BEHAVIOUR NEEDS

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MINI-COURSE

Part 1

Classroom Management Mini Course

How to PREVENT and DEAL with Behaviour Problems in the Classroom

2011 Behaviour Needs All Rights Reserved www.behaviourneeds.com

BEHAVIOUR NEEDS

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MINI-COURSE

Part 1

Rob Plevin is an ex-deputy head teacher, behaviour management specialist and relentless optimist. He runs the websites www.behaviourneeds.com, www.classroom-expert.com & www.lesson-ology.com and presents training courses internationally on working successfully with challenging young people for teachers, lecturers, care workers, prison officers and parents. His live courses and INSET sessions are frequently described as unforgettable (by attendees with proven high standards of memory) and he was rated as an outstanding teacher by the UKs Office for Standards in Education. "I found Rob Plevin's workshop just in time to save me from giving up. It should be compulsory - everybody in teaching should attend a Needs-Focused workshop and meet the man with such a big heart who will make you see the important part you can play in the lives of your most difficult pupils." Heather Beames, Teacher, London course attendee To book Rob for INSET or to enquire about live training please visit the help desk at www.behaviourneeds.com/helpdesk OR CALL 08452712818 (UK)

2011 Behaviour Needs All Rights Reserved www.behaviourneeds.com

BEHAVIOUR NEEDS

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MINI-COURSE

Part 1

Part 1
The Needs-Focused Approach Satisfying the need to belong Building classroom community Hi, Yesterday I introduced the idea of satisfying needs to prevent classroom behaviour problems. Its a sensible idea - to manage behaviour problems the easiest way, by preventing them happening in the first place. Well be covering methods for actually dealing with your biggest classroom management problems later on in the course but for now lets look at preventing as many as we can. Were going to start by satisfying the need to belong. Have you noticed that you tend to feel better about yourself when youre surrounded by supportive friends? Its the same youre your students. They will work best and cause least problems when they feel they are part of a community in which they feel accepted and in which their individuality is encouraged. By definition a community is a group of people who work with one another building a sense of trust, care, and support. This means that in our classrooms, part of our job is to provide opportunities and structures by which students can work collaboratively and support and help one another. Here are two good ways to build classroom community: Student Meetings and Team-Building activities. 1. Student Meetings Student meetings are valuable tools for handling issues that arise and for finding out what is working for your students, and for seeking ideas about how things can improve in areas that are not working. They are also perfect for building bonds with your students (which well talk more about tomorrow). Meetings can be arranged on a 1:1 basis or by assigning students to small focus groups of 4-5. During a student meeting the main objective is to convince students that this is an opportunity for them to have a voice - a chance to talk about issues which are bothering them and to put forward their own ideas for how things could improve. Important: The purpose of the meetings is not to apportion blame or complain about lack of work, rather to solicit ideas for improvement from the students and to talk about what is

2011 Behaviour Needs All Rights Reserved www.behaviourneeds.com

BEHAVIOUR NEEDS

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MINI-COURSE

Part 1

working (well do more of these activities) and what isnt working (well do fewer of these activities. or seek to improve them). Student meetings should be held regularly at least once a month to get most benefit from them. 2. Team-building activities The benefits of team-building exercises and getting-to-know-you activities in relation to developing peer relationships and classroom community are well known. They provide opportunities for individual students to develop communication skills, appreciate each others strengths and capabilities and, most importantly in terms of community building, bond with each other. Activities can be incorporated into lessons as aids to learning or can be scheduled as one-off lessons or starter activities. Time spent off curriculum on these activities is never wasted and will be paid back in terms of increased motivation, improved morale and better relationships. To find suitable activities just google the term team-building activities. Most activities of this nature have been designed for the corporate world but can be adapted to all areas of the curriculum with minimal modification. Here are a couple of examples of Team-Building Activities from our Lesson Resource Pack: Lesson-Ology. Team Builder 8:

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Time: Whole lesson - 60 minutes Number of People: Any Size Materials:
Digital camera for each group

Preparation: Write up the Scavenger Hunt comprising of a series of staged photographs which teams must collect. Some examples might be: Form a letter of the alphabet with your bodies, create a human pyramid etc. Directions:
1. Divide group into teams of 4-6 people. 2. Hand out the Scavenger Hunt form.

2011 Behaviour Needs All Rights Reserved www.behaviourneeds.com

BEHAVIOUR NEEDS

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MINI-COURSE

Part 1

3. Inform students of the expectations/restrictions. Some possibilities might be: a. Every group member must be in the picture except the photographer. b. The photographer must be different for every photo. c. Time limit=40 minutes. d. You must ask for a pass/permission to leave the room. (It may be easier to bring them outside or to an open empty space.) e. Stay as quiet as possible in the hallway. f. No entering any other classroom. 4. As the groups finish, download the pictures onto the computer. 5. View them as a group or set them up as a display in time for the next class period.

Variation:
Teams have to take photos of a series of curriculum-related information such as pictures of pages in text books etc.

Team Builder 10:

Bridge Builders
Time: 30 minutes. Number of People: Any. Materials: Per group: 5 sheets of broadsheet newspaper, 1 metre of masking tape, 1 tin of baked beans. Directions: 1. Divide students into groups of 4-6 and allocate materials. 2. State the object of the exercise and allow five minutes planning time. 3. Challenge students to build a free standing bridge, using materials supplied, that will: a. support the tin of beans for 10 seconds; b. be tall enough for the tin to pass under (as though it were a boat).

2011 Behaviour Needs All Rights Reserved www.behaviourneeds.com

BEHAVIOUR NEEDS

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MINI-COURSE

Part 1

4. After the planning session, inform students that they have ten minutes to complete the task. 5. When time is up, hold The Great Bridge Test! Test the constructions and find out if they stand up to the cans weight and height tests. The great thing about these activities is that students find them fun to take part in. Getting your most challenging students interested in any activity in the classroom (even one not strictly related to the curriculum) is a tremendous first step in changing negative attitudes and once they see that the classroom can be interesting and enjoyable, you have a foundation for growth and further learning. Tomorrow well look at ways you can improve the teacher/student relationship and build bonds with hard-to-reach students. Until then, best wishes,
Rob Plevin Director Behaviour Needs Ltd

2011 Behaviour Needs All Rights Reserved www.behaviourneeds.com