Managing

classroom
behaviour
A publication commissioned by ATL from Chris Watkins

Professional
development series

Trainee NQ /
probationer
ATL is the union for education professionals across the UK.
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Contents
Foreword 2

Preface 3
Some starting thoughts about the context 3
Using this publication 4
The language and style of this book 4
Some basic principles underlying this book 4

1. Introduction 5
The big picture on behaviour 5
Schools make a difference 6
Different schools make different differences 6
Understanding the classroom 7
Key features of the classroom situation 7
Explaining difficult behaviour 8
Why reactive approaches are not effective 8
A word about punishment 9

2. What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom? 10

Classroom incidents – aiming to respond rather than react 10
Teachers’ ways of conveying to pupils that behaviour is inappropriate 11
Responding to aggression assertively 11
How can I get myself to react less? 12
What the pupil says next 13
Managing conflict 14
The deviance-provocative teacher and the deviance-insulative teacher 15
Classroom patterns 15
A final thought 23

3. Making sense of an individual’s behaviour 24

Making sense of behaviour in groups 25

4. Getting help from other people 26

5. The wider school context 27

6. Other resources 28
Foreword
Behaviour management remains a key issue for all teachers and education support staff.
This publication has been produced to support ATL members in the challenges they face
in managing the behaviour of children and young people in the classroom.
ATL is committed to the view that educators have a key role to play in managing the
behaviour of all children, which is not always an easy task, particularly when children
exhibit threatening or violent behaviour.
This publication addresses the issues of what can be done about difficult behaviour in the
classroom and offers strategies for making sense of an individual’s behaviour. As always,
ATL is here to offer you support and guidance via your school rep, branch secretary or
ATL’s London office if further help or advice is required.
Many teachers and education support staff complain that support and training for the
core task of classroom management doesn’t meet their needs. Coverage of behaviour
management is inconsistent in initial teacher training, nor is it adequately addressed
in INSET programmes. This is why ATL has gone further; as well as producing this
publication to support members, ATL also runs a number of sector-specific behaviour
management courses that members can attend as part of their ongoing continuing
professional development. Courses include Behaviour management and Managing
extreme behaviour, which offer strategies for managing demanding situations as they
arise in the classroom. ATL also provides support for members regarding SEN, which
often impacts strongly on classroom behaviour. We have produced a practical publication
entitled Achievement for all with helpful support for school staff, and we make high level
policy representations to Government on SEN and behaviour.
Further details and booking information on all ATL’s courses can be found at
www.atl.org.uk/learningzone or by contacting ATL’s training department by email at
www.atl.org.uk/learning or by calling 020 7782 1582.

Dr Mary Bousted
General secretary

Please note that throughout this publication, the text refers to and addresses ‘the teacher
working in the classroom’. However, the information and advice featured in Managing
classroom behaviour will also be of direct relevance to the work of other staff who are
directly involved in the delivery of education.

2 Foreword
Preface
This publication takes the perspective of classroom staff, ie the teacher and
support staff, in addressing classroom behaviour. In some ways it contrasts
with publications which take more of the perspective of the senior manager
or policy-maker. It offers ideas and frameworks for all classroom staff to
consider when faced with difficulties which may arise in classrooms. In that
way it supports professional reflection and development. It is not guidance
on what to do in an emergency in your school, nor is it legal guidance.

There are a number of reasons for looking at this Nevertheless, many classroom staff feel that
issue in more detail. behaviour is deteriorating. That feeling is real and
is worthy of concern. What is clear is that some
•• From regular surveys with teachers, we know that
responses to difficult behaviour have become more
managing classroom behaviour remains a key
used. For example, despite the use of strategies
issue for staff across schools.
such as managed moves, the number of temporary
•• Media’s reporting of negative school behaviour and permanent exclusions is still worryingly high.
grows ever more intensive, with negative impacts But this cannot be taken at face value as a direct
on public views of schools, pupils and staff. reflection of changed pupil behaviour. Rather, it can
•• The availability of adequate support and training be seen as a reflection of the reactive approach
on classroom management, behaviour and SEN encouraged by central Government policy-making
has often been ‘hit and miss’ as it competes and legislation over a number of years.
against school improvement priorities and training
It also relates to the growth of pupil referral units.
on Government edicts.
The picture is therefore one of an escalating
•• A weighty curriculum and assessment system, situation where increasingly reactive provision is put
high-stakes accountability and inter-school in place. When such a process has been started it is
competition can lead to increasing isolation and difficult to stop, without an explicit reversal of policy.
stress for teachers, which sometimes shows up in
more reactive attitudes towards pupil behaviour. The education system is now more divided and
divisive than a decade ago, thanks to forces such as
•• The decline of external services and local
increased marketisation of schools and the resulting
structures which support multi-agency working
competition between them. This competition is likely
undermines informed and proactive approaches
to undermine strategies such as managed moves
to some levels of pupil need and its impact on
which, when handled well, provided an alternative
classroom behaviour, particularly those within the
to permanent exclusion for pupils. Undoubtedly,
SEN range.
this has had an impact on how matters of difficult
behaviour are handled; there is a more widespread
Some starting thoughts about
sense that exclusion is an acceptable response and
the context in the process, some young people are losing their
Is school behaviour getting worse? If we believed right to full-time education.
only what we see in the media we might think that
behaviour in schools is deteriorating, but there is
no research which could provide us with evidence
that pupil behaviour is becoming worse, or better
for that matter.

Preface 3
Using this publication Some basic principles
The main section, ‘What can I do about difficult underlying this book
behaviour in my classroom?’, offers you a series Teaching is a highly skilled activity which makes a
of considerations and possible lines of action, but real difference. One of the differences it makes is to
is not a book of recipes. The order of the ideas is pupils’ behaviour. Reactive approaches to difficult
from the immediate to the longer term, beginning behaviour can, and do, make matters worse.
with incidents then moving to patterns in classroom
behaviour. When behaviour is a concern, it is often effective
to identify and examine the patterns which exist
Ideas for spotting those patterns are given on in that behaviour. Patterns in school behaviour,
page 15, linking to the other headings in the text. even sometimes in a single incident, draw our
In this way you should find the most relevant attention to a range of influences. It is useful to
considerations for your concerns. consider these influences and to recognise them at
Although this book was not designed to be read individual, classroom and organisational level. This
from cover to cover, you might find value in reading book focuses on the classroom level in the main,
areas which are not your most immediate concern; with brief reference to patterns at individual and
single sections have less impact on their own, and organisational levels.
their context is always important. It is not the sort
of publication which is peppered with references,
but each of the ideas and almost every paragraph
is linked to well-researched studies. Individual

The language and style of Classroom

this book Organisation

The term ‘school behaviour’ is used in the
introduction:
School staff should be aware that the law associated
•• as a reminder that the behaviour which occurs with the management of behaviour is often changed,
in a school is influenced by teachers, pupils and for example, regulations for searching, restraint and
features of the organisation; thinking about pupil the organisation of detentions. Please refer to ATL’s
behaviour requires more than thinking about website at www.atl.org.uk for up-to-date information
pupils. and guidance.
•• as a reminder that everyone’s behaviour is
influenced by context; so let’s be clear that we’re
concerned with pupil behaviour in a classroom or
school only, their behaviour elsewhere might be
very different.

