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Fiona Docherty Reflective Journal Assignment One Analyse how your future development as a classroom practitioner has been and continues to be informed by blending these reports with your own further evidence on behaviour management Introduction The importance of behaviour management within the classroom never ceases to dominate educational journals, articles and books. Ofsted state that a classroom cannot be a safe learning environment without the effective use of behaviour management1. As a teacher, one of your roles is not only to teach but to ensure that pupils have a clear understanding of rules and regulations not only in the classroom but within society as a whole. It is these key elements that the 2005 Steer Report2 decided to focus on. The aim of the report was to look at ways in which behaviour management within schools can be improved upon and how relationships between key stakeholders can be further developed. The key outcomes of the report are as follows: •

When there are instances of bad behaviour, intervention must occur swiftly and be carried out intelligently and effectively. In essence, intervention has to be thought through properly in that the child fully understands his or her misbehaviour and how to rectify it in future. In many respects this is associated with the new ethos of reconciliation, which encourages pupils to think about the impact of their actions and how they can develop their behaviour in the long term.

•

Teachers have to be more aware of their rights when taking disciplinary action so that they in turn can become more confident when dealing with more challenging pupils. This extends to outside the school gate and ensuring that pupils are aware of this3.

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Ofsted 2008 Steer Report (revised in 2009) 3 P8 Steer Report 2

Fiona Docherty

•

Consistency of discipline within the school will in turn create an ethos which does not tolerate misbehaviour. Subsequently, pupils will be less inclined to misbehave as they are aware that all members of staff are using the same disciplinarian structure and that bad behaviour will not be tolerated.

•

Communication amongst internal and external stakeholders will foster positive relationships, which in turn will help minimise negative conduct by pupils at school and at home. Building strong relationships with parents is integral to this idea as the parents have the power to influence the behaviour of their child and if there is a continued and consistent ethos at home and at school it is likely the child will adopt this positive behaviour model.

The striking theme that appears to run through these recommendations is that clear

communication

is

essential

for

ensuring

effective

behaviour

management. Clarity in giving out punishment is essential for the child to understand how their behaviour is negative, clarity in communicating to other members of staff to ensure that pupils are being treated fairly within a consistent framework and finally, clear communication with parents to ensure that behaviour management is taking place at home. In light of these recommendations, which are influenced by behavioural theories, this written assignment will focus on my personal experiences of behaviour management and how suggestions made by the Steer Report and others could influence my future practice as a teacher.

Behaviour policies

Fiona Docherty Clear and consistent rules are needed to ensure that the classroom is a safe and effective learning environment4. This is one of the outcomes of the Steer Report, which emphasises the need for schools to have a comprehensible disciplinary procedure to guarantee acceptable pupil behaviour. Rules and certain behaviour policies however, are very much dependent on the context of the school. In my opinion, without an understanding of the pupils, the area and indeed the socio-economic context, one is unable to implement effective behavioural policies. In other words, the policies should reflect the need and attitudes of the pupils. The context of my school is that it serves a number of pupils from socially deprived backgrounds who often encounter serious issues outside of the school gates. There is also a significant proportion of pupils who have SEN and EAL needs and who require additional support from the school. Given this context it is not surprising that the whole school behaviour policy is concise, clear and effective. The policy is based on a level system which sees the ‘punishment’ escalate as the pupils’ behaviour continually deteriorates. Furthermore, the system sees the removal of extremely challenging pupils to the Unit, which acts as a safe room for them to calm themselves down. The fact that the level system is not only visually displayed but also verbally conveyed reflects the needs of the pupils. They require constant and consistent awareness of the rules and the consequences of their implementation. Clearly, the school does acknowledge the need for a clear behaviour policy and this is demonstrated by what has been discussed above. In line with the Steer report the school does accept the importance of creating a safe and effective learning environment, even if that means a pupil is removed from the lesson for the greater educational good of the rest.

Lesson Objectives

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Steer Report

Fiona Docherty Pupils require a clear understanding about the aim of the lesson and how they will achieve it. It is for this reason that learning objectives have to be clearly seen and understood by all pupils within the class. It gives the lesson a purpose and in turn ensures pupils have a clear focus. I have found that lesson objectives have become increasingly important in focusing my pupils and allowing them to understand the focus of the lesson. Furthermore, I have found that by referring back to the lesson objectives on a regular basis, the pupils are able to connect the tasks they are participating in with the lesson objectives. Indeed, this became evident to me when, on one occasion, I failed to have clear lesson objectives on the board. Although I verbally conveyed what I wished the pupils to do I felt there was more low level disruption. It became a realisation that pupils needed to know how the activities they were participating in were helping them develop their subject knowledge. This I would argue is connected with the overarching theme of the Steer Report, which is all about communicating effectively with pupils to ensure ‘good’ behaviour. When creating lesson objectives I look at what I want the pupils to achieve from a section of the text book, which is BTEC First Business Studies. Subsequently, I have to translate what the book states into accessible language for my pupils ensuring that through my lesson objectives, I am able to differentiate my pupils, for example using the good (bronze), very good (silver) and the best (gold) to ensure that all my pupils feel positively about achieving the lesson objectives, regardless of their ability. This is also in line with Bloom’s Taxonomy and enables some differentiation5 within the lesson, which has made pupils ‘competitive’ to achieve the gold standard. Assessing whether lesson objectives have been met is essential, as otherwise there is no real point in creating them. I found that having my lesson objectives at the beginning and the end of the lesson helped pupils re-focus and reflect on whether the lesson had indeed achieved its aim. In the lessons I was able to do this in, I often asked pupils to raise their hands if they felt they had achieved each one of my lesson objectives. Although I found this method 5

