Curriculum redirection can be effective because while it is directed at the individual, it is relatively non-confrontational. It can also be used across the classroom without disrupting other students, as it is directed at an individual and not behaviour-focused. The student is not accused of misbehaviour, but still held accountable for the results of this behaviour on their learning. Another common example of curriculum redirection is as follows:

"Ben, have you finished the work? No? Oh, sorry, I saw you talking and thought that meant you had nothing more to do. Carry on working, then."

15) CALLING THE STUDENT'S NAME \- Calling the student's name simply involves speaking out the first name of the student (or both first and last name if the first name is shared by more than one class member) who is misbehaving, generally in a firm but controlled manner. It is used particularly when the teacher is on the other side of the room or some distance away, and is an easy but effective means of getting the student's attention and letting them know that the teacher is aware of their behaviour. It can be linked with body language encouraging or a non-verbal redirection.

eg The teacher is working with Cassie at her desk, but via peripheral vision notices that Lance is clowning around at his desk, putting pencils in his ears to distract students around him. "Lance" says the teacher firmly but calmly. Lance turns and looks at the teacher, who shakes his head. Lance takes the pencils from his ears and starts to work again. The teacher returns to helping Cassie, but monitors Lance peripherally for a short time to ensure correction is lasting.

The availability of this simple but useful strategy depends on the teacher being familiar with the names of the students. This makes it generally unavailable to most relief teachers and many itinerant or specialist teachers, unless they make a conscious and concerted effort to learn the names of those in their classes (via name games, seating plans etc). If, when calling the student's name, the student responds with "What?" or any similar statement that indicates that they aren't aware of (or are denying) their inappropriate behaviour, then the teacher will need to use a verbal redirection or individual close talk to address the issue more directly.

16) QUESTIONING TO RE-DIRECT \- Questioning to re-direct is similar to curriculum redirection, except this time the teacher questions the student more directly about their behaviour, rather than using the curriculum as the means to the end.

eg "Tom, what are you supposed to be doing?"

"Susan, is that book you are reading your Maths text?"

"Carl, is that pen tapping helping others to focus on their work?"

"Andrew, should that hat be on your head inside the classroom?"

A specific form of this strategy is called the 'Rule Question'. The teacher queries the student about the rule that their current behaviour violates, to make the student aware of their behaviour violation and its relationship with the class rules.

eg "Travis, what is our rule about food in class?"

"Belinda, what is the rule about giving answers?"

"Chris, does hitting Shane with a ruler fit in with our class Safety rules?"

Questioning techniques, if performed with careful teacher control of proximity, body language, pitch, pace, tone and volume, are still relatively non-confrontational because they do not openly 'accuse' a student of misbehaviour, and therefore are less likely to lead to emotive responses from students than more direct strategies. They also provide a 'face-saving' opportunity for the student, based on their response to the question. If they give an honest response, and then return to appropriate behaviour immediately, that should be the end of the matter. The teacher should not need to respond with anything more than acknowledgment, and should avoid launching into any lecturing.

eg The teacher notices Sam playing with the inside workings of his pen and questions to redirect. "Sam, what should you be doing now?" Sam responds "My Maths". The teacher nods in agreement. "Exactly right". The teacher waits, and Sam reassembles his pen and begins work again.

17) INDIVIDUAL CLOSE TALK \- Individual close talk involves the teacher moving to the student's desk to quietly discuss their behaviour, or summoning the student to their own desk for the same purpose (the former method is the less-intrusive of the two). Individual close talk is used as a private, non-humiliating means of discussing a student's behaviour directly with them. The teacher respects the dignity of the student, and avoids taking the rest of the class off-task or introducing peer influences into the behaviour equation. Careful use of volume, tone, body language, and proximity are essential. Eye contact on the part of the student is not. (Students can listen and talk without looking at you)

eg The teacher sees Claire drawing a ballpoint tattoo on her hand, instead of working on her project. She moves slowly but deliberately to Claire's desk and bends down so her face is not far from Claire's. "Claire, your artwork is impressive but I don't think it is helping to get your project done". This is spoken in a soft tone. "It would be a good idea if you stopped work on the tattoo and did the project instead". Susan responds "But I like this tattoo". The teacher responds calmly "I don't have a problem with the tattoo, Susan, just the fact that your project isn't being done. So please leave the tattoo until morning tea, and do the project now." The teacher walks away, but peripherally observes Claire for a short time to note her compliance.

If the student becomes very vocal during individual close talk at the student's desk, the teacher may ask the student to move to the teacher's desk to continue the discussion, or both can step temporarily outside the classroom door. The aim is to minimise disruption to the classroom environment and protect dignity.

In the playground setting, it is often most effective to 'walk and talk' with the student rather than stand still and discuss behaviour. This negates any apparent need to stand still or make eye contact, helps the student to burn off any anxious energy, and also removes them from the vicinity of their peers, where face-saving may be required.

18) VERBAL REDIRECTION – DIRECTIVE QUESTION \- With verbal redirections, the teacher 'cuts to the chase' and addresses the student behaviour in a straightforward manner by telling the student what they must do to behave appropriately. Verbal redirection differs from individual close talk in that it is delivered from wherever the teacher is located in the room, and not necessarily in a quiet voice beside the student. Its straightforward and simple nature makes it the most commonly used (and abused) behaviour management strategy in teaching practice. It should only come after at least one less-intrusive strategy has been trialled, but more often than not is the first strategy a teacher will reach for. Verbal redirection should be spoken in a firm but friendly (or at least calm and respectful) manner, but frequently is distorted by emotional input, leading to the insertion of harsh tone and high volume.

The Directive Question verbal redirection is a statement of behaviour expectation disguised as a request by the addition of the word "Please" at the beginning or end of the statement.

eg "Kym, please put the magazine away."

"Matthew, get on with your work please"

"Francis, please stop talking to Joel"

The 'please' sounds respectful, and implies to students that they have a choice. Some teachers dislike the strategy for that fact – the students don't have a choice so why let them think they have? However, the face-saving aspect can be useful, especially with students who respond poorly to behaviour confrontation. Unfortunately with this strategy, some teachers can sound like they are pleading with the students if they place emphasis on the 'please', undermining their own authority.

19) VERBAL REDIRECTION – DIRECTIVE STATEMENT \- This strategy is almost exactly the same strategy as the Directive Question, except for one difference – the word 'thanks' is substituted for 'please'.

eg "Kym, put the magazine away thanks."

"Matthew, get on with your work thanks."

"Francis, stop talking to Joel thanks."

The 'thanks' implies that the teacher trusts the student to comply with the direction – they are thanking them in advance for their compliance. It also implies that there is no choice in the matter. Directive statements are more assertive than directive questions, and hence are favoured by teachers, though often without the respectful 'thanks' on the end.

Take-up Time \- After issuing a verbal redirection or offering choice, the teacher should deliberately move themselves or their attention away from the student, allowing the student take-up time to follow the direction. Do not demand immediate compliance unless the inappropriate behaviour directly violates the rights of others or the safety of the student. Length of take-up time is at the discretion of the teacher, but should not be less than 30 seconds, nor more than approximately 5 minutes. When the student does comply, give them a descriptive encourager.

eg The teacher notices Peter drawing a picture instead of writing down the notes on the board. "Peter, put the picture away and copy the notes on the board, thanks." The teacher continues to move about the room, observing Peter peripherally to note compliance. Peter slowly puts the picture in his desk, and then commences to write down the notes. As the teacher moves past his desk, the teacher says "Good to see you working."

20) GIVE CHOICES (INCORPORATING CONSEQUENCES) – The teacher will generally resort to giving students a choice when the behaviour is repeated despite previous corrective measures, especially verbal redirections. I would tend to use it myself as a 'third strike' strategy – that is, I have used 2 other strategies first. The choices given to the student are usually two in number – Choice 1 is comply with the expected behaviour and reap the consequences of compliance, and Choice 2 is a logical consequence for non-compliance.

eg "Nathan, you can either stop talking to John now and finish your work in time for morning tea, or you can keep talking to him and stay in at morning tea with me so I can help you to finish the work. I'll give you 2 minutes to make your choice"

OR

"Justine, you can either put that hairbrush back in your bag now so you can use it at lunchtime, or you can put it on my desk for the rest of the day. It is your choice. I will be back at 12.20 to see what you've decided".

Giving Choice should be delivered in the same manner as Individual Close Talk – in soft tone, close to the student, and in a calm manner. The most important element about giving choice is the provision of take-up time. The student must be given time to consider the choices and make a rational decision, without the pressure of the teacher standing over them. It is face-saving time for the student too, when they can have their silent protests and mumble messages of dissent to peers. It also gives the power-players a sense of having some control in the situation. Dedicated power-players may even enter into negotiations about the amount of take-up time offered.

eg "Richard, you have 2 minutes to decide". "Make it 5 minutes and I'll do what you want". "I'll split the difference and make it 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Okay?" "Okay".

It is important that the teacher then returns at the end of the take-up time to check on the results, to acknowledge positive behaviour change or to follow through with any consequences stated.

