Young Children and Classroom Behaviour

Needs,Perspectives and Strategies

Sue Roffey, Terry O'Reirdan

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781134132539
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Bildung
• Subtopic: Bildung Allgemein

First Published in 2001. This book takes an overall perspective on young children's behaviour. Rather than offering a single approach or a specific strategy to deal with children's difficult behaviour it clarifies all those factors which must be taken into account when promoting positive behaviour in school. The message is that it is the 'whole package' that makes the difference. A strategy is only as good as the context in which it takes place.

Chapter 1
Introduction

This book takes an overall perspective on young children’s behaviour. Rather than offering a single approach or a specific strategy to deal with children’s difficult behaviour it clarifies all those factors which must be taken into account when promoting positive behaviour in school. The message is that it is the ‘whole package’ that makes the difference. A strategy is only as good as the context in which it takes place.

Here we clarify the rationale and underlying philosophy of the book. A major theme is that although not all behaviour is learnt there is a learning component to all behaviour with which teachers can work. We share some of the excellent practice that has been developed in schools to help children learn to behave well. This is set within a framework which addresses the needs not only of children, but also of their parents and teachers. The contents of the book have a sequence, outlined in this section, which first deals with the promotion of positive behaviour for all young children and then looks at individual needs. The goal of promoting positive behaviour is ultimately the development of self-management. The foundation stones for this must be addressed, if not from infancy; then from children’s earliest days in school.

The current context

Since the publication of Infant Classroom Behaviour, on which this book is based, the issue of behaviour and its management in school has become increasingly high profile, especially for young children and those whose later disaffection leads to poor educational attainments. Teachers are more aware than ever that a satisfactory learning environment includes planning and promoting clear behavioural expectations. More emphasis is being placed on early intervention, both to support vulnerable families and on the wider provision of education at the early foundation stage. These initiatives are welcome and are likely to have a beneficial effect on most children’s capacity to settle into school and be ready to learn. The focus on early learning, however, makes it even more important that there are appropriate expectations on children. Young pupils need to think of themselves as successful learners, not early failures in the education system.

The skills of teachers

Most young children settle well into school life. They are generally happy, make friends easily, are responsive to teachers and enjoy learning. Such a positive situation does not come about by chance. It is due to the experiences and learning that have taken place in the preschool years and crucially to the welcoming environment of the school and the many skills of teachers. It is a mammoth and often unrecognised task that confronts the reception class teacher who has to gather together 30 or so disparate, small, mainly egocentric beings and help them become a coherent group, aware of each other, able to cooperate and collaborate, listen, pay attention and learn. It is to those teachers’ unsung credit that by the time children have been in school a year, most of them have developed the required skills to work and play together and have learned behaviour which is appropriate for school.

This is not true, unfortunately, for everyone. Some children find it more difficult to settle into school life because they have not learned skills which promote cooperation and positive social interactions. Clear guidance and teaching is required to help them replace the repertoire they bring with them with more rewarding behaviours and help them make the most of being in school. Their very first experiences in the classroom and playground will make a difference to how they view themselves within the school context and to their expectations of others.

Teachers cannot be expected to change children’s behaviour overnight or make up for all the deprivations they might be experiencing. Teachers do not, however, always fully realise that their classroom might be the only place where a child is encouraged to think about him or herself positively, where there is security, safety, consistency and a sense of purpose. Although there may not be immediate changes in behaviour, a daily smile of welcome may make more difference than the teacher will ever know. There are times when teachers need reminding of the good work that they are already doing.

Schools make the difference

The research on effective schools mirrors our own experiences in working with a wide variety of institutions. The ethos, organisation and working policies in a school make a significant difference to how children’s behaviour is perceived and what is put in place to develop appropriate classroom behaviours for both groups and individuals. In the most effective schools there is planned promotion of positive behaviours which takes account of the needs of parents and teachers as well as children. In the less effective schools there is little consistency of approach among staff who tend to react to individual instances of difficult behaviour. Because of the anxiety and confusion surrounding what to do about ‘difficult kids’, teachers may look to others to blame and refer most quickly to outside agencies for support. These are the schools who are also most likely to reject and exclude children.

Limiting difficulties by teaching behaviour

The rise in the number of children presenting with behaviour difficulties in school at a very young age is of both local and national concern. This book does not attempt to explore in any depth the many and complex reasons for this. The focus is on the ways in which schools and teachers have managed successfully to help children develop more appropriate interactions and limit behavioural difficulties in the classroom and the playground. Teachers are encouraged to think about behaviour in terms of what the child needs to learn and how the child will be taught, asking questions such as:

• Do children understand what behaviours are required in the classroom?
• Are they able to do what is being asked of them?
• Do they have an understanding of why they are being asked to behave in certain ways?
• Is cooperation in the child’s perceived interests?

In order to behave in ways which win teacher approval, children need to know what it is that they have to do, have the skills to do it, and feel good about complying. Those children who can’t cooperate because they are distressed, angry and feeling bad about themselves and their experiences of the world, need opportunities to learn to feel safe, comfortable, and successful in school and be able to think about themselves more positively. While it may be difficult to evaluate how well this learning is taking place it is nevertheless an outcome of the approaches, efforts and actions of teachers.