Teaching is a highly skilled activity

which makes a real difference.
One of the differences it makes is
to pupils’ behaviour

4 Preface
1. Introduction
‘Young people today think of nothing but themselves. They have no
reverence for parents or old age.’ Who said that? Peter the Hermit. When?
1274. And we could quote from even earlier sources to remind us that the
behaviour of young people is an age-old concern. This is not to minimise
that concern, but to set it in context.

There are real concerns which we share about The big picture on behaviour
some young people’s behaviour because it may on
Behaviour in most schools is good. The national
occasion damage them, their relationships, their
picture from inspection reports regularly shows this.
education and chances of a satisfying future or, in
But it is a different picture to that which is portrayed
the worst examples, it may demonstrate the damage
in some sections of the press. Such reports have
which has been done to them.
a role in amplifying deviance. As a result, many
But it is pretty difficult to hold on to those concerns people in the UK believe there is much more crime
about pupil well-being when someone is behaving than there actually is in the country as a whole,
in a way that we find rude or aggressive, or when and difficulties in pupil behaviour are especially
we feel they are personally attacking us, or when distorted. The problem is that people do seem to
we feel they demonstrate zero deference. All of this believe such accounts. The media paint a portrait
can happen with pupils in classrooms, and with of schools where teachers are regularly subject to
colleagues in the staffroom! intimidation and assault. Yet this is not the case from
So how can we keep all the concerns in an effective available records. Research and teacher surveys find
balance? By continuing to keep things in context, that the behaviours that teachers most often deal
and by illuminating the behaviour which concerns with are repetitious low-level forms such as ‘talking
us, and our response to it. This section looks at the out of turn’, ‘calculated idleness or work avoidance’,
context by concentrating on three aspects: ‘hindering other pupils’ or ‘making unnecessary
(nonverbal) noise’; all of which are frustrating and
•• understanding ‘the big picture’ on school stressful, but they are not the level of difficulties
behaviour more frequently reported.
•• understanding the classroom
It is useful to consider what purpose is served by
•• looking at ways of explaining difficult behaviour. amplifying a problem. Such amplification promotes
a distorted picture, and action based on such a
picture can bring about a deterioration rather than
improvement to a situation. In many staffrooms
there are voices which seem to amplify difficulties,
and it is sometimes difficult to know how to
respond. One approach is to seek clear evidence to
place alongside their view, so that whatever action
follows is based on fact, not just feeling. So what are
the facts on school behaviour?

Introduction 5
Schools make a difference
The behaviour which pupils display in school is
not always a simple reflection of their behaviour
elsewhere, including at home. When teachers and
parents report on the same children at home and
at school, there is comparatively little overlap in the
difficulties identified. Further, most teachers know
model pupils who they have later found to live
under very adverse home circumstances. 3. Schools with teacher collaboration have better
behaviour.
Different schools make In collaborative settings, teachers share
different differences information about particular students to find ways
Different schools have different overall effects, to help the student learn more effectively. When
independent of the make-up of their student intake. they have a particularly difficult problem with a
Some schools are high excluding schools, some student, they seek help widely, and look for causes
have high levels of truancy, and so on. Key staff in and then solutions. In contrast, teachers in isolated
different schools vary in the extent to which they settings share information about students by
believe that the problem of disruptive behaviour is swapping stories about a child’s errant behaviour
within the power of schools to resolve. These beliefs or sympathising with one another. For them,
are crucial for they inform action and can become problems invariably means behaviour problems,
self-perpetuating. It is suggested that higher rates and punishment is seen as the solution.
of difficulty and exclusion are to be found amongst 4. Schools that promote pupil autonomy have better
those schools with lower confidence in their own behaviour.
powers to tackle the problem. So when explaining Schools that promote self-discipline and active
difficult behaviour, we cannot leave the school out involvement in the learning process, and show an
of the picture. Aspects of it as an organisation need interest and concern for pupil development, do
to be engaged. The four statements below use key well. In contrast, schools that generate a climate
research studies. of conflict, with severe punishment and a sense
1. P
 roactive schools have better behaviour. of constant tension, or schools that generate a
Schools which aim to pre-empt and prevent libertarian climate with low severity of punishment
difficulties do well. They recognise they contribute and a lack of self-direction are both linked with
to the patterns of behaviour in the school, take high levels of misbehaviour.
steps to understand and analyse such patterns,
and intervene through preventive approaches
Where does the school in which you
at organisational, classroom and individual
presently teach figure on these four
level. Reactive schools can experience further
statements?
deterioration in response to reactive practices.
Your thoughts may help you notice
2. S
 chools with a strong sense of community have something important at the overall level,
better behaviour. notwithstanding important differences
Schools that form tight communities do well. They within the school.
give attention to how students feel affiliated to the
school, they provide a rich spectrum of adult roles,
and adults engage with students personally and
challenge them to engage in the life of the school.
Teachers display a ‘diffuse’ teacher role, having
frequent contact with staff and students in settings
other than the classroom.

6 Introduction
Schools that promote self-discipline
and active involvement in the
learning process, and show an
interest and concern for pupil
development, do well

Understanding the classroom

Most of education staff’s working time in school 3. Classroom events are multidimensional.
and most of pupils’ lives as pupils is spent in People in classrooms have a variety of purposes,
the classroom. Yet the classroom setting is very experiences, interests and goals. Classroom
complex and still poorly understood. If you ask staff may have thoughts about the staff meeting
yourself, ‘What situation which is not a classroom this evening, or the mortgage; the pupils may
is most like a classroom?’, you may come up with have thoughts about what’s on television or what
some answers which highlight a similarity or two, someone said to their friend. In the middle of all
but few will describe the unique complexity of the this, teaching and learning takes place. Personal
classroom. Classroom staff would often say and social aspects of pupils’ and classroom staff’s
a theatre, a family, a church and so on; less often lives always affect classroom life.
they say a restaurant, an office. The following points
4. Classroom events are concurrent.
may remind us of some of the complexities which
The multiple events on so many dimensions do
go unrecognised in common-sense views
not occur in a step-by-step fashion, especially
of classrooms.
from a classroom staff point of view. One group
is happily working away, another group wants
Key features of the classroom attention for something, and meanwhile someone
situation is climbing out of the window! Classroom staff
1. C
 lassrooms are busy places. learn to monitor, or at least appear to monitor,
Classroom staff are regularly engaged in a simultaneous events, and some pupils learn to
thousand interactions a day, sometimes more. avoid that monitoring.
The nearest job to it in that respect is an air traffic
5. Classroom events are unpredictable.
controller. Events happen quickly and classroom
No one can predict classroom events with
staff make decisions quickly. If they do not find
complete accuracy. Disruptive effects are easily
means of coping with the busyness, they can
generated by interruptions of external and internal
experience tiredness, or at worst stress and
varieties. Nevertheless, classroom staff properly
breakdown.
and professionally attempt to predict pupils’
2. C
 lassrooms are public places. responses to work, pacing of work and so on.
Classroom staff and pupils’ behaviours are Routines are developed in classrooms; they
visible to everyone else in the class. There’s a attempt to engender predictability and reduce
public evaluation of somebody or somebody’s ambiguity.
performance every two or three minutes in a
classroom. Classroom staff who are not used
What examples of classroom life came
to this may feel ‘on stage’. Many members
to your mind as you read each of the
of the public take a view on classrooms, and
sections above?
these views have been increasingly brought
into conflict. Classroom staff may experience
role strain, and cope with it by isolating their The skills that classroom staff exercise in the
performances from view. classroom will be given under each of these
headings in a later section (pages 16 to 17).