21) STATE LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES – As a verbal strategy on its own, Stating Logical Consequences is a more assertive and hence more intrusive strategy than giving choice incorporating consequences. Stating logical consequences gives the student only one choice – do what the teacher asks or face the consequences. Generally the delivery will take the form of an "If....then" statement. The teacher will still allow the student take-up time (though not necessarily stated to the student), to allow the student time to save face, consider the options and comply. The teacher issues the statement, then returns to whatever task they were doing but observes peripherally to note compliance or defiance.

eg "William, if you don't sit properly in your seat, I will have to have to sit you on the carpet"

"Denise, if you don't stop talking with Louise and do your work, I will move you to another seat."

"Kyle, if you leave your desk one more time, I will have to issue you with a reflection sheet."

Volume and tone must be assertive but not emotive or aggressive. Keeping frustration out of your voice is part of self-control.

22) FOLLOW THROUGH – ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES – Follow through occurs when the student has made the choice not to comply with the teacher's directions after they have stated the logical consequences, or has chosen the less-appropriate of the two choices offered by the teacher in giving choice. Take-up time being expended, the teacher asks the student what they intend to do, and noting their decision, the teacher clearly states (calmly) what the consequence will be and how it will be enforced. The key here is not the immediacy of the consequence but rather the certainty of the consequence. If the student refuses to accept the consequence on the spot, then the teacher merely makes a note of this refusal on the board or on a piece of paper, explaining to the student what they are doing and what will happen next as a result of their refusal (eg the student will have to face the consequence in the next lesson; the head of department, deputy principal or principal will be notified during the next break; the student will have to spend the next lesson in the buddy class etc). If the student changes their mind about their refusal at this point and accepts the consequence, the teacher may choose to accept this recapitulation (the least intrusive option) or follow through with what is on the board (the more intrusive option).

eg The teacher has given Joel the choices of putting his mobile phone away in his desk, or handing it in to the teacher for the rest of the day if the phone is still present in 2 minutes time. Two minutes later, the phone is still in Joel's hand. The teacher approaches Joel and asks him what choice he has made. Joel says he wants to keep the phone on his desk, which is not one of the options. The teacher informs Joel that this is not an option, and instructs him to place the phone on the teacher's desk. Joel refuses, so the teacher proceeds to write "Joel refuses re: phone – see D.P at 11" on the blackboard. The teacher returns to Joel, and quietly informs him that the details of the incident will be passed on to the deputy principal at the morning break. The teacher walks away to resume working with other students. After about 3 minutes, Joel leaves his desk and stamps noisily across to the teacher's desk, thumping his phone down. He then returns to his own desk. The teacher moves to the board, makes eye contact with Joel, and rubs off the note on the board. The teacher ignores all the secondary behaviour that accompanied Joel's compliance.

23) MOVE STUDENT IN ROOM – A teacher will generally move a student in the room to separate students who cannot work productively together, or to bring a more disruptive student into closer proximity for monitoring purposes. As a proactive measure, moving the student in the room is quite a low-intrusion technique. For example, if the teacher knows that two students tend to talk whilst working, the teacher may ask the two students to sit apart before the formal lesson even commences, such as whilst still lining up outside the room. Or, as the teacher is preparing to read a story to students sitting on the carpet, they may ask a more 'fidgety' student to come and sit near their feet, within easy reach, as a proactive step. In both cases, the level of disruption to teaching and learning is minimal, and whilst intruding on individuals, it is timed before the students have settled into any comfort zone or particular relationship.

As a reactive measure, however, moving a student in the room can be quite an intrusive measure, particularly if the student has been consulted about their behaviour on several occasions prior to the movement, and the movement is a logical consequence of their behaviour. Having settled themselves into the environment, the student will be resistant to change, and their physical movement may be loaded with disruptive secondary behaviours. Even if they move without protest, the mere act of a student moving from one place in the room to another is enough to take the more distractible of students off-task.

24) MOVE STUDENT TO REFLECTION/TIME-OUT AREA \- This is the same strategy as moving a student in the room except that the movement is designed to take the student temporarily away from the designated learning area and also possibly breaks the bond between the student and the curriculum. Hence it is classed as a more intrusive strategy. It could be used as a logical consequence for failing to work or continuing to talk with a classmate, or as a result of the student continuing to disrupt students despite being moved elsewhere in the room. The student is instructed to move from their desk to a designated reflection or time-out area within the room, usually to the back or side of the room where they are out of general view of the other students but within view of the teacher for monitoring purposes. Whilst at the reflection/time-out area, the student may carry on with the set work, or alternatively may have to complete a reflection form that addresses their inappropriate behaviours and highlights more appropriate choices (see my first book for examples of these). The amount of time the student must spend in this area is set by the teacher, and should be clearly stated to the student before they are sent there. The teacher may even use an electronic or clockwork timer, or reference to the class clock, to measure the time-out period.

eg Simon has been moved to another seat in the classroom after continually talking with David beside him. At the new location, he starts to talk with Sarah. The teacher instructs Simon to take his work to the time-out desk at the back of the class, which is located away from other students. The teacher informs Simon that if he can work quietly there for the next 10 minutes, he will be permitted to return to his desk. If he fails to work or remain quiet, he will stay in the time-out area until the end of the morning session.

25) REMOVE STUDENT FROM CLASSROOM \- A student is removed from the classroom because their behaviour is so disruptive that they can no longer remain in the environment. It will usually occur after the teacher has already tried to use an in-class time-out area, or where there is no in-class area in the classroom and the school utilises a buddy teacher system. Removing a student from the classroom is highly intrusive because it involves taking a child completely out of the supportive environment, and breaks the bond with the curriculum, organisation and relationships of the student's normal learning environment. If they are moved to a buddy class, the curriculum, organisation and relationships at that class will be similar to those they have left, but not the same. If they are moved to the office, none of the three elements of the supportive classroom environment will be present. Removing a student from the room may be accompanied by disruptive secondary behaviours, which increases the level of intrusion of the strategy.

26) HAVE THIRD PARTY REMOVE STUDENT FROM CLASSROOM/AREA – I tend to recommend this strategy when a student engages in a power play with the teacher who has tried to remove the student from the classroom due to highly disruptive behaviour. The teacher should avoid trying to force the student to leave the room, for the sake of maintaining positive relationships with the student and the remainder of the class and preventing the reinforcement of the power model for the offending student. Rather, the teacher sends a message, via intercom or student, to a support person with more authority, such as a deputy principal or principal. This person, who is not directly connected to the class via the teacher-student relationship, then attempts to coerce the offending student to leave the classroom. If they have to use a severe consequence (such as suspension) or physical restraint, it comes from a position of more power than the teacher would have, and should have less impact on the teacher-student relationship than if the teacher had wielded the power themselves. Being a power-based and confrontational strategy, it is highly intrusive. The teaching-learning environment is disrupted by the entry of the third party and their interaction with the offending student, and the offending student may become quite anxious and emotive at the involvement of the third party authority. Once again, disruptive secondary behaviours may also emerge and, depending on the methodology of the third party authority in removing the student, there may be an emotional impact on the witnessing classmates. This is generally a crisis strategy, where the student is deemed unsafe and unmanageable, and will require some form of restitution process to be initiated before the student may re-enter the environment, even if re-entry is not until a later date. Part of the restitution process may also involve a debriefing session with the rest of the class about what happened and its impact on them.

27) REMOVE REST OF CLASS FROM ROOM/AREA – A teacher will choose to remove the class from the room when an individual student is exhibiting explosive verbal or physical behaviour within the classroom environment. Student safety is seen to be at risk and it is deemed either easier to remove the rest of the class or too dangerous to try and remove the offending student themselves. Because this strategy involves surrendering the curriculum entirely, and the physical movement of a number of people from the class environment, it is highly intrusive on people and the teaching-learning process. The teacher will remove the class to a safer location, preferably out of sight and reach of the student who is acting out. Libraries or halls are the fallback location for such removals. The teacher will have to assign the class to another teacher or teacher aide for supervision, in order to monitor the actions and safety of the student left in the room, or will supervise the class and have administration or a third party staff member monitor the student. As this is a crisis strategy, it will require a restitution process involving the offending student at a later time or date, and fairly immediate debriefing of the students removed from the setting.

28) PHYSICAL RESTRAINT – There is no more intrusive correction strategy available to teachers than physical restraint. It involves the teacher physically contacting and holding the student to immobilise them completely, in order to prevent harm to the student, other students, the teacher or even elements of the environment (eg expensive property). Physical restraint denies an individual their freedom, and hence is highly intrusive. It is also intrusive because of its physical and emotional impact on the setting. It will have a physical impact both on the student being restrained and the teacher restraining, who may be subjected to punches, kicks and even bites. It will have an emotional impact on the student being restrained, the teacher restraining and the students and staff who witness the restraint. It may have a significant and lasting impact on the teacher-student relationship, not only between teacher and restrained student but teacher and witnessing students, and will require considerable time and effort spent in restitution and debriefing. It may also have a legal and professional impact on the teacher involved. No teacher should enter into physical restraint without first carefully considering their motivation to do so, their ability to do so, and their preparedness to accept the possible consequences of involvement, be they physical, emotional or legal.

