is magazine 8.1 - Autumn/Spring 2005 - International Schools ...

Coping with bad behaviour
Two approaches to the effective management of the
challenging student
Is there any teacher who has not considered ‘What will I do if I
lose control of this situation?’ Indeed most of us, particularly in
our early years of teaching, have had to ask for help to deal with
a particular class or child. As an administrator I had to deal with
a great many different kinds of discipline problems and the
teacher stress that resulted.
I remember a humanities teacher, with 20 years’ experience,
who came to confess that he had, as he said, ‘lost it’ with one particular
class. Control had suddenly gone. There was the brilliant
Japanese art teacher who was desolated to have to ask me to rescue
a class from chaos. And, sadly, there was the badly-needed
mathematics teacher who just gave up in despair after half-a-year.
These two books, in different ways give much-needed support
to the teacher who, in ‘the gritty reality of the classroom’ needs
help – which could be any of us!
Managing Challenging Children
by Gerard Gordon
Prim-Ed, first published 1996
ISBN 1 86400 302 2
Gerard Gordon is the founder and Training Director of Managing
Challenging Children, an Australian-based consultancy, and has
wide experience in work with the social, emotional and behavioural
problems of children. He recognises that:
‘effective behaviour management can mean the difference
between a long and satisfying career, or a life of constant
stress and worry leading to early retirement – or possibly
worse.’
His focus is not just on the child, but on the actions and selfbelief
of the teacher. His thesis is that effective teachers achieve
success with difficult children because they believe that they can.
In other words the behaviour of the teacher is as important as the
behaviour of the child. So, through a series of lucid chapters,
advice is given as to how a teacher can develop the skills and
strategies to achieve that change in perspective.
Gordon sees almost all the obstacles which limit teacher effectiveness
as classroom managers as either emotional or mental.
These include nervousness, self-doubt, self-recrimination, poor
motivation, self-discipline or lack of enthusiasm.
The value of Gordon’s book lies in his practical advice and the
humour and understanding with which strategies and suggestions
for action are made. There are individual chapters on punishment,
rewards, and what he calls ‘choice driven teaching’. This
means that a teacher is always responsible for their own emotional
climate and will not be forced by inappropriate behaviour
in their class into ‘losing it’.
‘effective teachers give themselves “wait time” to make sure
they don’t follow their “gut reaction” because they know
that gut reaction is what the child is after’.
This book offers no magic wand, but tried and tested models that
are sensible and specific. It will be of help to the experienced
teacher as well as being invaluable to the novice.
is Autumn 2005
Spring
Behaviour Management
Toolkit:
A Manual of Good Ideas and Strategies
for Behaviour Management in Schools
by David Koutsoukis
Prim-Ed, 2004
ISBN 1 920962 16 1
David Koutsoukis says in his preface that he has spent the majority
of his time as an ‘all-day-every-day teacher’ and his book
reflects this practical approach. Here is a wide selection of behaviour
management ideas, strategies and resources ready for use in
schools.
The clearly-laid out materials have been divided into what
Koutsoukis calls ‘dimensions’. Each represents a different behaviour
management focus and provides ready-made ‘tools’ or models
for easy use or adaptation. The ‘dimensions’ covered are:
● Creating a caring and safe and positive environment.
● Pro-active preventative strategies.
● Developing positive relationships.
● Clear guidelines of acceptable behaviour, rules and consequences.
● Routines and Rules.
● Implementing a behavioural management plan.
● Support services infrastructure – pastoral care for students
and staff.
● Data collection, review and planning for improvement.
This is a very comprehensive checklist of what is needed for the
establishment of an efficient and holistic approach to behaviour
management. The models offered are obviously not applicable for
every school situation, but they are flexible enough to provide a
time-saving basis for action. For administrators, the ‘toolkit’ has a
wealth of material for staff discussion and possible development.
These two books, which consider behaviour management from
different angles, provide a most interesting and complimentary
approach to a problem which is of interest to every administrator
and class teacher.
Both are highly recommended.
Caroline Ellwood
Book reviews
43