Tip of the Month

How to promote appropriate behaviour in your classroom

I have heard quite a few teachers complaining about discipline problems in their classrooms. When I was a teacher in a primary school a long time ago, I experienced my own inaptitude to deal with the “chaos” in the classroom. So I know how hard it is to face and deal with a disobedient class day in, day out.

But is it really just the issue of disobedience or lack of discipline? No, since it is the consequence of a more general attitude which has been neglected. As teachers of English, we are not only teachers of one subject, but also educators, pedagogues, role models, child minders, facilitators, observers, advisors, classroom community members… We cannot just teach English because it will often be a difficult task in a group of unwilling, unenthusiastic pupils. First we have to prepare the class in order to manage it effectively, create a caring community of learners and develop adequate learning environment. It will take some time, but it is worth it. We have to take care of four interdependent elements that form a framework for the development of positive behaviour. These elements are rights, responsibilities, rules and relationships (4 Rs).

Rights

Everyone in the classroom, including the teacher, has the right to feel safe (physically and emotionally), to be treated with dignity and respect, to be listened to, and to learn. Reflect on how you and your pupils would experience these rights in the classroom.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities go hand in hand with rights. For every right there is a responsibility, since we are each accountable for our behaviour.

Does the management and organization of your class enable pupils to respond appropriately and with confidence? Pupils should be encouraged to

• treat each other with understanding;
• look after the classroom, each other and each other’s property;
• enter and leave the room appropriately and move about the school well;
• listen to each other and express their views without risk of ridicule;
• take risks with their learning, seeing mistakes as an opportunity for learning.

If pupils are constantly ordered and controlled, they will never learn to be responsible. They should be given opportunities to practice responsibility. We all need to understand that we each choose our behaviour. Behaviour is the result of our own decisions, and pupils need to learn the skill of making decisions and reflecting on the effects of their choices.

As teachers we need to develop each pupil’s ability to

• have positive self-awareness, self-confidence and self-esteem;
• understand the links between their feelings and their actions;
• have ways to express their feelings;
• understand that there are choices;
• develop effective communication skills;
• develop decision-making skills.

Rules

Rules are based on rights and responsibilities. They should form a contract between all class members, be negotiated with all in the class and be expressed in positive phrases, written in terms of what you and your pupils do.

In order to create a negotiated, shared and fair contract of behaviour it is a good idea to organize the whole class to sit in a circle and share experiences, ideas or feelings. It is an excellent way for pupils to be encouraged to listen actively and for all members of the group to be heard. Even the shyest pupil will usually feel able to take part.

The whole-class discussion should lead to a simple statement or contract, which all pupils could sign. These could be displayed prominently so that visitors to the room know what the class members expect and to serve as a reminder of the agreement.

The behaviour contract can be reviewed or changed after a period of time, e.g. one term. Avoid “Don’t be/do” rules. Phrase the rules positively so as to emphasize what the pupils should be doing rather than what they should not be doing. Limit the number of rules to around five to help you to keep them prominent, and refer to them often.

Relationships

Establishing effective relationships should be our top priority. Learning is enhanced or hindered by the social processes at work. When good relationships are established, we can create opportunities for personal development. Positive relationships are built when individuals feel valued and respected. We should therefore develop each individual’s self-esteem and interpersonal effectiveness to create the best climate for learning.

When members of the class community know and trust each other, are able to skillfully communicate with each other and are able to solve relationship problems, then you have the necessary building blocks for creating a positive climate for learning.