I recommend that all teachers undergo training in physical restraint, not so much in preparation for using it, but rather so that they have the confidence and knowledge not to use it. The best training program I have come across that addresses physical restraint is Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, run by the Crime Prevention Institute which is based in the USA. This program spends a healthy amount of time covering prevention of explosive incidents, but also includes practical training in how to escape from the restraining actions or physical blows of others, and how to restrain a child or adult singly or as part of a team if necessary.

HOW DO I KNOW WHICH STRATEGY TO USE?

Having been introduced to the corrective strategies, the next step is to practise and internalise them so they become part of the grab-bag of strategies available in a behaviour situation. The next chapter will assist in this process. And remember the underlying principle for application of strategies is the KISS principle – Keep It Sweet and Simple. Sweet as in positive in impact, so think about the impact your strategy may have on student dignity, the teacher-student relationship, and the lesson flow. Simple as in using minimal energy, emotion and words. Remember too that the aim of correction is not to punish students for their mistakes, but rather to help them to learn from their mistakes. So please let them survive the mistake.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I'M USING THE STRATEGY?

Self-reflection on the lesson or day that has been is a relatively useful tool for determining what strategies one has employed in the classroom, and the effectiveness of one's choices. Unfortunately, in a full day of teaching, so much can happen that it is hard to remember what happened and when. Even better than self-reflection is having someone else observe your teaching practice in real time. Invite a trusted but honest teaching colleague to sit in on a lesson. They can even bring with them a checklist of strategies, and tally the strategies used during the lesson, then feed back to you later in the day or week.

CORRECTIVE STRATEGIES – A CHECKLIST

 TACTICAL IGNORING

 SELECTIVE ATTENDING

 PROXIMITY

 PROXIMITY WITH TOUCH INTERFERENCE

 BODY LANGUAGE ENCOURAGING

 WAITING AND SCANNING

 PAUSE IN TALK

 CUEING

 DESCRIPTIVE ENCOURAGING

 NON-VERBAL REDIRECTION

 DISTRACTION/DIVERSION

 NON-VERBAL DIRECTIONAL ACTION

 ORAL DIRECTIONAL PHRASE

 CURRICULUM REDIRECTION

 CALLING THE STUDENT'S NAME

 QUESTIONING TO RE-DIRECT

 INDIVIDUAL CLOSE TALK

 VERBAL REDIRECTION – DIRECTIVE QUESTION

 VERBAL REDIRECTION – DIRECTIVE STATEMENT

 GIVE CHOICES (INCORPORATING CONSEQUENCES)

 STATE LOGICAL CONSEQUENCE

 FOLLOW THROUGH – ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES

 MOVE STUDENT IN ROOM

 MOVE STUDENT TO REFLECTION/TIME-OUT AREA

 REMOVE STUDENT FROM CLASSROOM

 HAVE THIRD PARTY REMOVE STUDENT FROM CLASSROOM

 REMOVE REST OF CLASS FROM ROOM/ AREA

 PHYSICAL RESTRAINT
CHAPTER 5 - Practice Makes Perfect

Applying the Principles

The ideal method of developing a skill involves Teacher Explanation, Teacher Demonstration, Student Practice and Feedback, Rehearsal, Reminder and Reinforcement, and then Real-Life Application. Unfortunately, this is a book, not an interactive software program, so in helping you to develop your behaviour skills, I personally am limited to the first two steps of the skill development process, and only in written format. From then on, the rest is up to you. What follows is a selection of behaviour management scenarios requiring the need for corrective strategies to be implemented, with the potential for further follow-on preventative and supportive strategies after correction has taken place. Preceding the scenarios is an explanation of a step-by-step, logical assessment process that can be used to address the behaviours, and the checklist of least intrusive to most intrusive corrective strategies was covered in the previous chapter. These will be the principle tools of behaviour management to tackle the scenarios in this chapter. The scenarios appear as a list for you to practice on. You may choose to attempt the list yourself after reading my demonstrated approaches, using my solution as a learning tool to guide practice, or you may choose to attempt the scenarios before reading my demonstrated approaches, to test your understanding of the skills involved and compare your interpretation of the situation with my own. Whichever approach you take, I recommend that you occasionally revisit these scenarios in the future as a rehearsal and reminder strategy, to ensure that you still have some mastery of the skills involved, and that you have not lapsed into a pattern of behaviour management involving the repeated use of the same limited number of correction strategies.

ASSESSING A BEHAVIOUR PROBLEM

The following is my suggested approach for tackling behaviour management problems. Remember, a behaviour problem exists only after someone, you the teacher, makes a judgement call that the behaviour is inappropriate, so this is the logical place to start assessment and response. The process, with nine steps, may appear convoluted and time consuming on paper, but once adopted, will become a very quick process of thought and then action. It will occupy your mind long enough, however, to stop you from taking a spontaneous, emotive pathway to correction.

STEP 1 - WHAT CODE OF BEHAVIOUR OR RULE IS BEING BROKEN?

This is the first of two rationales for getting involved in the first place, for logic and accountability's sake. If you can't identify the rule or code being violated, then maybe it's just personal and you shouldn't be getting involved at all. Think Safety, Effort, Respect and Self-Responsibility.

STEP 2 - WHAT IS THE CURRENT OR POSSIBLE IMPACT ON STUDENTS OR YOURSELF?

You've identified the code violation, so now determine how disruptive the behaviour is on the supportive classroom or playground environment. How many people are actually being adversely affected by the student's behaviour? What is the worst case scenario if the behaviour continues unchecked? If you are the only person affected by the behaviour, can you tactically ignore it?

STEP 3 - SHOULD YOU GET INVOLVED?

Having determined that the behaviour should indeed be corrected, the following questions determine your own suitability to act and the approach that will be taken.

The LIFESAVER QUESTIONS

What is the danger to me? If you do step in and address the situation, what could happen? How could this impact on you personally, emotionally or physically?

Do I have the skills, confidence and mood to get involved? Are you adequately prepared for the situation, including the worst case scenario? Are you in the right frame of mind to stay non-emotive and objective?

If I do get involved, what is my back-up? Are there support people available and policy directives and procedures to follow if things escalate?

If I don't get involved, who can I get to help me? Who can you call upon to help out if you have determined you aren't the best person for the job? If the situation does escalate, and you have to use more intrusive techniques, including physical restraint, are you covered by school and departmental policy to do so?

What is the simplest possible approach? Keep It Sweet and Simple. You need to utilise the minimal amount of energy, talk and human interaction possible in correcting the behaviour, to minimise disruption to the teaching-learning environment and the people within it but also to maximise the chance of immediate behaviour cessation. Decide what strategy would be suitable.

STEP 4 - INITIATE THE CORRECTIVE STRATEGY.

Before acting, ask yourself two questions:

1.What impact will this have on the student's dignity?

2.What impact will this have on the teacher-student relationship?

Safeguard both in applying the strategy and in any follow-up, especially if student secondary behaviour results. Don't get hooked by the secondary behaviour. (eg Protests, Questioning, Body Language, Slowness to Comply, Apparent Refusal, Nil Response)

STEP 5 - MONITOR THE SUCCESS OF THE STRATEGY AND LOOK FOR ANY SIGNS OF BEHAVIOUR REPETITION

Your best monitoring device is peripheral vision. Having corrected the student, go back to what you were doing and allow some take-up time for them to respond, signifying to them that you trust them to comply. But watch them peripherally to see if they maintain compliance once you are no longer focused on or near them.

STEP 6 - REPEAT STEPS 4 AND 5 AS NECESSARY.

Avoid using the same strategy more than twice, and make no more than 3-4 attempts to remedy a situation. In my opinion, for a specific repeated behaviour, it's generally 3 strikes and they're out (literally, to the buddy class or office).

STEP 7 - CONSIDER WHAT CHANGES COULD BE MADE TO THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, WORK DEMANDS, AND SOCIAL INTERACTIONS OF THE CLASSROOM TO PREVENT THE BEHAVIOURS OCCURRING AGAIN. (Preventative and Responsive management)

This will occur after the behaviour has been corrected. Ask yourself why the behaviour occurred in the first place, and what could be done to prevent reoccurrence. Can the physical classroom environment be re-structured (eg via a changed seating plan), does the curriculum need to be modified (eg to make it more engaging), or do you need to monitor peer influences or your own influence on the student (eg do your current responses satisfy their attention-seeking needs)?

STEP 8 - TALK TO PARENTS, OTHER TEACHERS, AND SCHOOL SUPPORT PERSONNEL REGARDING OTHER POSSIBLE STRATEGIES AND POSSIBLE ISSUES IN RELATION TO MEDICAL, EMOTIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS OUTSIDE YOUR CONTROL.

