You have to set the standard very high at first. And you have to police that standard quite intensely. And it will take a long time. You cannot police this kind of thing without speaking to a lot of kids after lessons and speaking to a lot of parents.
But if you do that, and you do it rigorously at the start of your career with a group of children, you will be paid dividends in the future. If you are not currently working as a teaching assistant, imagine a situation in which low-level disruption is occurring and apply the questions to this. As a teaching assistant you are well placed to support the teacher in managing this type of behaviour.
Perhaps you identified how you could gently remind children to listen, or praise a child for behaving appropriately. Focusing your comments on appropriate behaviour often has the effect of correcting the inappropriate behaviour of others, without the need to say anything to those children.
Talking to the class teacher or to your mentor, or to the member of staff responsible for behaviour management in the school, will help you to develop your knowledge and skills in managing behaviour. The majority of children respond reasonably well to a system of rewards and punishments. However, such systems use extrinsic motivators , specifically aimed at controlling behaviour and ensuring compliance with what the teacher or school wants.
Statistics show approaches using extrinsic motivation are not effective for all students DfE, Ideally children should be intrinsically motivated to learn, so that they do something, such as reading, for its own sake and because they want to, not just for reward Kohn, Read the edited extract below on alternatives to the behaviourist principles of sanctions and rewards and the use of restorative practice.
There are alternatives to the behaviourist principles of sanctions and rewards. One of these is restorative practice. This approach takes commitment and support from all school staff and would initially be more time-consuming than continuing with a system of punishments and rewards. The basic principle of the approach is that school staff are working with the young people to solve challenging behaviour issues, rather than imposing solutions on them.
Enabling young people to participate in decision making about what happens to them in school is an effective way to engage students and teach valuable decision-making skills. Flanagan, H.
Restorative approaches. Ryan, R. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Contemporary Educational Psychology , 25 1 , 54— Thorsborne, M. Implementing restorative practices in schools. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. A key element of restorative practice is the building of relationships. By working closely with children — often on a one-to-one basis — maybe you feel you already build relationships with children and that they already have the opportunity to talk to you and be listened to.
As a result, perhaps you had a positive reaction to this approach. Also, depending on your views, you may or may not feel comfortable with the idea of working collaboratively with the children to resolve issues. If you have time and would like to explore this topic further, take a look at the resources below. The following articles take the view that reward systems do not work.
As you read them think about how convincing their arguments sound, and reflect on your own views on reward systems. Mann, S. Paton, G. If you want to explore how one particular school manages pupil behaviour, have a look at the information on their website. TES behaviour management videos. Although aimed at teachers, the suggestions given by Tom Bennett may help you to understand the techniques a teacher may employ and enable you to be an effective support in managing behaviour in the classroom.
There are many reasons for behavioural issues in children. In this topic we have chosen to focus on mental health issues as a cause of behaviour that might raise concerns. One in ten children and young people aged 5 to 16 have a clinically diagnosed mental health disorder and around one in seven has less severe problems DoH, Reports by organisations and charities working with children suggest these statistics have not changed significantly in the past 10 years.
However, the importance of well-being and mental health is becoming much more recognised. This focus on the well-being of children has produced a plethora of government reports on the topic.
Tackling mental health problems early in life will improve educational attainment, employment opportunities and physical health, and reduce the levels of substance misuse, self-harm and suicide, as well as family conflict and social deprivation. Overall, it will increase life expectancy, economic productivity, social functioning and quality of life. It will also have benefits across the generations.
Poor mental health can be associated with change, stressful situations or lifestyle, as well as encompassing psychological or biological factors.
The Children Act sets out the responsibilities on local authorities and their partners to cooperate to promote the well-being of children this specifically includes their mental health and emotional well-being. Mental ill health can occur for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes a traumatic or stressful event — a death of a close family member, for example — may trigger mental ill health.
However, often poor mental health occurs as a result of a combination of factors, or mental health declines over a period of time, perhaps due to prolonged bullying.
Note down the events or situations that could trigger mental health or emotional well-being issues in children. We have made a start in the box below. Young Minds is a UK charity committed to improving the emotional well-being and mental health of children and young people.