Introduction 7
Explaining difficult behaviour
Schools vary in terms of the predominant
Whenever we describe or explain behaviour, the
explanations used. Think about
way we do it can display certain trends and effects.
conversations in your school when pupil
For example, we explain other people’s behaviour
behaviour is discussed. The conversations
in terms of them as people, but we explain our own
could be in meetings, in passing, general
behaviour in terms of the situation(s) we’re in. When
conversation, in case conferences and so
we describe to ourselves or to others, or explain
on. Leave out coffee break conversations,
difficult behaviour displayed by another person,
which are more about letting off steam
there is a range of language that we might use.
than explaining! Which of the above
Given below are five general ‘explanations’, each
‘explanations’ predominates and to
with a few particular examples.
what effect?
‘They’re that sort of person’
‘Jeremy is an aggressive boy’
‘She’s an attention-seeker’ In some cases, they may be used in an attempt
‘He’s a special needs kid’ to pass on a problem, but that is not a positive
goal. Similarly, if they function to gain agreement
‘They’re not very bright’
or support from a few colleagues, this may be
‘They can’t cope with the work’
a doubtful gain. We need to remember that
‘They’re frustrated in class and mess around’
each ‘explanation’ may signal a factor in difficult
‘It’s just a tiny minority’ behaviour, but that it is not a simple fact.
‘There are just some key ring-leaders’
‘A few rotten apples’ Why reactive approaches are
‘It’s their age’ not effective
‘It’s their hormones’ Reactive approaches tend not to be effective.
‘It’s adolescence; they have to challenge authority’ By ‘reactive’ we mean any approach that focuses
‘This is a difficult neighbourhood’ on action after an incident. For example, staffroom
‘The parents don’t support us’ conversations of the form, ‘What do you do if they
do X?’ Another example would be, ‘If they do X
Clearly, the above forms of language may serve we’ll do Y’. In each case, the person adopting this
to express frustration, or even to maintain public approach is being led by the person doing ‘X’ – in
image amongst colleagues. But their over-use has this way they’re not exercising optimum control. At
negative effects. They externalise and off-load, but the level of classroom incidents, detailed research
by the same token they divert attention away from shows that the reactive approach to incidents, usually
the contribution made by the school, and thereby involving threats or hard commands, is four times
disempower us. Indeed, some classroom staff have less likely to lead to the situation being resolved. All
reported that language in this form contributes difficult incidents require some degree of negotiation.
to lower morale and may leave us stuck with the At the broader classroom level, one detailed series
problem. of studies concluded: ‘The action classroom staff
take in response to a ‘discipline problem’ has no
consistent relationship with their managerial success
in the classroom. However, what classroom staff do
before misbehaviour occurs is shown to be crucial
in achieving success’. Hence, our attention should
turn to the management of the classroom and the
management of learning.

8 Introduction
True proactiveness comes from
seeing how we contribute to our
own problems

A word about punishment

At school level there is a similar finding; when Our society is full of beliefs about punishment and
schools adopt the tariff approach to student its effectiveness or otherwise. One of the most
behaviour policy and enforce it in an automatic way, worrying aspects about theories of punishment
matters can deteriorate rather than improve. In a is that if we try to diminish a behaviour by mild
similar vein, the reactive use of ‘referral’ is counter- punishment and it does not prove effective a more
productive. In schools with low levels of disruptive severe punishment can then be implemented. At
behaviour, classroom staff are not encouraged to worst, a focus on punishment leads some people
pass problems to senior staff. In well disciplined to believe there are only two possible responses in
schools, classroom staff handle all or most of the our repertoire: punitive action or inaction. This is
routine discipline problems themselves. Indeed, the very disempowering. A more particular concern for
over-use of hierarchical referrals is a characteristic classroom staff is that a focus on control through
of high excluding schools. A recent survey stated punishment, or through reward for that matter,
that in these schools ‘year heads and heads of demands a high degree of surveillance and thus
house worked hard but were often overwhelmed by turns them into monitors rather than managers
numbers of pupils referred to them for indiscipline of learning. Indeed, it has been argued that being
by classroom teachers. Frequently such referrals ‘an effective disciplinarian’ actually interferes with
short-circuited established systems and merely achieving a productive classroom. Similarly for
reflected the unwillingness of some staff to deal pupils, a focus on punishment or reward may serve
with problems at source. As a result, such problems to generate compliance rather than learning.
often escalated and, although pastoral heads spent
much time with difficult pupils, often that time
achieved little other than to register concern and
pass sentence’.
In a reactive climate, pressure for ‘action’ can be
very strong, and some voices in the staffroom do
not accept that investigation and resolution are
sufficiently significant action. So if we want to
become more proactive, we may need to accept
that sometimes what people claim is ‘proactiveness’
is reactiveness in disguise. True proactiveness
comes from seeing how we contribute to our
own problems.

Introduction 9
2. What can I do about
difficult behaviour in
my classroom? ?
This section contains various suggestions for action (and inaction) on the
part of a classroom teacher experiencing difficult behaviour. Not all of
these suggestions will be appropriate for your situation and not all will
be appealing to you as a teacher. Nor will all of these suggestions work,
especially if we take that to mean producing obedience!

Indeed, anyone who felt they had to do all of what Think about the following options for the
follows would be overwhelmed straightaway. But if classroom staff:
you use these suggestions to set you thinking about
1. ‘Timothy, stop being childish and give Rosemary
the situation you know and find difficult, and
her ruler back.’
if you select and modify the suggestions to your
own situation, there may be some value gained. 2. ‘Timothy, we ask before borrowing in this
classroom.’
There is a very real problem about the ordering of
this section. It starts with what seem to be the most 3. ‘Timothy, you’re quite able to get on with your
immediate considerations: what to think about and work, so return Rosemary’s ruler and let her do
do in a difficult interaction. The problem is that this the same.’
might appear to promote a ‘What do I do if they do These three simple options have both similarities
X?’ mentality, which is exactly the sort of reactive and differences. They are similar in that they all
approach which does not work. Somewhat better indicate to Timothy that the teacher has noticed his
would be to ask the proactive question ‘How can behaviour and decided it is inappropriate. In that
I create a classroom where these things don’t sense they may all serve to mark a boundary on
happen?’, which is considered in the latter parts behaviour. But they also have differences:
of this section. This section deals with incidents
first and then moves to classroom patterns and 1. has elements of judging the person, negatively
classroom community. 2. points to an agreement previously made

Classroom incidents – aiming 3. refers to responsibilities in learning.

to respond rather than react The impact of these different styles, if generalised
over time, can be quite marked. Style ‘1’ can be
Styles of responding counterproductive in terms of improving behaviour
Consider the following classroom situations: because it may build up resentments; it may be
the style of the ‘deviance-provocative teacher’ (see
Timothy grabs Rosemary’s ruler and appears to page 15). Style ‘2’ can be effective if it is set against
hide it from her. a background of making and reviewing agreements