Having exhausted your own range of organisational and relationship strategies, consider some of the factors outside your direct control that may be influencing the student's behaviour. Consult with the 'experts' in these areas, and seek their support.

STEP 9 - CONSIDER CONSTRUCTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT PLAN TO FOCUS ON SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TO MEET THE STUDENT'S SUPPORT NEEDS.

Having used up the range of strategies available in your classroom and school behaviour management plan, it may be time to individualise the approach to supporting the student's unique needs and chronic behaviour issues by developing an individual plan. This will not be the sole responsibility of the classroom teacher, however, but the outcome of case conferencing and a sharing of responsibility for student management.

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT SCENARIOS – POSSIBLE APPROACHES

Please note that in behaviour management, there are no right or wrong solutions to issues as they arise, but there are more favourable and less favourable approaches that can be implemented. The more favourable is any approach that ceases the inappropriate behaviour with minimal disruption to the learning environment and minimal negative impact on student dignity and the teacher-student relationship. Behaviour management is dynamic, being highly dependent on the circumstances in which the behaviour occurs, so the approach you take today may not be the same approach you use tomorrow. Please remember that the approaches I suggest in the following scenarios are just my suggestions, not necessarily the only or the 'right' approaches to take if this scenario occurred in your school. Remember also that, whilst this chapter focuses on correcting inappropriate behaviours, behaviour management also involves acknowledging appropriate behaviours. Don't ignore this vital element.

The strategies outlined in these scenarios are only the corrective strategies, ending at Step 6 of the Assessment process. These are the on-the-spot teacher responses, rather than the follow-up supportive strategies that occur after the initial behaviour incident has occurred.

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT SCENARIOS

1) You notice a student has moved away from their work area and is conversing with another student.

2) As you help a student with her work, you overhear a student behind using offensive language as she struggles with a work task

3) Having given students instructions to commence work, you notice that one boy has not started yet, but seems content on doing nothing.

4) You have asked a student to start work. He flatly refuses.

5) You notice a student talking to an outsider over the boundary fence.

6) You notice the area where a group of students are sitting at morning break is heavily littered.

7) Having asked a student to commence work, you overhear him swear under his breath at you as you walk away.

8) You observe two students having a heated verbal argument in the playground

9) You observe two students engaged in a fistfight.

10) Several students are observed not to be wearing the correct safety equipment

11) You observe a student mistreating a piece of equipment.

12) You observe a student threatening another student with a sharp tool

13) A student is seen to exit the classroom without permission.

14) A student arrives at your class visibly upset.

15) A student with obvious skill and talent continues to hand in sub-standard work.

16) As you are giving a demonstration, two girls chat animatedly

17) As you are explaining a skill, a boy sits reading a magazine.

18) Two students sitting together constantly talk and rarely complete the required tasks.

19) A student verbally threatens you in class with the comment "I know where you live".

20) A student swears at you, to your face and in front of the class.

SAMPLE RESPONSES

Remember, there are no right or wrong responses, only accountable ones

1) You notice a student has moved away from their work area and is conversing with another student.

I'd treat this as an Effort violation, unless we have a specific 'Sit down to work' or 'Seek permission to leave seat' rule, in which case it violates this rule. Only one other student is being affected and their conversation may be work-related. The only danger of involvement is probably some backchat – "We're talking about work!"

Strategy 1 – SELECTIVELY ATTEND – Give them another minute to see if the student voluntarily returns to their seat.

Strategy 2 – PROXIMITY – Move in towards the students, to note if conversation is work related and put a little pressure on them if it is not.

Strategy 3 – CALL STUDENT'S NAME combined with NON-VERBAL REDIRECTION – If talk is not work-related or is starting to disrupt others, get the student's attention, then point back to their seat.

2) As you help a student with her work, you overhear another student behind using offensive language as she struggles with a work task

This is a Respect violation. I'd look around to note how many other students overheard this, to determine if I was the only one who noted it. If this was the case, then Strategy 1, but if others obviously heard it, then straight to Strategy 2. The real danger here is of embarrassing the student.

Strategy 1 – TACTICAL IGNORING – The comment was from frustration, not directed at anyone, and did not take anyone off-task.

Strategy 2 – CALL STUDENT'S NAME combined with NON-VERBAL REDIRECTION – If students heard the comment, it must be addressed but in low-key fashion. Get their attention, then shake your head or put finger to lips.

Strategy 3 – INDIVIDUAL CLOSE TALK – If this is not the first occasion the student has done this in the class, particularly recently, it would be advisable to talk with them privately about the issue. This could be at their desk immediately, but would be less disruptive if done at the end of the lesson or before the next break, especially as the student is on-task. Ask them also about any issues they are having with the subject – the probable cause of the frustration.

3) Having given students instructions to commence work, you notice that one boy has not started yet, but seems content on doing nothing.

This is an Effort and Self-Responsibility violation, affecting no one except the student themselves in terms of disrupting their education. The danger to the teacher is the potential for a power play - "You can't make me".

Strategy 1 – PROXIMITY – Unobtrusively move over next to the child's desk and see if mere presence is enough to spark action. If you are not in a position to move to them (eg involved in helping another student, then use a CURRICULUM REDIRECTION. Ask them what question number or activity they are up to.

Strategy 2 – PROXIMITY WITH TOUCH INTERFERENCE – If the student hasn't responded to mere teacher presence, make your presence known by tapping on their book and making eye contact with them.

Strategy 3 – GIVE CHOICE (INCORPORATING A CONSEQUENCE) if the student has refused to start work. My choice would be to commence work or go to the buddy class. Walk away and allow the student take-up time (1 min) to make the choice.

Strategy 4 - Depending on their choice, return and acknowledge compliance ("Thanks for that") or FOLLOW THROUGH - enforce the consequence by REMOVING STUDENT FROM CLASSROOM ("Please move to the buddy class. You may return when you've completed the reflection form and are ready to start work"). If the student still refuses passively, then write their name, the time, and the words "See D.P" on the board and carry on helping others. This signals the student that the consequence will now involve notifying the Deputy Principal, who can initiate their own consequence. If the student becomes vocal and disruptive, HAVE THIRD PARTY REMOVE STUDENT FROM CLASSROOM. Send a child to fetch the Deputy Principal or Principal.

4) You have asked a student to start work. He flatly refuses.

This represents both an Effort and Respect violation, and is probably going to be quite disruptive if in the classroom setting. It cannot be tactically ignored because it is to your face, and requires a fairly intrusive response. The danger is getting involved in an escalating power play. Stay focused on the Primary Behaviour – getting the child to start work.

Strategy 1 – VERBAL REDIRECTION (DIRECTIVE STATEMENT) via INDIVIDUAL CLOSE TALK – Move to them and state "Open your book and start work, thanks". Walk away and allow take-up time for response (1-2 min)

Strategy 2 - GIVE CHOICE (INCORPORATING A CONSEQUENCE). – Move back to the student. "You either open your book and commence work, or you go to the buddy class. You have 2 minutes to make your choice." Walk away and allow the designated take-up time using the classroom clock as the time reference.

Strategy 3 – FOLLOW THROUGH – ENFORCE CONSEQUENCE – If the student has not commenced work, instruct them to exit to the buddy class. If they won't go but are non-disruptive (eg passive resistance), you may choose to write the details on the board as per the last scenario. Alternatively, especially if disruptive, remove the student from the room or have third party remove the student from the room.

5) You notice a student talking to an outsider over the boundary fence.

This is a violation of the Safety code and whilst not disruptive to others, as a Safety issue must be addressed immediately. The danger is that you may not have any teaching relationship with the student, which may impact on how responsive they are to you, and you have no real influence on the outsider. Both parties may become abusive.

Strategy 1 – PROXIMITY and BODY LANGUAGE ENCOURAGING– Move in the general direction and take up a stance that signals "I'm aware of your presence" by staring in their direction with arms folded. This may be enough to break up the conversation.

Strategy 2 – INDIVIDUAL CLOSE TALK – Move to the fence and talk calmly and in a friendly manner to both parties, explaining the school rule about students talking to outsiders. Encourage the outsider to wait until the end of the school day and then talk with the student once they leave the school grounds. Walk away slowly, allowing approx. 1 minute of take-up time to let them comply, monitoring peripherally.

Strategy 3 – STATE LOGICAL CONSEQUENCE – If the outsider won't leave, and the student will not move from the fence, inform the outsider that their continued presence will force you to notify administration, who may call the Police for assistance. Inform the student that their non-compliance will also force you to notify administration.

Strategy 4 – FOLLOW THROUGH – ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES – If neither party has budged, hail a nearby student and ask them to notify the deputy principal or principal about the issue. Alternatively, if you have a mobile phone handy, phone the office yourself.

6) You notice the area where a group of students are sitting at morning break is heavily littered.

This is a Respect issue, impacting on general hygiene and appearance rather than learning. There is a strong probability of denial of blame, and possible backchat. You have no evidence as to who exactly dropped the rubbish, so the student grounds for denial of blame are sound.

