Getting behaviour right
What and how.
In this interview, Katherine Birbalsingh suggests that the best thing schools can do to get children to catch up is to improve behaviour. I agree. Let me explain.
I have been working in ITE for four years and every year I explain to new trainee teachers the importance of getting behaviour right. If they have excellent behaviour systems in place and are consistent with their expectations then they can focus on teaching their class. If the behaviour is not excellent then the teaching is not as effective and the children’s learning will suffer. Why? They spend more time on managing behaviour in the classroom than on teaching the children. Lots of nodding of heads follow and trainees ask what they need to do. So, I offer the following two points.
Set high expectations for behaviour in your class
Be consistent with your expectations
How might these be achieved? Initial Teacher Education (ITE) prepares trainee teachers for the profession so we must endeavour to teach the knowledge and understanding of different approaches to behaviour management. This is important as trainees may experience a range of approaches during their time in placement schools. However, there is a lot of literature on behaviour management and, depending on the ITE course a student is on, only so much time to cover it. Decisions are made to prioritise and sequence a curriculum that must also ‘craft the experiences and activities detailed in the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF)’ (DFE, 2019). Some providers may ask if they should look for inspiration from Maslow and his Hierarchy of needs? No, they should not due to a number of critical limitations such as the methodology which has been described as a biased biographical analysis of mainly white males. What about restorative practices? Well, it may depend on the research you read (see here, here and here for starters) but ultimately its impact will depend on the training a school receives and whether all the staff can utilise that training effectively when required. Zakszeski & Rutherford (2021) warn of a practice-to-research gap where school’s adoption of restorative approaches has outpaced research into its implementation and effectiveness. The jury may still be deliberating over it but there is one possible agreement no matter your viewpoint - we should (and do) talk to children about their behaviour and how their actions impact on those on the receiving end.
Going back to my two points above, how might a trainee teacher achieve them? From an ITE perspective, providers need to ensure that their trainees have the opportunity to select from a wide range of strategies so that they are better prepared for what happens in the classroom. Bennett (2016) suggests that ITE providers should focus on routines, responses and relationships as the focus of their behaviour training. Following on from this, the DFE review into school behaviour states that behaviour needs to be taught and presents trainee teachers with clearly defined steps that involve two specific approaches: proactive and reactive behaviour management. These two documents are useful starting points for discussions about behaviour management and should not be dismissed.
Getting behaviour right as a trainee teacher is challenging especially as no behaviour management approach can claim to be 100% effective. Therefore, trainees need to have access to a wide range of strategies, they need practical advice which is grounded in evidence (Carter Review, 2015), they need to observe teachers that use effective behaviour management strategies and learn how to implement the same strategies with a class of their own. The CCF sets out the minimum entitlement of all trainee teachers. Setting high expectations is the first of its eight standards and its focus is in line with the recommendations of the Carter review (2015) which suggested that behaviour management should be prioritised in all ITT programmes. ITE providers have a responsibility to ensure their trainees are prepared for the classroom and getting behaviour right is a priority we cannot afford to get wrong.