10 What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom?

 !
It is possible to develop a new
response – learning to respond to
aggression assertively so that you
retain control of your own behaviour

regarding classroom behaviour. Style ‘3’ makes 7. Statement of the consequences of the deviant
the important link with what we aim to achieve in conduct: ‘I won’t bother to read if you go on like
classrooms, it reaffirms our purpose. But style ‘1’ this.’ ‘Someone will get hurt if this equipment is
is quite prevalent in our classrooms and the most left lying here.’
frequently occurring teacher comments are very
8. Warnings and threats: ‘I’m going to get annoyed.’
brief: ‘Stop it’ and ‘Shut up!’
‘You’ll be in detention.’ ‘I’ll send you to the head.’
9. Evaluative labels of the pupil and his/her conduct:
Think about your responses to small-scale incidents. ‘Stop behaving like a baby.’ ‘Don’t be daft.’
What messages do they convey:
10. Sarcasm: ‘We can do without the singing.’ ‘Have
• about the pupil? you retired?’
• about the classroom climate and control?
• about the purposes in your classroom? 11. Attention-drawers: ‘Sandra!’ ‘Girls!’ ‘5C!’

What are effective strategies?

Teachers’ ways of conveying Strategies 2 and 7 achieve two goals; they signal that
to pupils that behaviour is the behaviour is unwanted and they communicate the
rule. As such they are likely to have the most effective
inappropriate long-term contribution.
When things are going well, the communication
between teachers and pupils is complex and reflects
shared meanings which have developed between Can you monitor this in your classroom, and
them. For example, a teacher may, without looking adjust if necessary?
up from the work he/she is checking with a pupil, say
‘someone’s being silly’ and two pupils at the back
of the room stop the behaviour they’re involved in
Responding to aggression
because they know and can interpret the informal
rules of that classroom. But sometimes teachers assertively
haven’t built up this shared meaning with a class Aggression comes in many forms: verbal, indirect
and their ways of conveying the inappropriacy and so on. Direct physical aggression towards
of behaviour aren’t successful. A research study classroom staff is comparatively rare. When faced
identified the following 11 teacher strategies: with direct aggression, the two main responses are
‘fight’ (returning the aggression) or ‘flight’ (non-
1. Descriptive statement of the deviant conduct:
assertion). These may seem natural, or indeed
‘You’re taking a long time to settle down.’
sensible in evolutionary terms, but it is possible to
2. Statement of the rule which is being invoked: develop a new response – learning to respond to
‘Rulers aren’t for fighting with.’ ‘When I’m talking aggression assertively so that you retain control
no one else talks.’ of your own behaviour. When developing this
3. Appeal to pupil’s knowledge of the rule: ‘You know response as an addition to our repertoire, two
you’re meant to write it in the book.’ connected things become noticeable. First we often
predict that we will get a violent reaction to our
4. Command/request for conformity to the rule: assertive response. This is inaccurate. Second, our
‘Shut up.’ ‘Put that away.’ predictions shape our range of behaviour, this can
5. Prohibitions: ‘Don’t.’ ‘Stop that.’ be in either a limiting or expanding fashion.

6. Questions: ‘Are you listening?’ ‘What’s going on

over there?’

What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom? 11

Remember or anticipate a situation where you were on the receiving end of someone else’s
aggression. Try to notice your own ‘inner dialogue’. This may be very brief, but can have strong
effects, both on how you subsequently feel and on your range of possible behaviour.
You can practice spotting this and its effects. Here are some examples:
Inner dialogue Possible feelings Possible behaviour
1. ‘Who does he/she think he/she is?’ Anger Aggression
2. ‘How could he/she behave like that?’ Hurt Non-assertion
3. ‘This looks nasty, I’d better go along
with it.’ Fear Non-assertion
4. ‘He’s getting annoyed but I’ve seen
this before.’ Calmness Assertion

How can I get myself to

Do any of the above ‘ring bells’ for you?
Are you able to rehearse some new inner
react less?
dialogue more along the lines of example 4? Here it is worth considering the fast sequence which
occurs when we’re faced with any incident. It starts
with the lower part of the brain firing off some very
Professionals who behave confidently and who give quick feelings. Then follow the higher parts of the
the impression that things are under control are less brain which bring in a range of considerations and
likely to be assaulted or to witness assaults. previous experiences. Finally, we decide what to do
and act. So, with emotionally intelligent behaviour,
the sequence is:

Feel Think Do

12 What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom?

The problem with some of our reactions is that the
‘think’ stage is bypassed, so that what we do is Try ‘I’ll count to five now, and consider
driven by what we feel.
whether it would be best to ...or ...’
This can be very effective for
To reduce the amount that we react we demonstrating that you retain control
could try some of the following:
1. D
 eliberately make more of a gap between
the ‘feel’ and the ‘do’ by counting to 10 What the pupil says next
(or less) and consider more than one
There are some classic responses that pupils
option.
give when a teacher has suggested they’re doing
Try and be open-handed about this, say something inappropriate:
what is going on as you’re doing it, for
•• ‘It wasn’t me’, ‘It was X’s fault’
example:
(denial of responsibility)
‘I’ll count to five now, and consider whether •• ‘We were only having a laugh’, ‘It didn’t hurt’
it would be best to … or …’ This can be (denial of injury)
very effective for demonstrating that you
•• ‘It was only Y’, ‘He deserved it’ (denial of the victim)
retain control.
•• ‘I bet you’ve done it’, ‘You let Z off’
2. Spot
 the inner dialogues that make (condemning the condemners)
you most reactive, ie the thoughts which
•• ‘It was important to show him…’
reinforce feelings rather than help you
(appeal to higher loyalties).
move on from them. Some examples are:
Notice how you perceive these responses:
‘That Terry is a mean little blighter’
•• as excuses?
‘He’s always trying to take advantage of
me’ •• as testing you out?
•• as the sort of responses which self-respecting
‘She shows no respect for me or for
people give when accused?
anyone’.
What will our next response be?
3. O
 ccasionally try something counter-
intuitive to break the pattern: •• Escalate? ‘Don’t give me those excuses’ or ‘Don’t
speak to me like that’. Remember that hard
‘James, I want you to walk round the
commands can lead to hard responses.
classroom shouting’
•• Hostile? ‘You should be ashamed of yourself’. Many
‘Sarah, what a nice pair of shoes, are pupils love to play the wind-up game, and need to
they new?’ save face if they are to wind down, especially when
Developing new flexible responses will in front of their peers.
also test out our beliefs. Test yourself by •• Passive? ‘Why are you doing that?’ We don’t want
noticing how you feel about this comment an answer to that question! We want the difficulty
from a headteacher, ‘The individual with the to reduce and constructive working relations to
greatest flexibility of thought and behaviour resume. Asking this sort of question can give pupils
can and generally will control the outcome a wonderful opportunity to side-track you with lots
of any interaction.’ of creative answers to your question.