Young Minds found that school-age children were most concerned about issues such as:. However, there is not always a clear cause or trigger for issues; and it is important to remember that children react in different ways to challenges in their lives, such as family relationship difficulties, exam pressures, or transitions.
These symptoms or behaviours may be short term and nothing to worry about or they may denote a mental health issue. Schools are increasingly adding emotional health to policies and providing staff training around this issue.
It can be fairly easy to tell when a child is physically ill — they may have a temperature above the norm or spots, for example. However, it can be much harder to determine mental illness, or lack of emotional well-being. One common mental disorder is anxiety. Anxiety can be triggered by a variety of things and as a teaching assistant you should have an understanding of how to support children when they are feeling anxious.
Anxiety can cause both physical and emotional symptoms. This means it can affect how a person feels in their body and also health. Some of the symptoms are:. These symptoms may come and go.
They become irritable, tearful and clingy, have difficulty sleeping, and can wake in the night or have bad dreams. Anxiety can even cause a child to develop a headache, a stomach-ache or to feel sick. Last year, before my exams, my worrying got really bad. The pressure in secondary school has been high and everyone in my family has always done well and gone on to University, so I knew I had to study extra hard. I felt shaky and nervous at school and even started to cry most days.
I ended up pouring my heart out to the school nurse which was the best thing I ever did. She got in touch with my mum, and after seeing the GP, I went to see a team of specialists at the hospital. The team can have all sorts of people like doctors, nurses, psychologists and social workers. They reassured me and helped me and my family to see that my symptoms were real just like when you have asthma. I went on to have a talking therapy called CBT. This involves a number of weekly sessions with the therapist.
Having read the description above of the typical symptoms displayed by children with anxiety, now think about how as a teaching assistant you could support a child with anxiety. Make some notes and then read our comments.
In addition, think about the frequency or intensity of the behaviour and whether there are any obvious reasons for the behaviour. For example, a child who is abnormally clingy and is reluctant to let their parent or carer leave them may find it difficult to form relationships or friendships with others. Or they may find it difficult to participate in normal social situations, which would affect their social and emotional development.
Some behaviours are appropriate at certain ages or stages of development but could mean a problem in an older child. Listening to children is a key theme within services for young children. It is also an important element in any intervention to support children with mental health issues as it provides the opportunity for children to feel that their feelings matter and, thereby, raises their self-esteem.
It also enables the adults involved to gain an understanding of the issues for the child. Sometimes children may not be able to express themselves clearly, or they may find it difficult to talk about how they are feeling. They may benefit from accessing professional therapy sessions to help them explore their feelings and work through the challenges to their emotional well-being. There are various types of therapy that may be offered, from conventional talking therapies, such as cognitive behaviour therapy, to therapies that enable children to express their feelings through play or art.
Have a look through the books on the Royal College of Psychiatrists website and the Little Parachutes website. Then look through the books in your school library or local library and identify two books that could be used to support children with difficulties, fears or worries they might have. Write a few lines to say how your chosen books could be used. We have given some examples below:. Each book focuses on one feeling and a situation associated with the feeling. The books help children to see there is a solution and that they can combat how they are feeling.
Michael Rosen shares his sad feelings about his son, who died, and writes about how he tries to cope with this sad event in his life. This story is about a cow who is so miserable Lamb finds her impossible to cheer up. In the end, though, Cow realises how important it is to have friends and to look for the best, not the worst, in things.
Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne. ISBN: , Corgi. The illustrations can be used to discuss feelings with children and young people as a trip to the park is explored through the eyes of four different characters.
Beegu is from outer space and this story explores what it feels like to be ignored and rejected by adults. There are few words but the illustrations convey its message and give plenty to talk about.
Reading Lights Comic books for 4—7 year olds and their teachers and parents. Four colour books that address what it is like to be different, and provide a framework for parents, social workers and teachers to support children.
Reading these stories can help children to work through and cope with their own life issues. There are lots of books for children that could be used as a basis for a discussion about feelings and to help a child understand the challenges in their life. The Little Parachutes website has a range of relevant books for younger children and information related to fear and worries, some of which are downloadable. You may also have found that national support websites, such as MIND and the National Autistic Society , also provide useful reading lists and booklets.
