Hi everyone,
As it gets toward the end of term I thought I’d continue with a few classroom management tips – you may find them useful for next term if not for this one. 
This is one of Rob’s tips on verbal responses I found on our server …
Early in my teaching career I was fascinated by the way my boss, the head of a small PRU, handled some of the toughest teenage boys I’d ever encountered – in particular the way he’d simply call them over and utter a magic ‘something’ that would change their behaviour on the spot. It was a common scenario at lunchtime – pupils, mainly boys, in groups of six, an argument would erupt, and Bob would call the ringleader over to work his magic.
I’d sit craning my neck trying desperately to hear his words – but all I could hear was low muttering. After each pause the boy would nod and look at the floor. Then, more often than not, he would look up with just a glimmer of a sheepish smile, make his way back to his table calmly and offer a handshake to those whose lips he was threatening to burst only moments earlier. I knew that, as a young teacher with his heart set on progressing in behaviour management, this was something I had to learn!
Anyone who meets me for live training will notice that my neck is at least seven inches longer than the average man of my build and hence not quite in proportion with the rest of my body. This disfigurement was a sacrifice I was glad to pay in return for the priceless wisdom I learned from that man, Bob. It took nearly three years, and several costly trips to a chiropractor, but eventually I found the secret of his magic mutterings. You don’t have to go to such lengths for this very same information – I’ll give it to you right now.
Firstly, remember that incidents of bad behaviour can be explained by the NEEDS framework (the needs for belonging, power and fun). Every time students break the rules they are basically showing that they have needs which are not being met.
Does the child who won’t take his hat off at the start of a lesson want an argument purely because he doesn’t like you? Or does he just need some attention (the need for belonging)? Is he actually cold (genuine physical need) or is he hiding some embarrassment (the need for status/power)? Is he trying to show and get some recognition in front of his peers (belonging and power) by acting ‘above’ the school rules? Is he feeling fed up with not being able to do the work (powerless) and using this ploy as an avoidance tactic? Perhaps he’s bored and has found that winding the teacher up is quite entertaining (fun).
Whatever the reason behind the behaviour, if we avoid compromising the three crucial needs in our initial response, we have a very good chance of turning the behaviour round.
Our initial verbal responses to a badly behaved pupil should therefore avoid threatening, critical, hostile and sarcastic comments. These will only result in confrontation – either immediate and direct or delayed and indirect. They will either shut down and ignore you (none of them will listen to a lecture or rant) or they’ll retaliate. And if you get yourself a ‘name’ as an unfair bully, resentful young people will soon be present in every class you teach – creating more problems to deal with in future.
Remember also that a huge proportion of communication is non-verbal. We have to avoid the pointing, posturing aggressive body language that causes people to switch off before we even open our mouths. A smile alone can disarm the most irate pupil if it is warm and sincere – even if your neck is ten inches long.
The ‘positive start’.
If the first words you use are negative and disparaging then students will simply switch off; they don’t want to hear it, it does no good. These two responses from a teacher to a pupil who hasn’t completed their homework show how a more positive initial approach is far more likely to a) be accepted and acted on and b) will open the door to more conversation in the hope that the problem can be turned into a learning opportunity:
Negative initial response:
“You’ve only done one question! What are you playing at? Do you think I set this for my benefit?” (Student switches off, feels resentful and no improvement occurs)
Positive initial response:
“Let me take a look, Brian. I see you’ve almost got this one right but what impresses me more is that you actually made an effort. You got started and starting is the biggest step. You and I both want the same thing; we want you to succeed, right? And this work will help you get there. Now what can I do to help you get through the rest, because this obviously isn’t enough?”
This was one of the keys to the ‘magic mutterings’ of my boss. He would simply hook them with something positive, which encouraged them to listen further.
“Hey, I saw you do something fantastic yesterday, do you remember what it was? That’s right, you kept the rest of the class quiet for me while I was speaking to Mr Bigwig. You showed you could be trusted and relied on didn’t you? All the staff have seen a big change in you lately and that’s why we’ve been making those calls home. You’ve worked hard to improve and we’re pleased. But what you did after that wasn’t so good was it? Do you want to undo all that good you’ve been doing? How are you going to put it right?”
He got them thinking and feeling positive from the outset. You’d have to be a complete idiot not to see that a start like that is going to encourage them to listen to the rest of what you’ve got to say much more than if he’d started along these lines:
“What do think you’re doing?! I’ve just watched you trying to wind Steven up by putting sugar on his chips! Get back there and apologise NOW!”
Regards,
Chris
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