What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom? 13

Preferable to these is something which is assertive
and non-escalatory, and which brings attention
back to the important matters of the classroom and
productive relations for learning – perhaps: ‘That’s
as may be – now let’s get this activity done’.
Some of the skills in asserting yourself:
•• give a clear statement of what you want: ‘I want
you to return to your table’
•• stick to your statement, repeating it as necessary
•• deflect the other person’s responses, the
ones which may undermine your statement,
eg irrelevances or argumentation, perhaps
by prefacing your restatement with a short
recognition of their view – ‘I’ve heard your reason
for looking at the fish, but I want you to return to
your table’.

Managing conflict When you’re managing conflicts

The background: what helps reduce conflict? between others
•• Cooperation. Helping children learn to work •• Get the parties to talk in a structured way – one at
together and trust, help and share with each other. a time – taking turns to speak and to listen.
•• Communication. Helping children learn to •• If appropriate, encourage both parties to get more
observe carefully, communicate well and listen to distance on the situation by writing down how
each other. they see it.
•• Respect. Helping children learn to respect and •• Get them to make suggestions for how to end the
enjoy people’s differences and to understand conflict.
prejudice and why it is wrong.
•• Treat it as a practical problem-solving exercise,
•• Expressing themselves positively. Helping rather than a moral lesson: ‘What can we do to
children learn to express feelings, particularly solve this?’ rather than ‘I want you to apologise
anger, in ways that are not destructive, and learn right now’.
self-control.
•• Make sure that each person’s proposal for
•• Conflict resolution. Helping children learn how resolving the conflict is put in clear practical terms,
to resolve a conflict by talking it through. and that the other person has had a chance to
indicate whether they agree to the proposal.
Managing conflicts – basic
A conflict ends when each person has aired their
principles
views, and they have questioned each other enough
•• You don’t solve conflicts by sweeping them to ensure that this airing has been properly achieved.
under the carpet.
•• You don’t solve conflicts by force.
Have you tried a structured and practical
approach to managing conflicts between
others? What else would you add to the
points above? How would you vary the
points above for the situation in your class?

14 What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom?

A conflict ends when each person
has aired their views, and they have
questioned each other enough to
ensure that this airing has been
properly achieved

The deviance-provocative Whereas the deviance-provocative person has some

beliefs and responses which make a ‘vicious cycle’ in
teacher and the deviance- which behaviour does not go well.
insulative teacher
This section deals with an idea about how teachers
and classroom staff may vary in their handling of
difficult incidents. We all vary, so it’s not an idea
for putting us into fixed categories. When we’re
deviance-provocative, we believe that the pupils
we define as deviant do not want to work, and
will do anything to avoid work. It is impossible to
provide conditions under which they will work, so In lessons managed by the deviance-provocative
the pupils must change. Disciplinary interactions person, deviant pupils are neglected other than for
are a contest or battle, which we must win. the many negative evaluative comments made about
When we’re deviance-insulative, we believe that them. Pupils are referred to higher authority when
these pupils really want to work, but that the they refuse to comply, which they do. The deviance-
conditions are assumed to be at fault. These can insulative person avoids favouritism, or other
be changed and it is our responsibility to initiate preferential treatment in lessons.
that change. Disciplinary interactions relate to a clear
set of classroom rules which are made explicit to the
pupils. A deviance-provocative person is unable to Can you think of occasions when you were
defuse situations, frequently issues ultimatums, and deviance-provocative? What led to this
becomes involved in confrontations, whereas the happening? Can you think of occasions
deviance-insulative person allows students to ‘save when you were deviance-insulative? What
face’, and avoids confrontations. led to this happening? Are there any ways
through which you can ensure more of the
Thus the deviance-insulative person has some beliefs latter and less of the former?
and responses which make up a ‘virtuous cycle’ in
which behaviour goes well.

Classroom patterns
Identifying the patterns in
classroom difficulty
Many ‘solutions’ which are proposed for difficult
behaviour in classrooms are not based on a
diagnosis of the situation. They are favourite
solutions which may or may not work.
The following questions attempt a starting
diagnosis based on the extent of difficulty, and
therefore provide a more particular focus. Given the
complexity and connectedness of classrooms, an
accurate linear diagnosis will not be forthcoming.

What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom? 15

 Skills in managing the classroom
Is there a particular disaffection in this context
classroom?
Creative classroom staff display many skills.
If yes, does the disaffection relate to: The few selected here relate to the particular
•• particular sorts of teacher-pupil interactions? complexities of the classroom which were outlined
on page 7. Classroom staff managing the classroom
 xamine skills in handling conflict and avoiding
E
situation are:
escalations (pages 10 to 14).
•• managing the physical setting (layout, seating,
•• a particular classroom context?
resources, etc)
Analyse the physical, social and psychological
•• managing the social structure (groupings, working
features of this classroom (page 16).
patterns, etc)
•• particular activities?
•• managing the psychological setting of the
Analyse the design and message of these classroom (handling the timing and pacing;
activities (page 18). developing effective routines; giving a personal
•• a sub-group of pupils? yet public performance, with a focus on group
participation; being aware of the multiple
 nalyse the role of this group within the class
A
dimensions of classroom life and showing it;
and the roles of key members within the group
managing more than one event at the same time,
(page 4 onwards).
ignoring as appropriate; recognising and tolerating
If no: the unpredictable nature of classroom life).
•• is there a general disaffection in this class?
If yes: To identify some useful pointers for your
•• is the curriculum offered appropriate for this own action:
class? Do they feel they achieve something (a) Identify an occasion when a classroom
valuable? (page 19) you were managing created a positive,
•• are the activities and activity structures clear purposeful atmosphere. Apply the headings
and engaging? Are pupils involved in the on the previous page to that example. What
activities? (page 20) aspects of your classroom management
•• are the responsibilities in this class developed went well?
and shared? Are pupils involved in planning? (b) Now think of a less positive example
(page 21) where the behaviour concerns you. Apply
•• are classroom rules agreed, understood, these headings to that example. What
accepted and used? Are pupils reviewing the aspects of your classroom management
success of this class? (page 21) are highlighted? Identify two areas which it
•• does the climate need improvement? could be useful to develop.
(page 22)
•• is there a positive sense of community in this
classroom? (page 23)

16 What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom?

Re-teaching the skills of working
together can be important.
Reviewing the rationales for group
work can be needed

Is there a particular classroom which is causing you •• The multi-dimensional nature of classroom
concern? life needs recognition. Classroom staff who try
to keep the rest of life outside the door operate
Analyse the following features of this classroom.
less effective classrooms. The rest of life can
•• Physical setting: layout of furniture, positioning be acknowledged and sometimes linked to the
of seats, resources, lighting, display, etc. Do any learning.
of these seem linked to the difficulty? If so, can •• The simultaneity of classroom events demands
you experiment with some aspect? Remember skills of selective ignoring. Effective classroom
that managing the physical setting is one of staff are effective at deciding what to overlook.
the teacher’s key skills, but they often de-skill They give a ‘smooth’ performance, which
themselves by saying that someone else ‘wouldn’t maintains a sense of momentum, and conveys
like a change on this front’. the sense that they are steering the events. By
•• Social structure: the groupings of pupils, the contrast, the individual who does not use such
patterns of working together, rationales given, etc. skills well gives a ‘lumpy’ performance, responding
Is there any link to the difficulty? If so, can you to something here then something there so that
imagine some modification to try out? Re-grouping momentum is lost and the events seem to be
using some random process can be useful now and in control. Sometimes our own approaches to
again, to break patterns which may have become managing the classroom constitute interruptions,
unproductive. Re-teaching the skills of working and disturb the flow in a non-productive way!
together can be important. Reviewing the rationales •• The unpredictability of classroom life has to be
for group work can be needed. recognised and accepted as well as managed.
•• Psychological setting: this is mainly managed Here routines and rituals are useful and need to be
through the type of activities in the classroom established and reviewed with each class.
and the way they are conducted. The busyness
is managed through timing and pacing of
Are there any of these preventive skills you
activities. Too few activities can lead pupils to
wish to enhance? Can you observe colleagues
seek diversion, too many can get them confused.
in their handling of these aspects?
The transitions between classroom activities
can be unstable periods which need effective
orchestration. They are well handled when
preceded by some advance warnings: ‘There
are three minutes before we return to the whole
group’, ‘We’ve been working on this experiment
for 10 minutes now so you should be about half
way through’.
•• The public aspect of classrooms can create
difficulties if it becomes exaggerated. It is
constructive to have private interchanges in the
classroom, including with those pupils whose
behaviour concerns you. The sense of being on
stage declines as the relationship with a group
develops.

