Behaviour Matters

Start the new school year with an effective communication system

September doesn’t just mark the beginning of a new school year: it also means the start of new working relationships, new environments and new challenges. Clear communication between colleagues and students can provide a strong basis for effective behaviour management and proactive teaching, explains Dave Stott

Relax, recharge and organise for next term

The beginning of the summer break can often mean one thing: forgetting all about school until September. But if you can learn to manage your own behaviour effectively during this time, you will be better prepared to manage students’ behaviour next term

Using responsibility to improve behaviour

It’s often seen as simply a reward or a punishment, so how can giving responsibility to students be used to improve behaviour?

How is appropriate behaviour taught in your school?

This issue of Behaviour Matters looks at the benefits of the specific teaching of behaviour, using the same approaches as for any other area of the school curriculum

Not disruptive, but not on task

How can you make positive changes to the behaviour of pupils who are not disruptive but are not engaged with the learning process?

Dealing with the ‘significant minority’ of poorly-behaved students

‘Significant minority’ is an often-used phrase describing small groups of student who have negative influences on the behaviour of others. How can schools prevent this occurring, and how can they prevent the minority becoming a majority?

How to improve behaviour during lunch break

Lunch breaks can be a source of conflict and behaviour problems, which often spill over and disrupt the classroom during the afternoon sessions. How effective are your routines and systems for a successful midday break, asks Dave Stott

Dealing with students who answer back

The Easter break from school and the change of circumstances can mean, for many students, problems in settling back in to the expectations of the classroom. Dave Stott takes a close look at teaching techniques to reduce the incidence of answering back and arguing

How can ‘time out’ benefit students’ behaviour?

‘Time out’ should be more than just a sanction. How can we help students who are required to spend periods outside the classroom use this time to make positive changes in their behaviour? Dave Stott looks at the systems schools need to have in place

Encourage good behaviour with effective student-teacher relationships

We can have a positive effect on students’ behaviour by demonstrating a sense of fairness and consistency and taking time to chat to them outside the classroom, says Dave Stott

Mobile phones, MP3 players and student behaviour

They’re often the cause of argument, disruption and off-task behaviour. So how can you reduce the negative impact of mobile phones and MP3 players in the teaching and learning environment?

Are you devoting too much classroom time to behaviour management?

This week’s copy offers tips on raising teachers’ awareness of the amount of time they spend on behaviour management as opposed to teaching, so that they can readjust the balance in favour of more teaching time if necessary

Improve your behaviour management with pupil evaluation

Tips on how to solicit and apply feedback/evaluation from pupils to improve behaviour management

Positive thinking to aid positive behaviour II: encouraging positive behaviour

Out last issue advised on focusing on the positive aspects of student behaviour in the teaching and learning environment, without dwelling on negative behaviour. This week’s develops this theme and offers a practical activity aimed at encouraging positive behaviour

Positive thinking to aid positive behaviour

Refocus your thinking and concentrate on the positive aspects of student behaviour. Stop spending time on the negatives and revitalise your behaviour management

Using positive behaviour techniques

This Behaviour Matters focuses on how to avoid making assumptions about the behavioural skills of your students. It looks at how to use positive teaching techniques and remind students of boundaries and expectations, rather than a negative model of failure to correct

Too many rules

This ezine is a reminder to review the number of rules you expect students to comply with, how they are put into practice, and how effective they seem to b

Threat or sanction?

Effective behaviour management policies and strategies are based on clarity, inevitability and consistency. This article draws attention to the problem of not meaning what you say when implementing policy

Using a points system to manage behaviour

This ezine is a reminder of the possible benefits, and also the problems, of using a structured points system when managing student behaviour. It shows how points systems can be effective on a schoolwide basis, for smaller teaching groups and also for individual students

Benefits of having flexibility to planned lessons

How able or prepared are you to allow reluctant and disengaged learners to change the planned activity? This article highlights how having alternatives to planned lessons can reduce the chances of students developing and escalating confrontations

Collecting evidence associated with challenging children

Assessment information, records of incidents and successful interventions and staff comments are just some of the essential pieces of evidence you will need to plan the way forward with challenging students. How time-consuming is this step for you, and how accessible is the evidence?

Demonstrating fairness, consistency and accountability in the classroom

Justifying your actions or decisions is an essential part of effective behaviour management. So how do you demonstrate fairness and consistency in the teaching and learning environment?

