Great Advice

One of my amazing teacher just give me some great advice and I thought I would share it with you.


1. Good behaviour management starts with good planning and pedagogy. If you get them in they are less likely to misbehave.

2. You need a relationship with the following qualities - respectful, fair and consistent. Do not be overly friendly. They have friends. You are their Teacher!

3. Work towards them trusting you.

4. Give them opportunities for success - in what ever way you can. Constant failure leads to misbehaviour.

5. If they think you are unfair, fake, boring, sarcastic, cruel, a bully, disorganised, ill-prepared or inflexible you are making life hard for yourself.

6. Do not humiliate kids in front of their peers. If a kid is doing the wrong thing, have a quiet word so others are not listening, take the kid aside or outside, talk to them at at lunch - if you make an enemy you create a problem.

7. Do not accept unacceptable behaviour. Draw a clear line in the sand. Demand kids are polite and repectful.

8. Do not be too familiar, particularly with kids who are new to you - in time they will want a closer relationship - do not hurry this.

9. Have honest conversations with your suppervisors - but do not open up too much with other members of the staff - show confidence - fake it until you make it!

10. Detentions are a poor tool in changing behaviour. If it is needed use the time to talk and build a relationship, not to punish.

www.teachers.tv

I just found another great resource for beginning teachers -- teachers.tv

This website has a number of videos, which discuss everything from ways to inspire students to behaviour management. What I have found most helpful are the Teaching with John Bayley programs. He works with other teachers to help them improve their classroom technique.

http://www.teachers.tv/teachingwithbayley

One of the Bayley videos shows a teacher who typically said things like, “Could you maybe start to settle down please.” Bayley asked her if she was asking or telling? If you want them to be quiet, tell them to be quiet and expect them to obey.

I also like this advice: when dealing with a disruptive student move into their personal zone and say quitely: "When you do (x behaviour), it throws me off my mark and I am worried that other students can not learn."

A lot of Bayleys advice is very simple yet effective. Bayley is like the supernanny of the teaching world!