What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom? 17

Analysing particular classroom
activities (a) Identify an occasion when a classroom
activity seemed linked to difficulty. Apply
When we’ve identified that a classroom difficulty these headings to that event and the
relates to particular activities, we can identify management of it. Make some notes on
whether there’s something about the way we which aspects of the activity are highlighted
construct the activities which might be improved. as important. Is it a particular task? Is it the
The basic ingredients of a classroom activity are social structure? Is it the timing or pacing
shown below. of the activity? And so on.
(b) Now think of a more positive example
– an activity with the same pupils which
Social is not linked to difficulty. Apply these
Tasks
structure headings to that example. What aspects of
the activity are highlighted as important?

Goals
What suggestions emerge about how
Resources Teacher’s to improve the activity where difficulty
role occurs? Identify a manageable experiment
you will undertake. Anticipate some of
the things which might work against the
change you’ve planned. How will you cope
Time and
pacing with them?

Remember, if an activity system is not established

and running in a classroom, no amount of discipline
The element ‘Goals’ is central; it hangs the whole
will create order.
activity together. Yet very often the goals of
classroom activities are not made clear.

18 What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom?

Reviewing classroom curriculum
Think through the headings and enquiries
Some approaches to difficult classroom behaviour
below. See whether any ideas for
separate these concerns from any consideration
development emerge.
of the curriculum. This is potentially counter-
productive. Classroom management is not an end in •• The assessed curriculum
itself; what is learned in the classroom is crucial, and Has the purpose of each element of the
informs the patterns of behaviour which develop. curriculum been conveyed, so that pupils
feel they achieve something valuable?
The classroom curriculum is the important one
Has the level of difficulty been reviewed
which is lived day by day in your classroom. Clearly,
so that pupils feel the work is not too
a proportion of the classroom curriculum is your
easy or too difficult? Has the work been
own interpretation of how to offer the national
related to the personal experience of
curriculum, but there’s a lot more to it than that.
pupils and people they know, and to
We could think of three major strands, each with
examples in local life?
aspects that are planned and aspects that are
responsive to the events which arise. •• The interpersonal curriculum
Is the way that pupils cooperate and
work together a topic for structured
review and discussion? Are suggestions
for improving classroom relations
made, both by teacher and pupils? Are
communication skills, including the
constructive communication of emotions,
supported and developed in this class?
•• The personal curriculum
Does the curriculum offer each pupil
The classroom curriculum is the the chance to feel more competent at
important one which is lived day by something? Has the purpose of the
curriculum been linked to pupils’ views
day in your classroom
of their futures?

What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom? 19

Looking at the profile of activities Evaluation:
•• evaluate pupils for individual progress and
and engagement
improvement: offer feedback and opportunities to
Talk about teaching methods is debased by polarised improve their performance
and over-simplified ideas like ‘traditional’ and
•• vary the method of evaluation and make
‘progressive’. Instead we need to recognise the
evaluation private.
overall profile of activities in a classroom, and their
success in creating pupil engagement. Here are some Time:
pointers under headings with the acronym TARGET. •• adjust task or time requirements for pupils who
have difficulty completing their work
Tasks:
•• engage personal interest, variety and challenge •• allow pupils opportunities to plan their timetable
and progress at an optimal rate. Studies of
•• help pupils establish short-term goals, so that
teachers’ and pupils’ perceptions of effective
they view their class work as manageable, and
classroom learning show that they prioritise active
can see progress.
approaches such as group/pair work, drama/role-
Authority: play, story-telling and drawing.
•• help pupils participate actively in the learning
process via choices and decision-making –
help them develop and use strategies to plan, Will you make any changes to the profile of
organise and monitor their work. activities to achieve greater engagement?
Recognition:
•• recognise individual pupil effort, accomplishments
and improvement, and give all pupils opportunities
to receive reward and recognition
•• give recognition and rewards privately so that the
value is not derived at the expense of others.

Grouping:
•• promote and support cooperative group learning
and the skills in peer interaction
•• use mixed and varied grouping arrangements,
helping pupils learn from the experience in
different groupings.

20 What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom?

Reviewing classroom
responsibilities Think about one of the classes you
manage. How does the present profile of
At worst, classrooms can become anonymous places. responsibilities look under these headings:
This is often associated with poor behaviour and a
lack of development in the range of pupil roles. •• classroom duties?
•• roles in groups?
When developing the range of roles for pupils, we
may think about allocating responsibilities for duties. •• responsibility for learning?
This is fine as far as it goes, but may be available to Can this profile be enhanced? What would
only a few, and may feel trivial to some. So we should pupils suggest?
consider responsibility and a range of roles in wider
aspects of classroom life. Well-structured work in
groups allows pupils to learn about roles in working
Classroom rules and routines
together. The more direct work of this sort might
allocate roles in the group – reporter, timekeeper, Rules in classrooms aren’t operative just because
arbiter, etc. For learning to be ensured, all such work the teacher says so. They have to be set up, agreed,
requires a structured review of how the role felt, what used, and periodically re-examined. This is not a
responsibilities emerged, and how others in the group once-and-for-all process.
viewed the role. Routines have an equally important contribution
The most crucial responsibility a pupil takes is to make. They may not be framed as a ‘rule’, but
responsibility for their learning. This again will not they are the way of making things happen; how
necessarily develop without structured support at resources are accessed, how homework is handed
first. Giving pupils opportunity to plan their learning in, how the classroom is entered, and so on.
activities and to review their learning through a range Establishing – needs a lot of communication/
of appropriate methods is the key to them seeing teaching at the early stage.
themselves as active agents in a cycle of learning.
For this to happen, it will be necessary for us to: Agreeing – pupils are likely to agree if rules are few
in number and their purpose is clear.
•• clarify the overall curriculum and its goals in
pupil-friendly ways Using – all parties need to publicise and refer to the
rules, and mediate them in so doing.
•• make plain the tasks and how the assessment
will work Reviewing – periodically the class examines
•• arrange for resources to be accessible – support whether the rules in use are fulfiling their purpose.
pupils’ planning and organisation skills, together Classroom rules often refer to these five broad areas:
with monitoring and review.
•• talk
•• movement
•• time
•• teacher-pupil relationships
Recognise individual pupil effort, •• pupil-pupil relationships.
accomplishments and improvement,
and give all pupils opportunities to
receive reward and recognition

