Student behaviour is a big deal.
It's best taught (rather than told):
↓
It's best taught (rather than told):
↓
When behaviour is strong in school, students feel safe and can devote more attention to learning.
When it’s not, school can be a painful experience for both students and staff.
Excellent behaviour is a pre-condition for success.
When it’s not, school can be a painful experience for both students and staff.
Excellent behaviour is a pre-condition for success.
However, excellent behaviour is not always the status quo across our system.
A recent survey by the DfE found that, on average, around a quarter of learning time is lost to poor behaviour.
That’s over 44 days a year 😱
A recent survey by the DfE found that, on average, around a quarter of learning time is lost to poor behaviour.
That’s over 44 days a year 😱
Part of the reason this is so high is that we tend to assume that behaviour for success is naturally occurring phenomena.
But it’s really not.
But it’s really not.
What constitutes behaviour for success is rarely obvious to children.
And even when it is, it’s not always easy to enact, especially in a sustained way.
(even us adults sometimes struggle to behave in ways that are beneficial for us)
And even when it is, it’s not always easy to enact, especially in a sustained way.
(even us adults sometimes struggle to behave in ways that are beneficial for us)
This un-obviousness and hard-to-enact-ness means that:
when we leave behaviour in the hands of our students, it’s the most vulnerable who lose out the most.
Helping students achieve behaviour for success isn’t just good for safety and learning, it’s vital for equity too.
when we leave behaviour in the hands of our students, it’s the most vulnerable who lose out the most.
Helping students achieve behaviour for success isn’t just good for safety and learning, it’s vital for equity too.
"With great behaviour, almost anything will work. Without it, almost nothing will."
— Jon Hutchinson
— Jon Hutchinson
How can we help students develop behaviour for success?
First up, just communicating expectations is rarely sufficient. Like any type of complex cognitive performance (such as in sport or music), behaviour must be taught, not just told.
First up, just communicating expectations is rarely sufficient. Like any type of complex cognitive performance (such as in sport or music), behaviour must be taught, not just told.
The effective teaching of behaviour entails:
1. Explaining what to do and why it’s important
2. Modelling what it looks like (and what it doesn’t)
3. Providing opportunities for practice
4. Maintaining via never-ending celebration & correction
1. Explaining what to do and why it’s important
2. Modelling what it looks like (and what it doesn’t)
3. Providing opportunities for practice
4. Maintaining via never-ending celebration & correction
🎓 For more, check out this meaty guide on teaching behaviour for success:
files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED617…
files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED617…
And these highly practical books from Tom Bennett and Ollie Lovell:
SUMMARY
• Student behaviour for success is vital for learning, safety and equity.
• However, it’s not a naturally occurring phenomenon—behaviour for success in school must be taught, not just told.
• This entails explanation, modelling, practice, and maintenance.
👊
• Student behaviour for success is vital for learning, safety and equity.
• However, it’s not a naturally occurring phenomenon—behaviour for success in school must be taught, not just told.
• This entails explanation, modelling, practice, and maintenance.
👊
• • •
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