Building up your own resource list and keeping it updated will help you to offer timely suggestions to older children and provide reading opportunities for younger children.
A booklet for any young person who wants to know more about what to expect from Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. This resource has information on promoting positive mental health, identification, interventions, facts about mental health problems in children and young people, types of mental health needs and sources of support and information.
Listening tips for practitioners : Literacy Trust and Participation Works. This particular session gives you the opportunity to recognise the signs and symptoms, and possible causes of aggressive and antisocial behaviour and to consider how such behaviour could be handled.
Although this resource is primarily aimed at teachers planning a programme of lessons, there is some very useful information on a range of mental health issues such as eating disorders, anxiety and self-harm.
It includes book lists and online sources of support towards the end of this document. Dealing with behaviour appropriately is key to successful teaching and learning. Find out what this might involve If a pupil is misbehaving in your lesson, whether you're a primary or secondary school teacher , they're likely to be doing so for one of two reasons:. It's important to remember that bad behaviour is very rarely a personal attack on your capabilities.
However, how you manage classroom behaviour will determine how you develop as a teacher. Alison Winson, head of secondary and post compulsory education at the University of Worcester, sees the teacher as the starting point of excellent behaviour management.
Once you've mastered these attributes, you'll need to implement them in the classroom. The most important rule is to be consistent in how you deal with your pupils. Praise and reward good behaviour and refuse to tolerate troublemakers. If your class can see that you're firm in your discipline, they're less likely to challenge your rules. This is an effective behaviour management strategy if you can establish yourself and your ground rules from the beginning of the year.
The following tips will keep your class engaged and responding respectfully to your position of authority:. Establishing ground rules is just one of many essential skills for secondary school teachers. While it's important to be firm in establishing your ground rules, it's equally important to strike the balance between being a good leader and being personable.
Building positive relationships with your pupils will ensure they don't feel they're being spoken down to. Mutual respect is vital to a harmonious classroom. You'll be able to dispel behaviour issues more quickly if you can earn this respect from the outset. Alison recommends aiming to 'build positive relationships with the young people you're working with quickly - learn their names, show an interest in them and respond to them dutifully.
Stephanie agrees. Elaine supports a rational approach to classroom behaviour. Focus on the positives to create a positive environment for everyone. Nonverbal communication is a crucial aspect of successful classroom behaviour management. The sooner a need is identified , the sooner students can receive additional support. With alternatives and accommodations made that specifically fit the needs of the child, the student can return to being productive and a partner in their own education.
A tiered behavior management plan ensures that every student is included and their needs are met. Tiered plans cover expectations for the entire school population, set requirements for group behaviors in classrooms, and identify appropriate actions for individual students. A tiered approach establishes conduct no matter what part of the environment the student is in. This consistency and clarity ensure that children are secure in knowing how they should act in any situation.
When there is no plan in place, there is also no clear set of consequences for inappropriate behaviors, and no definition around when those consequences might occur. This can lead to rules being applied unevenly, or students feeling as if they are being singled out or treated unfairly. When a behavior management plan is established and followed, students understand that they are all being measured against the same set of rules.
When those rules and consequences are applied consistently, students develop greater trust with their teachers and the staff. Truancy and absenteeism may not seem like behavior issues. However, both of these can signal troubles with the student and can lead to acting out within the classroom or more serious consequences for the child as they grow older. Understanding what is expected and tracking student attendance against those expectations allows a school to identify attendance problems early.
School services can then be called into play to get these students back on track. They can also be used to encourage and reward positive behaviors. With a positive reward system, students can motivate themselves to act appropriately and manage their behaviors. Student behavior management plans can cover a student, a classroom, or an entire school. These plans set up the rules and make clear what is expected of students in and out of the classroom. With a defined set of expectations, it becomes easier for educators to identify students that need additional support while also giving a framework for consistent application of the rules.
The result is an overall better learning environment and a safer school. Contact us: Support , Sales , Supplies. A Plan Sets Expectations When a behavior plan is developed and shared with the students and their parents, everyone is on the same page about what is expected.
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