Strategy 1 – VERBAL REDIRECTION – DIRECTIVE QUESTION plus CUEING – You approach the students and say the following "Hey, guys, this area is pretty badly littered. Could you please give me a hand to pick up some of this rubbish"? Then you proceed to pick up a piece of paper and put it in the bin. This models the behaviour required.

Strategy 2 – GIVE CHOICE (INCORPORATING CONSEQUENCES) – If the students refuse to help, then inform them that unless the area is cleaned, they will not be able to sit there in future, for hygiene reasons.

Strategy 3 – FOLLOW THROUGH – ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES – Move the students from the area, inform the Deputy Principal or Principal of the situation and ensure that they or you monitor the playground the next day to ensure the students do not sit in that area.

7) Having asked a student to commence work, you overhear him swear under his breath at you as you walk away.

This is a Respect issue, impacting primarily on your own pride rather than student learning, providing the volume is low. The danger here is that openly confronting the student may bring face-to-face verbal abuse and a power play.

Strategy 1 – TACTICAL IGNORING – As you had your back to the student, and the comment was made under their breath, they may not have intended you to hear it, and they don't know that you heard it. So pretend you didn't and walk away.

Strategy 2 – INDIVIDUAL CLOSE TALK – If this is not the first time this has happened, or if you feel that the behaviour needs to be addressed, then take the student aside, immediately or at the end of the lesson, and talk about the inappropriateness of the response in a quiet, calm and friendly tone.

Strategy 3 - REMOVE STUDENT FROM ROOM - If the student becomes abusive during individual talk, they may need time to calm down and reflect on their actions (and you need to remove the source of disrespect in your classroom). Direct them to a buddy class or administrator, or HAVE THIRD PARTY REMOVE STUDENT if they refuse to go.

8) You observe two students having a heated verbal argument in the playground

This is a Safety and Respect issue that may have a significant disruptive impact on the environment. The danger to the teacher is that the students may turn on the teacher, or the argument may become physical and the teacher may be hit.

Strategy 1 – PROXIMITY – Move in close to the students and note whether mere presence is sufficient to stop the argument.

Strategy 2 – QUESTION TO REDIRECT – Ask the students whether they have a problem and if they need help solving their problem.

Strategy 3 – GIVE CHOICE (INCORPORATING CONSEQUENCES) – Inform the students that they must either cease the argument immediately, work with you to sort out the argument, or take the argument and themselves to the office where you will seek the help of the deputy/principal to assist them. Allow them 1 minute to make the choice, moving away slightly to give them take-up time and space.

Strategy 4 - FOLLOW THROUGH – ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES

9) You observe two students engaged in a fistfight.

This is a Safety issue requiring immediate and intrusive response. Depending on the age, size and gender of the students, you will choose whether to get involved yourself or seek back-up from someone larger and stronger.

Strategy 1 – PROXIMITY – Move to the immediate vicinity of the fight, in the hope that this will stop the fight without your direct intervention. If this occurs, issue a VERBAL DIRECTION –DIRECTIVE QUESTION, asking the students to come and talk with you, and then use CLOSE TALK to discuss the issue.

Strategy 2 – VERBAL REDIRECTION – DIRECTIVE STATEMENT - If proximity is not enough stop the fight, then calmly but firmly instruct the students to stop fighting immediately. Issue a verbal redirection also to bystanders, directing them to move away from the area. Send one student to the office for teacher back-up if deemed necessary.

Strategy 3 – PHYSICAL RESTRAINT – If the students won't stop, and you have the skills and confidence, you may have to step in and physically restrain one of the students, generally the one you have identified as the aggressor. If both students are large and aggressively involved in the fight, then wait for back-up before intervening physically.

10) Several students are observed not to be wearing the correct safety equipment

This is a Safety and Self-Responsibility violation, and for safety reasons cannot be tactically ignored, even if the behaviour only impacts on the individuals without the safety gear. The only danger to the teacher in getting involved is possible backchat or questioning - "Why do we have to wear the stupid safety gear?"

Strategy 1 – NON-VERBAL DIRECTIONAL ACTION OR ORAL DIRECTIONAL PHRASE – Stop all student work and gain their attention.

Strategy 2 – CURRICULUM REDIRECTION – Ask a question such as "Can anyone tell me why we need to wear safety equipment during this activity?" This points students to the behaviour issue but without targeting anyone specifically. It also establishes the rationale behind the desired behaviour and cues appropriate behaviour

Strategy 3 – INDIVIDUAL CLOSE TALK – For repeat offences, approach students individually and remind them of the safety rules.

11) You observe a student mistreating a piece of equipment.

This is a Respect issue, which may or may not have Safety implications, depending on the piece of equipment. Its impact on the setting will depend on the ownership of the equipment and the manner of mistreatment. The danger to the teacher depends also on the nature of the equipment and the mental state of the student in mistreating the equipment. There could be simple backchat or refusal, but there could also be physical threat.

Strategy 1 – PROXIMITY – Move in close to the vicinity of the student, and note whether your presence is enough to stop the behaviour

Strategy 2 – CALL STUDENT'S NAME and NON-VERBAL REDIRECTION – Grab their attention and then shake your head to say "No more".

Strategy 3 – INDIVIDUAL CLOSE TALK – Move to the student and talk quietly to them about their actions and the task they should be focusing upon.

Strategy 4 – GIVE CHOICE (INCORPORATING CONSEQUENCE) – Inform the student that they either use the equipment correctly, or they will not be permitted to use the equipment for the remainder of the lesson. Allow take-up time (1-2 mins)

12) You observe a student threatening another student with a sharp tool

This is a major Safety issue that requires quick action, so tactical ignoring is not an option. There is a danger of being attacked with the weapon yourself, so proximity to the weapon-bearing student is not an option either.

Strategy 1 – REMOVE REST OF CLASS FROM AREA/ROOM – Ensure the safety of the other students first before intervening in any other way. Have one student go for back-up to the office or class next door. If possible, have the student being threatened move away from the student with the tool.

Strategy 2 – PROXIMITY and VERBAL REDIRECTION – Move close to the student being threatened, and instruct the student with the tool to put it down.

Strategy 3 – PHYSICAL RESTRAINT – Definitely a desperate last resort, used only if you or the victim of the threat are being attacked. Otherwise stay close to the victim and try to calm the offender until back-up arrives.

Strategy 4 - HAVE THIRD PARTY REMOVE STUDENT FROM CLASSROOM – If unable to calm or restrain the student yourself, you may have to wait for the arrival of the crisis team, administration personnel or even the police to resolve the situation.

13) A student is seen to exit the classroom without permission.

This is a Safety and Respect issue, with Safety the overriding factor in choice of response. The impact on the class may be minimal, but the potential danger to the student exiting or school property may be high. The danger for the teacher in getting involved is less than that of not getting involved (legal issues), restricted probably to backchat and defiance.

Strategy 1 CALL STUDENT'S NAME and NON-VERBAL REDIRECTION – From the door, gain the student's attention and gesture for them to return and talk with you

Strategy 2 - QUESTIONING TO REDIRECT – Ask the student where they are going and whether they asked permission to go there. Allow them to answer and to seek permission if their purpose is a legitimate one (especially if a biological function).

Strategy 3 INDIVIDUAL CLOSE TALK or NOTIFY OFFICE – Query other classmates about their knowledge of the student's intended whereabouts. If you were unable to address the student about their behaviour on their departure, talk privately with them about it upon their return to the classroom. If the student does not return within 5-10 minutes or if classmates indicated some unsatisfactory motive in their departure, send a student to the office to notify the deputy/principal.

14) A student arrives at your class visibly upset.

There is no code or rule violation as such, but the potential for disruption through explosive or emotive behaviour, or lack of effort, is present. The danger to the teacher lies in triggering an emotive response from the student, leading to possible verbal or physical abuse.

Strategy 1 – DISTRACTION/DIVERSION – Without necessarily referring directly to the student's emotional state or the possible causes of this, provide a face-saving or calming 'out' for the student. Ask them if they would like to get a drink, or if they would prefer to see a school counsellor or remain outside the classroom for a few minutes. Ask them to take a message to or collect some resource from the office.

Strategy 2 – INDIVIDUAL CLOSE TALK – Take them aside outside the classroom or in a more private area of the classroom and ask them if you can be of any help.

Strategy 3 – MOVE STUDENT IN ROOM – Have the student move to a more private, quiet area of the room to calm themselves and perhaps focus on some different activity eg quiet reading, drawing etc. until ready to rejoin the class.

15) A student with obvious skill and talent continues to hand in sub-standard work.

This is an issue of Effort and Self-Responsibility, of concern to the teacher though not disruptive to the learning setting at all. Many teachers would traditionally define this as a work issue rather than as a behaviour problem. It does not req ire immediate, on-the-spot attention because of its lack of impact on others, but from an educational outcomes perspective, should still be addressed by the teacher. The danger for the teacher in confronting the student is the probability of frustration at student disinterest - "Yeah, whatever" - or the possibility of a power play, especially via student passive resistance – "It's my life and I'll do what I want"

Strategy 1 - INDIVIDUAL CLOSE TALK –Take the student aside at the end of a lesson or schedule an interview during a break, and discuss your feelings about the student's potential and your concerns about their current performance. Speak from the perspective of 'concern' rather than 'disappointment' or 'disgust'.

