To understand student behaviour in our classroom circumstances

Aim

To understand student behaviour in our classroom circumstances.

Evidence and reflection

Reflect on the proposition that student actions relate both to the person they are and to the situation they are in. Consider:

• How far do you really understand, and make connections with, the circumstances of your students’ lives?
• Do students feel engaged by the curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and relationships you are providing?
• How are things going in terms of the progression of classroom relationships and behaviour over time?

It would be very valuable to discuss these issues with a colleague, so that there is an exchange of insights.

Extension

It would be excellent to make a visual recording of some periods of classroom practice to review and discuss in terms of the questions above.

Having developed a deeper understanding, the question becomes: What to do next? It is often helpful to map scenarios for consideration. Such analysis provides a foundation for successful behavioural strategies.

More in this chapter

• To explore and understand a school's policies and practices with regard to behaviour management
• To review the repertoire of strategies for managing behaviour which we typically use
• To consider strategies appropriate to managing different behavioural challenges
• To investigate one's classroom management skills
• To pre-empt general misbehaviour and to reduce incidents of inappropriate behaviour
• To evaluate the beginning of a session and to consider areas for improvement
• To monitor periods of transition in your own teaching
• To review the end of a session and identify areas for improvement
• To monitor responses to a classroom crisis
• To consider your view of disruptive behaviour
• To record incidents of ongoing 'problem' behaviour
• To analyse and reflect on your management of specific behaviour
• To consider the range of sanctions operating in your school
• To reflect on classroom management and discipline