Using verbal reinforcement to improve behaviour

Today’s article is a reminder that your classroom rules, boundaries and expectations can be reinforced through careful use of language in verbal instructions, rewards and sanctions

Recording progress with behaviour plans

How effective are the behaviour plans you write for challenging students? This article offers some tips on the essential components of plans that really can make a positive change to challenging or disruptive behaviour

Dealing with delayed student response: allowing for 'start up time'

Expecting an instant reaction to your instructions from some students may be a step too far! This bulletin looks at practical strategies to empower you and reduce confrontation

Zero tolerance on challenging behaviour

’Zero tolerance’ is a phrase increasingly used in response to challenging behaviour – but what are the likely benefits and the possible consequences of such an approach?

Aiding the success of behaviour policies

As behaviour policies and classroom rules are being finalised for the new term ahead, Behaviour Matters reminds staff of their responsibilities in ensuring compliance and consistency to the agreed policies

Preparing the school environment for a new term

Preparing the emotional and environmental details of the classroom for the next school year can have a very clear impact on pupil and teacher behaviour

Managing behaviour affected by transition

Schools have recognised that transition can be a stressful time. This issue we look at the ways schools help pupils prepare for the changes ahead and how you can manage transition for yourself

Information sharing to improve behaviour strategies

Teachers must remember the need to share information about individual students, progress, needs and effective strategies

Self-review your behaviour strategies to improve your self-esteem

Assess your own pupils strategies to prepare yourself for improving behaviour next year. This Behaviour Matters reminds you to include your own self-review in your preparations for next year

Classroom seating plans

Behaviour Matters looks at the benefits of considered classroom seating plans, since the layout and organisation of your teaching and learning area is a major factor in successful behaviour management

Don’t take students' comments personally

Taking issues with pupils personally can lead to difficulties. This e-bulletin looks at how you can become more proactive and stand back to see the full picture

Top 20 behaviour strategies

As a quick reference point and a reminder of strategies, this Behaviour Matters lists the top 20 behaviour strategies to include in your toolbox of behaviour management techniques

A practical strategy for teaching behaviour

This ebulletin describes a practical strategy for involving pupils in a behaviour management process, which takes account different teaching and learning styles

Working cooperatively: educational professionals in the classroom

School classrooms no longer host one adult and a group of pupils - there are often a team of educational professionals working together, which can have detrimental affects on behaviour. This article offers practical advice and strategies to help all adults working in the classroom to be more effective in their management of behaviour

Repairing damaged relationships with students

This ezine raises the issue of how to repair or rebuild damaged relationships between teacher and student, resulting from difficult or challenging behaviour in the classroom

Defusing arguments with students

Arguments with pupils can escalate quickly, so Dave Stott gives tips on how to defuse or control arguments with students, before they become out of control and cause permanent behaviour problems

Developing pupils' social skills to improve behaviour

This article on social skills concludes Behaviour Matters' series on how implementing the social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) initiative can have a positive effect on pupil behaviour

Develop your pupils' empathy skills

Developing your pupils' empathy can be an effective way to improve their behaviour. Dave Stott discusses, offering practical tips

Motivate pupils for better behaviour

How can teachers motivate their pupils to improve their behaviour? Dave Stott continues the SEAL approach to improving classroom behaviour, offering practical tips

Tips for pupils on how to manage their feelings

Effective anger management techniques for pupils can be led by their teacher. This Behaviour Matters continues to look at how SEAL can have a direct link to improving behaviour

Improve behaviour with better personal time management

Behaviour suffers when teachers don't get to their classrooms on time, as pupils take advantage of the lack of supervision. Teachers' timekeeping is therefore important, and can be made more efficient by planning and communication with colleagues

Encouraging students to reflect on misbehaviour

If 'time-outs', punishments and sanctions are not changing the behaviour of a pupil, what other options are there? Dave Stott discusses how to encourage pupils to reflect on, and change, their behaviour

Managing behaviour strategies reviews

When confronting problem behaviour there are some tips and techniques that will prove immediately useful; Dave Stott offers ideas which aimt to diffuse potentially volatile situations

Monitoring and tracking behaviour

By monitoring behaviour — identifying patterns of disruption and collecting information over time — you will move some way towards finding a solution to behaviour problems. This ebulletin explains how to do this in an easy and effective manner

Auditing to improve behaviour

What is the first step in improving behaviour issues? The answer may surprise you — try an audit of your management style and learning environment. By acting on the findings, you may see an overall improvement in the way pupils approach learning — and each other

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