Steer Report, p98 which argues that inclusion is important to satisfy the educational needs of all pupils

Fiona Docherty to be useful for my assessment I believe there are better methods to assess whether the learning objectives have been met. Therefore, in order to provide greater inclusion in my lessons I want to develop new techniques such as the traffic light system or mini whiteboards. I believe that there is more I can do to communicate my lesson objectives to my pupils and this is something that will need constant development. I need to find new ways to weave my lesson objectives into the lesson itself, whether that’s through making it clear what piece of work is connected with a certain lesson objective through verbal or written means or through the pupils. That is, getting the pupils to create the lesson objectives themselves and developing their PLTS skills in the process. It is clear though, with regard to behaviour management, that in setting clear objectives to one’s lesson, one is able to alleviate some of the initial behaviour management issues, such as lack of focus which results in small disruptions within the learning environment. I in turn want to develop a range of ways to convey clear lesson objectives to my pupils to ensure that their learning experience is maximised. Planning, Teaching, Student assessment The Steer report argues that pupils require appropriate and engaging lessons to ensure a successful learning experience6. This is echoed by the DCSF who stated in the 2009 Improving the Quality of Teaching and Learning7 that teachers have to be clear about the teaching objectives in lessons, and that the sequence of teaching and learning in the subject is communicated to pupils8. This of course is connected with the above reflection but lesson objectives can only be successful when the lesson is planned appropriately and when the teaching is confidently delivered. Pupils require an understanding, whether subliminal or conscious, of how a lesson develops their understanding. Planning a lesson that runs 6

Steer Report, p43. DCSF Improving the Quality of Teaching and Emailing 2009 8 DCSF, p22 2009 7

Fiona Docherty smoothly in sequence is no mean feat and something which I’ve discovered requires a great deal of skill and some innovation. I have also discovered how not planning appropriately can seriously affect the behaviour of pupils. When I have planned a lesson which has a clear outcome with a range of resources such as group packs, starter activities and worksheets, I found that pupils never had the opportunity to get distracted or go off task. Of course there are always a few exceptions but the majority of pupils enjoyed having a purpose and thus had a greater focus. This in turn developed my confidence as a teacher as I was secure in the knowledge of what my pupils would be learning and how they would be learning. The key factor was that with secure subject knowledge I was able to motivate my pupils and focus my energies on those who require additional help as well as providing extension tasks for the more able. Effective planning also meant I was able to assess the progress of pupils and give them the opportunity to assess themselves. Finally, the key factor of effective planning ensured that I had time to evaluate the lesson and identify what could have gone better. Of course, not every lesson can be planned in such a manner and I have realised that without properly considering the needs of your pupils, lessons can easily descend into ‘mayhem’, where pupils begin to misbehave. Without having proper resources available or appropriate tasks for the class, I found it difficult to gain their engagement and in turn had to use the behaviour management system more frequently. It also stopped me helping those pupils who were not misbehaving but lost focus as my energies were being directed elsewhere. This cycle would inevitably end with an unproductive lesson and the inability to really assess what pupils had learnt. These lessons would however, provide me with ample opportunities to evaluate and help me understand the key relationship between planning, teaching, student assessment and evaluation. To conclude on this reflection, it is clear that without having an understanding of the needs of your pupils and indeed finding interesting and diverse teaching strategies, your lessons can easily affect the behaviour of pupils. Lesson planning is an essential factor in securing a safe and nurturing learning environment where all pupils have the chance to learn.

Fiona Docherty Conclusion As the saying goes, one can only learn from one’s mistakes. Looking at my reflections on rules, learning objectives and the planning, teaching, student assessment and evaluation cycle, I have realised that these key areas have a great impact on behaviour management. You cannot create a ‘safe learning environment’ unless clear rules are followed, that pupils are aware of the point of the lesson and planning, which ensures that you can get every pupil to be engaged and occupied. This is very much in line with the Steer Report, which emphasises the need for a “purposeful learning environment”9 which has an impact on pupils’ learning and behaviour. These reflections have been particularly useful in my professional development as a teacher. They have enabled me to identify areas of improvement and made me aware of the different factors which affect pupil behaviour. The Steer Report has also broadened my awareness of the various factors which affect pupils’ behaviour within lessons. I will in turn use these reflections to improve my practice and to ensure that behaviour management becomes my secondary consideration, after pupil learning.

Bibliography

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Steer Report, p93