Teacher Pointer

Good teaching is the best form of behaviour management there is in the classroom.  Effective differentiation, interactive activities and engaging questioning will always encourage children to involve themselves in their learning, but equally as important are the guidelines and nurturing that is offered in order to make all that possible.

Children thrive on routine and effective schools encourage this through clear behaviour expectations that illustrate very clearly what is expected and what isn’t.

Sometimes, however, despite all of your best efforts, children don’t behave in the way we expect of them. The teacher’s first job in this situation is to find out why.

Some of the worst classroom management that I have seen involves a blame culture where children are labelled, which almost encourages misbehaviour.  Reflective teachers consider why children are misbehaving as much the actual behaviour itself and in doing so will usually, through positive behaviour management, find ways that they can help children to do the right thing, but sometimes children just don’t want to fit in, or they feel like they can’t. 

Learning issues, troubles at home or tiredness can manifest themselves in extreme classroom behaviour. As a teacher you get to know your children personally as well as professionally, so by taking the time to explore these gut reactions further might answer the question of abnormal behaviour. 

The key, however, should a teacher have any concerns like these, is to seek advice from the school’s senior management team and to build relationships with parents through effective and positive communication. 

Children who get trapped in cycles of bad behaviour often cannot see a way out, but one of the most rewarding roles you can have is working with parents to identify problems and where possible facilitate solutions that will help children build confidence, contribute and develop into active and successful learners.