Strategy 2 - PARENT INTERVIEW – If you cannot get the student to accept some self-responsibility for their education, discuss your concerns with their parents via an interview. The parents may have more influence on the student.

Strategy 3 – WORK AGREEMENTS – Contract with the student as to your minimum requirements for any classwork or assignment via a work agreement. You may assign some form of reinforcement (reward) for meeting or exceeding standards, externally motivating the student in the absence of self-responsibility. You may also assign consequences for failure to meet agreement requirements.

16) As you are giving a demonstration, two girls chat animatedly

This is a Respect issue, disrupting the flow of your teaching and therefore having the potential to impact on all members of the class. At present it is probably only an annoyance to the teacher. The danger to the teacher in openly confronting the students is potential backchat or a power play, primarily as a result of embarrassing the students.

Strategy 1 - PAUSE IN TALK – The teacher stops mid-sentence, the sudden silence highlighting the fact that the teacher feels interrupted by something happening in the class. This may be enough to bring attention to the inappropriate behaviour and cause its cessation.

Strategy 2 – CALL STUDENT'S NAME – The teacher stops the demonstration again, and states the names of the two girls to catch their attention. The teacher may add a non-verbal redirection if desired, or simply gain eye contact. The teacher then recommences the demonstration.

Strategy 3 – MOVE STUDENT IN ROOM – If the behaviour has not ceased, the teacher separates the talkers by moving one of the students to a different location in the room.

17) As you are explaining a skill, a boy sits reading a magazine.

This is a Respect, Effort and Self-Responsibility issue, but is generally non-disruptive to the rest of the class and does not interrupt the teacher's explanation. It therefore could be tactically ignored, though representing a breach of so many codes at once, should probably be addressed. Depending on the nature of the student and the blatancy of the act, there is potential for a power play if the teacher confronts the student openly.

Strategy 1 – PROXIMITY – Continue with the explanation, for the sake of the rest of the class, but if not 'tied' to the blackboard, move in the classroom to a position close to the student. This may be enough to encourage them to pay attention.

Strategy 2 – PROXIMITY WITH TOUCH INTERFERENCE – Still continuing with your explanation, actually touch the magazine the student is reading or flip it closed, and then move away. Do not confiscate the magazine, as this can be interpreted as a significant violation of personal space and can lead quickly to open confrontation.

Strategy 3 – VERBAL REDIRECTION – DIRECTIVE STATEMENT – Instruct the student to close the magazine and pay attention ("David, magazine closed and eyes up here, thanks"). Allow about 30 sec-1 min of take-up time, continuing with the explanation but monitoring peripherally.

18) Two students sitting together constantly talk and rarely complete the required tasks.

This is an Effort and Self-Responsibility issue, probably disrupting the students' own education more than the learning setting itself. The most obvious strategy is to separate the students, but the danger for the teacher in attempting this is the potential for a power play via refusal to follow instructions.

Strategy 1 – GIVE CHOICE (INCORPORATING CONSEQUENCE) – At the beginning of the session or lesson you inform the students of your concerns (using close talk) and give them one last chance to improve their behaviour. They have the choice of sitting together if they can stay focused on the tasks at hand, moving apart now if they feel they can't stay focused, or being moved apart by the teacher if they go off task during the lesson. The teacher allows them 1-2 minutes of take-up time to consider their choice.

Strategy 2 –FOLLOW THROUGH - MOVE STUDENT IN ROOM – If the students choose to sit together but then disrupt, move to the students and direct one of the students to move to an alternative location in the room. Having issued the direction, allow take-up time (1-2 minutes) for this movement to occur.

Strategy 3 – STATE LOGICAL CONSEQUENCE – Should the student refuse to move, state the logical consequence of this – the refusal will be reported to the deputy principal or principal – record brief details of this on the board (name, time, refusal, D.P) and then recommence whatever activity you were involved in.

19) A student verbally threatens you in class, finishing with the comment "I know where you live".

This is a Safety and Respect issue, which can be emotionally disturbing to the teacher and disruptive and disturbing to other students within earshot. The danger in this situation is becoming emotive yourself and engaging the student in a power play ("How dare you talk to me that way" etc). As this is a direct threat, there is also a danger that the student is serious and may follow through with their threat. It must be reported.

Strategy 1 – STATE LOGICAL CONSEQUENCE – Inform the student that you will have to report the threat to the deputy principal or principal. Write down brief details of what was said, by whom, where and when.

Strategy 2 – REMOVE STUDENT FROM CLASSROOM – Because of the emotional impact of the threat on yourself and the class, and the potential for further explosive response, it may be best to remove the student from the setting to a safe area. Instruct the student to proceed to the office, and contact the office via student messenger or intercom to let them know why the student has been sent there.

Strategy 3 – HAVE THIRD PARTY REMOVE STUDENT FROM CLASSROOM – If the student refuses to leave the classroom, contact the deputy principal or principal to come to the room and remove the student.

20) A student swears at you, to your face and in front of the class.

This is a Respect issue, with probable significant disruption to teaching and student learning. Because of the size of the audience, some action must be taken immediately, but the nature of the action will depend very much on the circumstances surrounding the explosive outburst.

Strategy 1 – DISTRACTION/DIVERSION followed by CLOSE PERSONAL TALK – Understanding the reasoning behind their outburst, you may decide to address the issue yourself. You send the student off to get a drink and calm down. Whilst they are gone, you debrief the class on what happened, how you feel about it, what you intend to do next etc. When the student returns, having set the rest of the class a work task, you take the student aside and talk calmly and in a friendly manner with them about the incident. You may at this stage state a logical consequence of the behaviour, if you feel any reparation is required eg apology.

Strategy 2 – STATE LOGICAL CONSEQUENCE and REMOVE STUDENT FROM ROOM

You may decide that neither you nor the student are in an emotional state to effectively deal with the incident, or that the incident was unprovoked on your part. Rather than deal with it in class and disrupt the session any further, you inform the student that the incident must be reported to and dealt with by the administration. You instruct the student to move to the office, and inform the office by student messenger or intercom of the details of the incident. You allow the student take-up time to move.

Strategy 3 – REMOVE REST OF CLASS FROM ROOM – HAVE THIRD PARTY REMOVE STUDENT FROM ROOM - If the student engages in further verbal abuse, you may choose to remove the rest of the class from the classroom to a safer location, and then send for the deputy principal or principal to assist in removing the student to the office.
CHAPTER 6 - What Happens Next?

Interventions Strategies in the Classroom and Playground

The atmosphere in the office is tense. The student sits, head hung low, in the seat beside his anxious mother. Across the desk, the Principal leans back in his chair, arms folded. He exudes authority.

"The problem is, Mrs Smith, that Ben has been suspended three times this year and he hasn't improved his behaviour at all".

"We've had a lot of problems at home", explains Mrs Smith desperately. "Ben hasn't been himself lately, but I know he can try harder. You can, can't you Ben?" Ben nods his head sullenly.

"Yes, well, that's all very well, Mrs Smith, but Ben's had his chances already", responds the Principal. "Haven't you Ben?" Sullen nod from Ben. "Here at Hometown High we value our students, Mrs Smith, and do everything to help them. Within reason, of course. There has to be an end point, you understand."

"But surely there's something else that hasn't been tried with Ben", pleads Mrs Smith. "He does want to stay at this school, don't you Ben?"

"Well, Mrs Smith, Ben should have thought about that before he got his third suspension, shouldn't he", replies the Principal with finality, leaning forward and reaching for some paperwork. "No, I'm sorry, Mrs Smith, but Ben's behaviour leaves me with no other option but to exclude him......."

Such conversations are not uncommon in Principal's offices, though thankfully not as common as many teachers would hope for or the media would presume. From my experience, most Principals are reluctant to suspend or exclude/expel students from their schools, either through empathy for the student, parent or individual situation, concern about their professional reputation at departmental level, the need for student numbers in the school to attract funding, or anxiety regarding school and teacher accountability and possible parent backlash (legal, departmental). On a smaller scale, teachers use similar conversations to eject students from their classrooms or special curriculum activities such as camps and excursions, or to introduce more intrusive and punitive behaviour management techniques. The behaviours that lead to such ejections or impositions are often quite significant, there is no doubt, but occasionally the reasoning behind the action taken is not so sound.

"I HAVE NO OTHER OPTION...". At what point can a Principal or teacher accurately state this. The fact is, in behaviour management, there exists a large range of options that a teacher can choose from in responding to inappropriate behaviour, and for the sake of accountability (in an increasingly litigious society) teachers should ensure that they have investigated and exercised some of these prior to reaching 'the last straw'.