What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom? 21

Negotiation of classroom rules is something you Important aspects of the social climate include
can’t avoid. If you act as though you are imposing affiliation (pupils’ sense of wanting to join in and be
a rule system, pupils will spend some of their time a part) and cohesiveness (pupils’ sense of wanting
testing it out. If you negotiate more of it from the to work with each other), but most crucial is the
start, pupils will be more involved in applying it climate of learning.
and are likely to learn more about themselves and
behaviour in the process.
If climate can be identified by comments of the
The level of detail used in establishing rules can ‘It’s the way we do things around here’ ilk, what
be a trap; if you become too detailed, you end would be said about the way we do things in
up with too many and some of them will be easy this class?
targets. One good example connects rights with
responsibilities:
Praise and reward. Schools and classrooms can
•• We have the right to learn in this classroom
become very unrewarding places, just because
according to our ability.
we forget to say ‘I thought the way you did… was
•• We have the responsibility not to ridicule others especially good because…’.
for the way in which they learn, or to disturb the
learning of others. Pupils welcome direct personal praise from their
teachers. It is most effective when it is:
•• We have the right to be treated with respect by
everyone in this classroom. •• spontaneous and credible
•• We have the responsibility to respect all others •• clearly linked to the pupil’s accomplishment
within the classroom. •• personalised to the particular pupil and what they
•• We have the right to express our own opinions might find difficult.
and to be heard.
When you consider rewards, recognise that what
•• We have the responsibility to allow others to is a privilege for some will not be perceived so by
express their opinions and be heard. others. An over-emphasis on rewards can interfere
with efforts to promote learning for its own sake.
Discussing the climate Routinised reward schemes can become paper-
‘Climate’ can seem like a broad, even nebulous chases and lose pupil credibility fast. They throw up
word, but it’s necessary and appropriate for this, issues such as ‘uniformity’ in use of rewards: this
the more general level of considerations associated cannot be achieved, nor would it be fair.
with difficult behaviour in classrooms.
For 60 years studies have shown that the teacher’s Does your classroom climate or profile of
style of running a group has a major effect on young reward and praise need improvement?
people’s behaviour. Classrooms which are run on
laissez-faire lines are linked to more aggression
between pupils – as are those run on authoritarian
lines, when the leader leaves the room!
Developing a democratic climate is the productive
approach. Classroom climate can be led by the
teacher, but you can’t be a leader without followers,
so pupils will need to be engaged and supported in
a variety of ways as outlined in preceding pages.

22 What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom?

 Development of a classroom
community also needs the pupils
to learn skills of listening, anger
control, seeing others’ points of view,
and solving problems collaboratively

An underlying theme to these methods is that

of regularly asking ‘What sort of classroom
do we want?’, and following through with the
responsibilities which we take on in order to achieve
the things we want. The teacher can feel challenged
at times by really taking on class ideas which s/he
may not have chosen. The teacher will also have to
challenge any community outcomes which are not
genuine solutions, for example, false compromises
Building classroom community or subtle bargains.
Building classroom community helps to achieve
many of the wider and important goals of school; as a
Classroom community is built in small steps.
contribution to managing classroom behaviour it goes
Which will you take first?
well beyond those methods which seem designed to
produce compliance.
Community in a classroom is achieved through:
A final thought
•• Paying attention to how pupils feel affiliated to the
class. Do newcomers get included effectively? Do The themes and issues raised at the end of this
class members feel comfortable to describe the section have moved some way from those raised
class positively? at the start. It will probably not have escaped
your notice that this section has not promoted the
•• Challenging pupils to become engaged in the
‘add-on package’ or the ‘quick-fix’ to behaviour
class, and to support the activities related to it.
problems – the research does not suggest they are
•• Encouraging a wide variety of roles and contacts an effective, long-lasting approach. Neither have the
between all members of the class. proposals tried to re-live a nostalgic and seductive
Some of the methods which may contribute to this picture of classrooms in which classroom staff had
development include: unquestioned authority and pupils were happily
compliant. Rather, the overall position is one of trying
•• class meetings, perhaps using a circle time or to manage this complex situation in such a way that
other appropriate methodology, to achieve new it promotes the qualities and skills which pupils need
tasks and arrange events for the class to develop for their unknown and changing futures –
•• class reviews, which specifically address how learning skills and social skills. Classroom staff who
the community feels and what would improve its manage such a setting know that they are not ‘in
working control’ of this complexity, but they are, in a myriad
•• class problem-solving which addresses issues of ways, exercising control.
which arise, and through its workings creates
more effective solutions at the same time as
building self-discipline.
For the teacher responding to difficult behaviour,
this means a shift from ‘What will I do as a result of
this incident?’ to ‘How are we all going to solve this
problem?’, and conveying that acts are unacceptable
when they break a community agreement or damage
the community and its goals.
Development of a classroom community also needs
the pupils to learn skills of listening, anger control,
seeing others’ points of view, and solving problems
collaboratively. Teachers need to display these skills.

What can I do about difficult behaviour in my classroom? 23

3. Making sense of an
individual’s behaviour
The language we use to describe, to ourselves or to others, the behaviour
of an individual can sometimes help us and sometimes hinder. The
following have proved useful in illuminating an individual’s behaviour.

Ten important questions

1 
What behaviour is causing concern? Specify Using these questions to inform your own
clearly, do not merely re-label. thinking, consider a pupil whose behaviour
puzzles you. Read down the 10 questions,
2 
In what situations does the behaviour occur? thinking about each in turn. Note what
In what settings/contexts, with which others? happens, both in terms of answers you
3 
In what situations does the behaviour not might arrive at, and in terms of how your
occur? (This can often be the most illuminating thinking is led/influenced.
question.) •• Do some questions ‘ring bells’?
4 What happens before the behaviour? A •• Do some lead to important enquiries?
precipitating pattern? A build up? A trigger? •• Are some difficult to answer?
5 What follows the behaviour causing concern? Sometimes using these questions helps
Something which maintains the behaviour? you to understand the elements (people
6 What skills does the person demonstrate? and events) which make up a vicious cycle
Social/communication skills? Learning/ of behaviour and those which make up a
classroom skills? virtuous cycle. They generally help you to
identify a pattern and move beyond simple
7 What skills does the person apparently not person explanations (page 8). If these 10 do
demonstrate? How may these be developed? not move you on, try the following question:
8 What view does the person have of their Who is most concerned by this behaviour?
behaviour? What does it mean to them?
This question can sometimes help re-direct
9 What view does the person have of themselves? our attention in a useful way, when the
May their behaviour enhance that view? difficulty is not so much with the identified
10 What view do others have of the person? person’s behaviour, but with the person
How has this developed? Is it self-fulfiling? who reports the concern.
Can it change?

Now consider discussions with colleagues

over an individual’s behaviour. When you
talk, do you have a framework, a useful set of
questions? Could you use the 10 important
questions to help?

