So, to the harsh reality of the heading of this article. If they're not behaving then you're not doing it right.... Oh Liz, that really is harsh. Maybe it is harsh - but it's true.... Either as a school (and kids' behaviour should be an all school issue) or in individual classrooms, if behaviour isn't improving (and presumably people want it to?) then something is being done wrongly. The great thing is though, anyone can learn the skills to effectively manage children's behaviour. As I've written before - skill and confidence are the keys to success.
It's exactly the same as any other skill or technique that you want to master. You have to know what to do, practice doing it, and then keep on doing it and taking it on a step further to extend your knowledge, skill and confidence. I've been practising my skills for years now - if you've read Behaviour Bible you'll know about my first day dealing with children's extreme behaviour. Well, strictly speaking I wasn't dealing with it. It was a complete disaster - dreadful. I hadn't got any idea what I was doing. I was at the same stage as many people I talk to and observe now.
I had to learn, but there wasn't anyone to teach me. Because of that it took a while - quite a long while really. Gradually I cottoned on to what was needed - I had to change. I now use the successful behaviour management techniques I have established to teach other people and believe me it doesn't have to take you the length of time it took me. You can see the impact of the techniques in minutes. Children read the situation and recognise and respond to an adult 'doing it right'!!
While I've been working with extreme behaviour the situation in schools has become far worse and bad behaviour is so common in schools that there's a danger of it being thought of as normal. Adults should be appalled by behaviour they see but I see people accepting such behaviour. They seem to believe that there's nothing they can do - I call it 'learned helplessness'. There's just a shrug of the shoulders and a 'what do you expect us to do about it?' attitude.
So, you have to ask yourself, 'Is what I am doing to manage behaviour getting the results I want?' If the answer is, 'No', then you're not doing it right - you have to accept that you have things to learn and changes to make. Then, life becomes a great deal easier, less stressful and more productive. It's a win/win situation.
You can get all you need to know about successfully managing children's behaviour in Behaviour Bible. A successful and productive classroom is within your grasp. Read about the techniques, practise them and use them consistently.
It's exactly the same as any other skill or technique that you want to master. You have to know what to do, practice doing it, and then keep on doing it and taking it on a step further to extend your knowledge, skill and confidence. I've been practising my skills for years now - if you've read Behaviour Bible you'll know about my first day dealing with children's extreme behaviour. Well, strictly speaking I wasn't dealing with it. It was a complete disaster - dreadful. I hadn't got any idea what I was doing. I was at the same stage as many people I talk to and observe now.
I had to learn, but there wasn't anyone to teach me. Because of that it took a while - quite a long while really. Gradually I cottoned on to what was needed - I had to change. I now use the successful behaviour management techniques I have established to teach other people and believe me it doesn't have to take you the length of time it took me. You can see the impact of the techniques in minutes. Children read the situation and recognise and respond to an adult 'doing it right'!!
While I've been working with extreme behaviour the situation in schools has become far worse and bad behaviour is so common in schools that there's a danger of it being thought of as normal. Adults should be appalled by behaviour they see but I see people accepting such behaviour. They seem to believe that there's nothing they can do - I call it 'learned helplessness'. There's just a shrug of the shoulders and a 'what do you expect us to do about it?' attitude.
So, you have to ask yourself, 'Is what I am doing to manage behaviour getting the results I want?' If the answer is, 'No', then you're not doing it right - you have to accept that you have things to learn and changes to make. Then, life becomes a great deal easier, less stressful and more productive. It's a win/win situation.
You can get all you need to know about successfully managing children's behaviour in Behaviour Bible. A successful and productive classroom is within your grasp. Read about the techniques, practise them and use them consistently.
About the Author:
Liz Marsden is a highly respected behaviour management specialist who manages children's behaviour believed unmanageable by other teachers and professionals. Liz's influential book Behaviour Bible offers essential advice and instruction to help you manage your classroom successfully. You can also gain an insight into Liz's work and her daily classroom experiences.