Intervention strategies are implemented for cases where simple classroom correction fails to bring about behaviour change. Whereas classroom correction is focused on bringing about immediate change in acute behaviours to protect the learning environment, intervention strategies are focused on addressing chronic issues to bring about long-term change if possible, in the classroom and the playground. What follows are many, but by no means all, of the behaviour management intervention options available to teachers.

A SUMMARY OF INTERVENTION OPTIONS

Flashcards – a non-verbal strategy involving the presentation of a card on which in pictorial or simple written form is displayed the direction (eg STOP; LISTEN; QUIET).

Rule Reminder Sessions – re-skilling the student in a 1-1 setting on the nature and rationale behind specific classroom and playground rules, involving the teacher or an administrator

Behaviour Charts/Reward Systems – use of visual and/or recorded systems for noting student success at achieving desired behaviour goals, linked to rewards of varying nature (often tangible) for achieving designated targets (eg 5 stars; 20 points; 7 clear days etc). Common in primary schools.

Logical Consequences – The provision or removal of student privileges based on classroom effort and behaviour, or playground behaviour, linked clearly to the behaviours themselves. (eg Drop litter - Pick litter up; Disrupt setting - Temporary removal from setting; Unsafe in playground - Temporary removal from playground)

Structured Behaviour Questioning (utilised by all staff with a specific student) - What are you doing? What should you be doing? Are you going to do it?

Behaviour Monitoring – formal systems identifying target behaviours and recording achievement of these in relation to time, frequency, location etc.

Playground Withdrawal – removal of the student from the playground setting for various amounts of time (minutes to days) as a result of inappropriate behaviour in that setting, in order to encourage reflection and to initiate support for change.

Playground Licences – provision of a written agreement (in card form, laminated), which states the desired playground behaviours. Can be removed for misbehaviour, leading to temporary playground withdrawal. Best in lower to middle primary years.

Playground Monitoring – use of a support person (eg teacher aide) to monitor the student up close or from a distance during breaks. Represents a form of external motivation for the student, as well as external support where peer interactions are a significant cause of behaviour problems

Seating plan – arranging the classroom environment to situate the students where they are least likely to be distracted or disruptive. Can be fixed for all students or single students, may change as a part of the class routine, can be negotiated with students or set by teacher alone.

In-class withdrawal – provision of a reflection desk/area where the student is moved temporarily as a result of their behaviour. Usually linked with some form of restitution (reflection form, completion of task, set time length of appropriate behaviour)

In-class supervision – use of a Parent/Teacher Aide/voluntary helper within the classroom to assist in the provision of attention and correction to students, allowing the teacher to focus on teaching tasks or students with problem behaviours.

Time Out/Cool-Off Cards – use of cards, issued to the student for voluntary use or by the teacher as incidents occur, which allow or direct the student to move to a cool-off or withdrawal area in the classroom or school for a short time, in order that a behaviour pattern can be avoided or ceased.

Exit Plans \- use of card system to warn a student when behaviour is reaching disruptive levels (Yellow card) and to direct that student to the in-class withdrawal area or a buddy class (Red card) if inappropriate behaviour fails to cease despite the warning. The Red Card may also be presented at the office for administration support if the student refuses to respond to teacher direction (unsafe, unmanageable).

Subject Withdrawal/Changes \- the student is removed from the subject or class in which they misbehave, for a temporary period whilst support processes are undertaken, or permanently. Serves to break the cycle of interaction.

Buddy Systems – use of other classes and teachers for temporary, immediate withdrawal of students with problem behaviours. Usually linked to some form of restitution, such as a reflection plan, completion of work etc.

Behaviour Agreements – written agreements between teacher and student (with parent/admin support) outlining behaviour expectations, goals, possible rewards for success etc. Best developed through discussion and negotiation rather than imposition.

Small Group/Whole Class Social Skilling \- provision of information and strategies to achieve appropriate behaviour goals, presented to a target group only or to all students. Social skills are best presented in the social context rather than to the individual in isolation from the setting.

Withdrawal Sessions \- the student works 1-1 with a teacher aide or support person (eg chaplain, counsellor) in a location within or outside the classroom, receiving extra support in curriculum areas where learning difficulties exist (eg literacy/numeracy). May help to overcome work frustrations that lead to problem behaviours.

1-1 Behaviour work with Support Teacher/Deputy Principal/Counsellor – withdrawal of the student to work individually with support personnel. Useful for student reflection, provision of attention or positive experiences, removal from peer pressure, or confidential counselling. Not particularly useful for social skilling.

Counselling – provided by a trained Psychologist or School Counsellor, this can target emotional factors outside the experience and control of the classroom teacher. Generally a slow process, but can be very effective if given time and support.

Use of Appropriate Mentors – linking the student with personnel within the school or from outside (background checks necessary) who represent positive role models for the student and help to support them through the process of behaviour change. May be an older student, another teacher, a significant community member (eg sporting identity) etc. Time spent with this person is built into the timetable.

Peer Mentoring – providing the student with the opportunity to work with and support younger students in their curriculum activities. Useful in providing positive school experiences and opportunities for approval, responsibility and building trust.

Visits by External Agency personnel – use of external specialists within the school setting, targeting source problems outside the locus of control of the teacher. Links with the school setting improve communications and intervention focus.

Case conferencing/Parent Interviews – enlisting the support of the parent and other school personnel to discuss the student behaviour and formulate responses. Eases the burden for the class teacher, and introduces new ideas and approaches.

Mediation – introducing a neutral third person, who can listen to the teacher's viewpoint and the student's viewpoint and suggest possible strategies to resolve ineffective interactions. Useful when the situation has become highly emotive, and both sides view the other as the problem.

Individual Behaviour Management Plans (IBMP) – used when most school B.M plan strategies have been exhausted, or when individual circumstances warrant introduction of other strategies. Allows new individualised strategies to be introduced, and significant modification of behaviour goals, curriculum, school attendance, educational outcomes etc. Negotiated following case conferencing, with support and input from all significant stakeholders.

Voluntary Parent Contact – the parent is phoned by the school and presented with the following options:

a) Ignore the problem and let school handle it

b) Talk to the child on the phone

c) Parent supervision of student at school

d) Voluntary withdrawal of student for remainder of day

Usually introduced after suspension, when the likelihood of further suspension is high, or as part of an IBMP. Used in emergent situations when the student behaviour borders on unmanageable for the school (unsafe, defiant), allowing the parent to have control of the outcomes.

Modified School Attendance – the use of graduated re-entry/reduced hours/reduced days to maximise student success at re-entering or remaining within the school environment. Generally used as part of an IBMP. Linked with support by teacher aide, counsellor, mentor. Attendance is negotiated and reviewed regularly in relation to the achievement of behaviour goals.

Referral to internal and external agencies – the formal seeking of professional support as personal support strategies are exhausted, usually involving case conferencing and completion of standardised referral processes by teacher and/or parent.

eg Counsellor/Paediatrician/Mental Health/ Community Health

Alternative Education Program (linked to IMBP) – provision of a significantly modified education program, possibly involving personnel and activities outside the school or on other campuses, to meet the student's needs and achieve designated behavioural and/or educational outcomes. The AEP may run only during a period of suspension, or in place of the normal school program, with duration dependent on student participation, achievement of goals and available resources.

Suspension – removal of the student from the campus for a designated period of time. Serves a purpose in breaking cycles of behaviour and interaction, in providing the student with reflection time away from peer and teacher influences, and possibly highlighting the privileges of school attendance (educational support, social interaction). Generally ineffective unless supported and monitored by the parent/caregiver, or if no support structures/strategies are put in place on the student's re-entry to the school.

Should always be followed by a re-entry process (eg meeting)

Home Education – enrolment of the student in an externally-provided home education program. This is useful for students unable to cope with the social demands and behavioural expectations of the school setting (especially those with contributing medical/emotional factors). Where the home environment is lacking, Home Ed. can be delivered on-campus with teacher aide support in a withdrawal setting. Rarely successful unless the parent/caregiver is highly supportive, capable and involved, and the student has motivation to learn.

Dual enrolment – used as an Alternative Education Program, where permissible, to modify a student's normal school program to make it more relevant, motivating, or job-focused. The curriculum is made up of core school subjects, plus subjects from Home Education programs or Vocational Education.

Work Placement or Community Service program \- the student's curriculum program is modified by the addition of work experience outside the school environment (generally linked to specific lesson attendance and/or behaviour goals). The work experience provides motivation, and opportunities for development of responsibility, work ethic, trust and exposure to positive role modelling. For younger students, peer mentoring must be used as the alternative as legally they cannot participate in work experience.

Supervised visit to alternative campus \- the student is escorted by a support teacher, parent or admin. member on a visit of another school, to investigate the curriculum activities and physical environment. Used when exclusion seems imminent, or change of campus seems a viable alternative to continued problems at the existing campus. May motivate the student to modify behaviour to remain at current school, or take steps to change schools.