24 Making sense of an individual’s behaviour

 Power/
Dominance

Upward
Making sense of behaviour Power/
Dominance
in groups
Upward Forward
Sometimes it seems that a group of pupils is
associated with difficult behaviour on a regular
basis. If it is a class group, the first issue to Negative Positive
consider is the stage this group has attained in Forward
Liking
its development. Is it: by others
Backward
•• inclusion and membership? Negative Positive
Contribution
Pupils seeking to find a niche for themselves in to task Liking
the group, with much focus on comparisons. by others
Backward Downward
•• influence and collaboration?
Testing the authority of the teacher and Contribution
to task
establishing the group dominance and work
patterns. Downward

•• working together and alone?

Pupils can set and accomplish goals and work
It can be useful to think of group members and the
productively together on tasks.
positions they take up on these dimensions. For
•• self-development? example, using some general role terms:
Taking on continued growth and new challenges.
When we look more closely, there’s often informative
variety in the picture: groups do not act the same Group
Bully leader
way in all situations. In a particular situation, group
Helper
members may take up roles on a reasonably
regular basis. These roles can be described along Group
three dimensions: power/dominance, liking, and Bully leader Hard
contribution to the task. Helper worker

Cynic Socialiser
Hard
worker
Team
follower
Cynic Socialiser
Loner

Team
follower
Mascot
Loner

Mascot
Group interventions may aim to:
•• reduce negative dominance of some members in
the group
•• increase participation of the isolated members in
the group
•• promote broader learning about social skills such
as working in groups.

Making sense of an individual’s behaviour 25

4. Getting help from
other people
It would be tempting here to consider the formal referral models which
schools create. Over-use of such mechanisms is counter-productive
(see page 9). It could also disempower you. So we need to think about
ways of getting help which do not always involve calling on colleagues
‘up the hierarchy’.

Remembering that collaborative schools have Finally, other professionals may be of help and
better behaviour, it is useful to ask how teachers building up links with health and social care
can collaborate to improve behaviour. Generally, agencies, alongside educational psychologists,
teachers seek sources of help which: is always useful. It is worth remembering that
responsibility for outcomes for children and young
•• give rapid pay off
people with SEN is shared across agencies and
•• are practical and extend repertoire collaborative working is the most effective way of
•• have been devised by fellow practitioners or ensuring the best outcomes. Local authority schools
adapted locally should have access to centrally organised services,
•• are flexible and open to further adaptation and independent schools and academies may have
•• are near at hand, easy to access, and above access to freelance specialist organisations on an
all continuous. ‘as and when’ basis. However, as schools move
away from local authority control the nature of
This means we need to think of arrangements additional support and its delivery is likely to alter.
where pairs of colleagues who choose each other If you are unsure what is available locally you could
can set up joint observation and feedback for their approach your ATL branch secretary who may be
own problem solving. Such partnerships have to able to put you in touch with local networks.
be set up with care. Partners need to establish
guidelines and agree on their responsibilities to one
another and to others who may have an interest or Which of your colleagues would you choose to
involvement in the work. start developing collaborative work with?
In a similar vein, colleagues in schools regularly say
that there’s no more potent a learning experience
than to track a pupil around the lessons/activities
that constitute his/her day. Such work starts to build
up a constructive shared language for discussing
classrooms, and acceptance of differences between
teachers in a school. When this has happened, it is
also likely that the staff will gain a great deal from
‘cause for concern’ meetings about individuals and
groups. These may need some careful structuring
at first, ensuring that all voices are heard in a
constructive way.

26 Getting help from other people

5. The wider school
context
Classrooms are influenced by the context they’re in; they are also major
elements in creating that context. So as we come to the end of our focus
on the classroom, it is useful to remember a few key features of the
school context.

Different schools make different differences to the Perhaps that final point is best made by Lord Elton
patterns of behaviour which emerge within them. in a 1992 symposium: “Members of staff who
Research on these differences (page 6) suggests it treat their pupils with discourtesy, impatience or
is profitable for a school to: contempt, or are late for those from whom they
demand punctuality, who scribble illegibly on words
•• become more proactive about difficulty
which they insist must be impeccably clear and tidy,
•• develop a stronger sense of community who will not listen to those from whom they demand
•• promote teacher collaboration absolute attention, who bawl their heads off at those
•• promote pupil autonomy. from whom they demand soft and respectful speech,
who hold up to ridicule those whom they instruct
This implies working towards policies which help the
to treat all men with respect, or who treat any of
school monitor and learn codes which promote an
their own colleagues with anything but courtesy
effective community, resources for teachers to work
and respect in the presence of any of the pupils,
together and respect for a wide range of learners.
are suffering a painful and obvious discontinuity of
If some of the above are being worked for, we may
logic.” (‘Responsible parenting requires a responsible
get nearer to a situation in which both teachers and
society’, Cross-Sector Symposium on Parenting and
pupils are learning the same things about behaviour
Society, the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre,
in their school:
London, 13 October 1992.)
•• it pays not to react
•• it pays to care about the organisation
•• it pays to work together
Different schools make different
•• it pays to be responsible.
differences to the patterns of
This is in marked contrast to the worst of cases behaviour which emerge within them
where there are double standards for pupils and
classroom staff, and cases where the message
seems to be that bullying works – between
classroom staff as well as between pupils.

The wider school context 27

6. Other resources
Blatchford, P. and Sharp, S. (ed.) (1994). Policy publications
Breaktime and the school: understanding and
ATL (2010).
changing playground behaviour
Behaviour and discipline in schools: ATL’s
London: Routledge.
Submission to The Commons Select Committee
041-510-099-2
www.atl.org.uk/behavioursubmission2010.
Baginsky, W. (2004).
House of Commons Education Committee
Peer mediation in the UK: a guide for schools (2010).
London, NSPCC Publications and Information Unit. Behaviour and discipline in schools
Kohn, A. (2006). (HC 516-I, First Report of Session 2010-11,
Beyond discipline: from compliance to Volume I: Report, together with formal minutes).
community (10th anniversary edition) London: The Stationery Office.
Alexandria VA, USA; Association for Supervision 978-0-21555-621-9
and Curriculum Development. Steer Inquiry (2009).
978-141660-472-3 Learning behaviour: lessons learned – a review
Rogers, B. (2007). of behaviour standards and practices in our
Behaviour management: a whole-school schools by Sir Alan Steer.
approach (2nd edition). Nottingham: DCSF.
London: Sage Publications Ltd. 978-1-84775-426-4
978-141293-452-7 Lamb Inquiry (2009).
Ayers, H. and Gray, F. (1998). Special educational needs and parental
Classroom management: a practical approach confidence.
for primary and secondary teachers. Nottingham: DCSF.
London: David Fulton Publishers. 978-1-84775-598-8
978-185346-510-9
Miller, A. (2003).
Teachers, parents and classroom behaviour.
London: McGraw Hill/Open University Press.
978-033521-156-2
Sharp, S. (1997).
Reducing school bullying: what works?
Coventry: National Association for Pastoral Care
in Education (at Warwick University).
Watkins, C. and Wagner, P. (2001).
Improving school behaviour.
London: Sage Publications Ltd.
978-076196-337-0
Wubbels, T. and Levy, J. (ed.) (1993).
Do you know what you look like? - Interpersonal
relations in education.
London: Routledge Falmer.
978-075070-217-1

28 Other resources
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members – that you might be interested in:

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