An affective curriculum

The need for ‘emotional literacy’ is being acknowledged at many levels of education. Throughout the book the importance of the ‘affective curriculum’ is emphasised: how children come to understand and express their own feelings and begin to learn to understand and empathise with those of others. Social and emotional development can be accelerated within the classroom in the same way as cognitive development, by teaching and mediating experiences for children, helping them to understand and giving them skills to move forward. Teachers often try to change behaviour by resisting children’s expression of their emotions. Effort is often put into trying to persuade children to ‘cheer up’. Acknowledgement of how they are currently feeling is often a better response in that it makes the child feel that he or she has been ‘heard’ and may prevent an escalation of the emotion being expressed. This also takes up less personal emotional energy for the adult. The provision of an emotionally literate environment is not only about the pupils in the school. The feelings that teachers often have when dealing with difficult behaviour are also acknowledged here and ways in which teachers might feel supported are discussed.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice (2001)

This book is concerned primarily with promoting positive behaviour in young children, often at a whole-school and whole-class level. The SEN Code of Practice (DfEE 2001) places more specific expectations on schools at the early stages of difficulty. The five stage model for SEN has been replaced with a simpler version which emphasises the ‘plan, do, review’ approach. It is clearer about responsibilities and effective monitoring of intervention, stating unequivocally that ‘all teachers are teachers of children with special educational needs’ and that ‘teaching such children is a whole-school responsibility’. There is an emphasis on ‘school action’ which are those responses which schools are required to take when difficulties are first identified. It is essential, therefore, that schools know what is effective practice with regard to school behaviour to prevent a negative spiral of interactions developing. The support of outside agencies as ‘school action plus’ will then be used more effectively.

It is not our intention to address the needs of those more damaged children whose emotional and behavioural difficulties are long term and entrenched. In our experience, however, where a consistent and positive response to difficulties is in place as soon as the need is identified, there is often a marked improvement in behaviour, making further interventions unnecessary.

The outline and sequence of chapters

Differences between children when they begin school

Chapter 2 examines a wide range of preschool experiences and how these affect the way children relate to other people, think about themselves and their abilities, share the values and aspirations of the school and know how to access the activities on offer. Chapter 3 looks at the levels of development which might be seen in a reception classroom especially with regard to emotional and social maturity and the impact this has for learning appropriate behaviour. A checklist of skills which might normally be expected from a five year old is provided so that teachers can quickly ascertain concerns and possible targets for intervention.

Teacher perspectives and teacher needs

Chapter 4 explores different ways in which behaviour might be thought about and how this affects teacher confidence in dealing with difficulties. There is an emphasis on factors to take into account when considering how children learn and which approaches may be useful in teaching behaviour. Chapter 5 looks at what teachers need in order to be most effective in the classroom and limit personal stress. Ways in which these needs might be met, including a ‘framework of support’ are discussed.

The needs of parents and children

It is very evident that those schools which put a great deal of thought and effort into their communication with parents also have a better record of managing behaviour. Chapter 6 is therefore devoted to the needs of parents and is illustrated by outlining some ways in which schools have promoted greater understanding and collaboration, especially across class, cultural and other differences. Schools are encouraged to think through their initial discussions with parents about behavioural concerns. An outline for an interview is included. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is used in Chapter 7 as a framework to identify and prioritise children’s needs when they start school. Ways in which these might be met are considered.

Settling into school: taking action to promote positive behaviour

Many schools think very carefully about how children may be helped to settle into school. Chapters 8 and 9 look at the strategies that some teachers have developed to clarify expected behaviour, teach routines and give positive feedback for success. We consider the practicalities of how children can be encouraged to cooperate with adults and with each other. There is a strong focus on self-concept and self-esteem, helping the child to make sense of what is being asked and making things relevant and meaningful. All children need to fit in with the group and feel that they belong, but also to feel special and accepted as individuals. When there is a clear sense of order and fairness within the class which is communicated well to everyone, it is easier for children to maintain a commitment to the structure and routines.

When difficulties arise

Chapter 10 deals with conflict and the importance of teaching children skills of conflict management so that they can sort out minor differences themselves. There is also guidance as to when adult intervention might be appropriate and when not, including what to do about bullying behaviour. ‘Circle time’ activities are particularly relevant here in raising children’s self-esteem and in helping them think through ways of dealing with difficulties that arise in everyday interactions. Ways in which to de-escalate a possible confrontation are also discussed.

Finally, in Chapter 11 we come to the section on children who are particularly hard to manage. Whereas the rest of the book is primarily about strategies for the whole class and for groups of children, here the major focus is on the learning needs of the individual child who is having difficulty. We offer a framework to clarify a child’s learning needs with respect to behavioural intervention and make suggestions both for overall approaches and direct strategies. Ideas can be selected or developed to form the basis of individual education plans (IEPs). Incorporated into this chapter are ideas for immediate management strategies for specific situations. These may not necessarily be part of a longer term learning programme but enable the teacher to have ways of dealing with crises in the classroom.

Although it is tempting for teachers to turn immediately to this section with a particular child in mind, it is stressed that the ideas and strategies found here will be more effective if they are consistent with a whole-school approach to positive behaviour management. Teachers who work in less positive environments may, however, find much that is helpful...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Preschool Experiences
• 3. Development, Learning and Behaviour
• 4. Perspectives
• 5. The Needs of Teachers
• 6. The Needs of Parents
• 7. The Needs of Children
• 8. Feeling Comfortable, Feeling Confident
• 9. Cooperation and the Group
• 10. Dealing with Conflict
• 11. The Hard to Manage Child
• References and Resources
• Index