Exclusion/Expulsion – removal of the student from the campus and the school enrolment for an extended period (remainder of school year, specified period, permanently). Used as a result of extreme behaviour incidents on campus (especially involving violence or of a criminal nature), or following extended periods of unchanged inappropriate behaviours that have exhausted the school's behaviour resources.
CHAPTER 7 - Going The Distance

Strategies to encourage Teacher Resilience

This chapter is devoted to self-management rather than student or classroom management. As stated earlier in this manual, Behaviour management is managing your own behaviour in order to influence the behaviour of others, to get what you want. Recent studies in Australia have identified that many teacher graduates do not last more than 5 years in the classroom before finding a job in another profession. Other more global research indicates that the average adult will have 5 jobs in their lifetime. If a teacher is going to survive in the field of education, as I have done for 33 years to date, then they are going to need a few strategies to assist them to be resilient in the face of the slings and arrows of outrageous students, co-workers, parents, administrators and career demands. What follows are tried and true examples of such strategies.

1. BE A PROFESSIONAL, NOT A PERSONAL

A teacher must learn to get their head in and out of the game - that is, they need to be able to switch on and off from being a teacher, and know the difference. Some teachers don't make the transition from personal (the self at home and in the outside world) to professional (the self paid to educate and responsible for the safety and learning of others). There is a difference.

The Professional must control language, emotion, action draw upon specific management and teaching strategies, be organised, punctual, efficient, participate in meetings and professional development, tolerate the relevant and the irrelevant, eat, drink and carry out biological functions to a timetable and relate positively and respectfully to people who don't always deserve it, all whilst delaying or prioritising personal needs satisfaction. The Personal can pursue their needs satisfaction to their hearts content, without necessarily considering the needs of others. Teaching from the personal is therefore more spontaneous, emotive, aimed at needs satisfaction through the workplace, and inherently dangerous.

On the other hand, some teachers don't make the transition from Professional to Personal at the end of the day. They take their work and their work frustrations home with them, subjecting the rest of their family or friends to neglect, dull conversations, misplaced anger and depression, and failing to reward themselves at the end of the day for their successes.

The easiest way to make the transition from Personal to Professional and back in teaching is through routines and rituals, including the changing of clothing, jewellery (especially watches), procedures on arrival and departure from school, timetabling of any home work commitments to set locations and hours of the day, bans on work discussion on certain days and holidays, allocation of debriefing time, exercise and shopping regimes at the end of the day etc.

2. MEET YOUR NEEDS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL

William Glasser identified that we have 5 dominant needs in life - Survival, Love and Belonging, Personal Power, Fun and Enjoyment and Freedom. To be resilient in teaching, the teacher must ensure they work to satisfy these needs outside the school gates, rather than seeking to fulfil them through teaching. Looking to co-workers and students to satisfy one's needs is a pathway to frustration and disappointment. The magnitude of each need differs with each individual, and varies from time to time as life progresses and changes, so teachers need to regularly reflect on their own life satisfaction, and make adjustments and actively seek fulfilment. I practise this by remembering the following philosophy, borrowed from the movie "City Slickers" - The meaning of Life is one thing. A certain pathway to life contentment is to always have one significant interest or pursuit occurring in one's life outside of school. It can be a new hobby, a new sport, a new relationship, a new addition to the family, a planned holiday, a new purchase, saving for something special, an impending social event. Anything that represents the satisfaction of a dominant need, that captures one's attention outside of school (or during recesses) and the thought of which helps overcome the frustrations or makes up for the more dull, routine aspects of teaching itself

3. WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH DON'T GO

Teaching is one of the few jobs where you actually have to plan to be sick, preparing lessons for the substitute teacher as your nose runs, your head pounds, you vomit in the toilet or nurse the broken limb. For this reason, many teachers don't take a sick day at all, but go to work and attempt to be professional. Similarly, teachers often feel guilty if calling in sick when issues are emotional and stress-related, rather than physical, and so attend school when their head is not truly in the game.

Physical or emotional illness puts the teacher into Survival mode in terms of Glasser's needs. When people are in Survival mode, their feelings, thoughts and even biology self-centred and dominant, making it harder to focus on the needs and demands of others. A teacher in Survival mode is prone to cause relationship damage with co-workers and students because they have less patience, tolerance and empathy. They can also spread germs and viruses to others. So, stay home if you're not physically or emotionally healthy.

4. DON'T OVER-MANAGE

Teachers who over-manage are the most disruptive elements in their own classrooms. Trying to stay on top of every single student behaviour, disruptive or non-disruptive, is time-consuming, interrupts teaching, damages teacher-student relationships, and is virtually impossible. Learn to prioritise behaviours, tactically ignore or selectively attend to behaviours, practise selective deafness and blindness, walk away, laugh off rather than shout at. The circumstances of all behaviours need to be taken into consideration before action is taken, so consider school rules and procedures to be guidelines rather than doctrine. Remember that teachers are facilitators of learning, not police officers, even in the playground. Don't go into the classroom or the school yard looking for trouble and subsequently creating it.

5. FIGHT YOUR BIOLOGY

The enemy of non-emotive, logical, least-intrusive behaviour management is a human biological safety mechanism - the Fight or Flight Reflex. It is triggered when our senses detect threat, and student behaviours are often perceived as this threat, particularly where Respect is the behaviour code being violated. The easiest way for a student to trigger a teacher's Fight or Flight response is to refuse to comply \- saying "No" to a request, or even worse, "You can't make me". The Fight or Flight response causes elevated heart rate and blood pressure, muscle tension, inner thoughts of anger, worry or fear, rapid breathing and prepares the teacher to either fight the student or run away, neither of which is very professional.

Teachers need to recognise their own signs of anxiety (body signals) , their own triggers for anxiety (sensitivity buttons) and learn to control them or respond proactively when they appear (eg walk away from or remove the student causing them, practise deep breathing, use positive self-talk). Whatever the student is dishing up, the teacher needs to keep their half of the relationship bridge unburnt.

6. OFFER A MOVING TARGET

In World War 2, pilots were instructed 'Never fly straight and level in the combat zone for more than 30 seconds' in order to avoid being shot down. The same applies to teacher proximity. Teachers who gravitate to the same area for too long are either going to miss behaviours occurring in other areas of the classroom or playground, or open themselves up to hearing and seeing behaviours they don't want to encounter (especially student secondary behaviours after a student has been corrected or directed). Constant teacher movement implies vigilance, alertness, and interest.

When someone is rude, disrespectful, ignores you or dislikes you, would you spend your free time hanging out with them? No, it is not logical. Then why do so many teachers spend their recesses in detention with students who fit this bill. Use immediate strategies in classtime to deal with such students (time-out in reflection, removal to buddy class etc), or have the 1-minute detention (end of lesson chat) rather than punish yourself at your well-deserved and needed recess break.

7. "I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN WITH THE SKILLS I HAVE

All teachers have different skill sets and levels of experience. Sometimes these skills are enough to get by, sometimes they aren't. A beginning teacher should not feel guilty or worried that they can't manage students as well as a more experienced teacher. A more experience teacher shouldn't feel guilty that they lack the contemporary knowledge or skills of the beginning teacher. What each teacher should do is acknowledge where they are at, and then seek more skills as the need arises. Lifelong learning is not just for students. And supervisors/administrators are school support personnel for teachers. So, if a supervisor/administrator is critical of a teacher's skill set, then the teacher should request that this supervisor/administrator do their job and provide the avenue for skill enhancement, rather than beat themselves up that they have failed or unworthy of the teaching profession.

8. MAKE YOUR VOCATION YOUR VACATION

Earlier, I stated that teachers should meet their needs outside of the school gates, so they are not emotionally dependent on the job. That doesn't mean that a teacher can't find ways to make their (already full) need cups overflow by actively incorporating needs-satisfying activities into the curriculum and daily routine. I find lots of Fun and Enjoyment by joining in the sports and games that I teach my students, or writing short poems and stories that feature my students. I run to work and back, exercising a need for Freedom and Personal Power. I laugh with my students and colleagues, and occasionally socialise with co-workers, exercising a need for Love and Belonging. Every day, at 3pm, I exercise my need for Freedom. Actively look for those opportunities that give you bonus needs satisfaction at work.

Similarly, keep finding roles with teaching that use and challenge your skillset and interest. All teachers have Personal Power needs, to make their mark on the world and show knowledge and strength. To remain in teaching for the long haul, and not seek a further 4 careers in one's lifespan, a teacher will have to re-invent and re-invigorate their teaching career, taking on new job roles and responsibilities, seeking promotion or transferring to new schools and areas.

# ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter Miles is an Australian English and Physical Education teacher, as well as a Special Educator and Classroom Behaviour Management Specialist. In 2003 he published the Behaviour Management text "Don't Just Stand There, Yell Something! through McGraw-Hill, then released its follow-up "If You Can't Beat Them, Teach Them" as an ebook in 2006. In 2006 he also wrote and compiled the "Better Behaviour Better Learning Professional Development Suite" for Education Queensland, which was provided to all schools. For any information or follow-up on his work, contact him at bmskills@bigpond.com

