I held various headships and advisory, consultancy posts in the primary and secondary education systems. I use this PowerPoint in my whole school training across the UK. In coaching middle managers and leadership teams in establishing positive behaviour in their school.

1. Improving Behaviour for Learning.
© Jim Parker, 2012 IBFL

2. I’ve got the Power.
• I am the decisive element in the
classroom.
• It is my personal approach that
creates the climate.
• It is my daily mood that makes the
weather.
• As a teacher I possess
tremendous power to make a
child’s life miserable or joyous.
• I can be a tool of torture or an
instrument of inspiration.
• I can humour, hurt or heal.
• It is my response that decides
whether a crisis will be
exacerbated or de-escalated, a
child humanised or de-humanised.

3. If Behaviour for Learning
is working well and embedded
in the Pedagogy and Practice
within the classroom…………
what would it look like?

4. IBFL
• waiting outside the classroom
• getting pupils into the classroom
• the first part of the lesson
• pupils who arrive late
• managing transition within lessons
• supporting independent learning
• ending the lesson
• leaving the classroom

5. Waiting outside the classroom
• What is the school
routine/rule for lining up
outside the classroom?
• Is its practice throughout
the school consistent?
• If ‘yes’, how is it
maintained. If ‘no’, why
and what problems result
from the inconsistency

6. Before the lesson starts
• Is the classroom
clean, tidy and
organised
• Is the environment
attractive with current
work displayed
• Is the necessary
equipment accessible
• Classroom rules
prominently displayed

7. Getting pupils into the classroom
• is there a seating plan?
( what is the whole-school
situation)
• if the school routine is for
pupils to enter the classroom
without lining up, how are they
greeted and received, what will
engage them immediately?
(eg ongoing starter until everyone
has arrived)
• are they clear of your
expectations and how do you
positively reinforce them ?
• what about the little bits of
beaurocracy as the pupils
arrive, report cards etc., etc?
It is important to remember that the tone of your voice and the language you use
sets the climate for the lesson.

8. Key factors: Motivation
• Through a lesson
structure which gives time
at the start to helping
pupils understand what
they are learning and
why.
• It will involve them
actively at intervals and at
the end of the lesson in
deciding whether these
learning intentions have
been met.

9. Key Factors: Emotional Health and
Well-being
• Reducing potential
uncertainty and
anxiety by sharing the
lesson structure with
the pupils at the start,
so they know what is
going to happen and
when.

10. Key factors: Expectations
• By giving time at the
start of the lesson and
before each new
activity to make clear
what behaviours are
needed for this piece
of learning, to practice
them and celebrate
success

11. Beginning of the lesson
• Do you meet and greet
your pupils?
• Get them into the habit of
a ‘prompt start’
• Allow for no deflection by
distractions during your
introduction of the lesson
• Clearly repeat instruction
and check on their
understanding of the task
Know where you are taking them

12. The first part of the lesson.
• is your behaviour
objective displayed
and referred to in
praise and
correction?
• are your learning
objectives clearly
understood by the
pupils and resources
readily accessible

13. Pupils who arrive late.
• is this planned for?
• is there a routine/
expectation?
• are the pupils clear about
what you want them to do
if the arrive late?
• what is important at this
time?
• what is the school routine
for persistent tardiness?
• ‘pick your time to pick it
up!’
Don’t let a late arrivals interrupt the flow of the lesson

14. During the lesson
• Do you change the activity
frequently?
• Do you adopt a variety of
teaching methods (V.A.K.)?
• Is there a balance between
whole-class, group, paired and
individual work?
• Are there plenty of questions
asked, to a range of pupils
(AfL)?
• Is the work appropriately
differentiated?
• Behaviour for learning is
referred to
• The pace of the lesson is
maintained throughout

15. Managing transition within the
lesson.
• plan for smooth transition to
maintain the pace of the lesson
• make sure your instructions are
clear and explicit
• pupils will get used to you routinely
standing in the same place when
giving an instruction
• use an OHP so you’re facing the
class to encourage ‘on task’
behaviour, redirect those who are
not and avoid interruptions
• remind the pupils of the behaviour
skills and routines they will need,
for working in pairs or small groups
• remember pupils respond to
structure
You are the one who decides how the class is organised.

16. Timing
• Time limited tasks
• Ensure proposed
timings are adhered
to
• Reminders again e.g.
1 minute left
• Work to a timed
plenary: ‘stick to the
script’

17. Supporting independent learning.
• an opportunity to do
some focused teaching
with individual pupils or
groups
• maintaining a calm
composure with a
watchful eye on others
• questions to re-focus
those slipping off-task
• to influence the climate
for learning in a positive
way
• provide feedback to raise
their self-esteem

18. Ending the lesson.
• punctuate the lesson with
reminders about what they
should be doing and what you
want them to do
• let them know what is
happening next with time
reminders
• recap lesson and review
learning objectives/homework
• explicit instructions and
reminders for the routine of
‘packing up’ and leaving
• don’t leave things to last
minute

19. E + R = O
Teaching styles and approaches

20. Shifting your paradigm may
help in finding the solutions
Sometimes it’s about
how we view things
and why!

21. F.U.F.T.
• Detain after lesson for a
resolution detention
• Defer it to another time
but keep the appointment
• Contact SLT/on call
support
• Contact parents or carers
• What’s the plan when
pupil returns to the
classroom?

22. Rewards
• How high are your
expectations for pupils
• Unconditional regard
• Consistent use of and
reference to school policy
• Clear balance between
the use of rewards and
sanctions
• Promote importance of
making good choices

23. Praise as part of rewards
• Use praise regularly as
part of you showing
interest
• Praise for individuals,
groups and class
• Praise for behaviour with
reference to objective
• Use non-verbal praise
• The lesson always ends
on a positive note
• Pick your time to praise
as over-use diminishes
the effect

24. Some strategies for positive
response
• Speak slowly and calmly whilst • Positive correction of errors
checking for understanding with take-up time
• use non-verbal signals to • Proximity praise
support good behaviour and • Positive reframing of behaviour
correct poor behaviour • Ask pupil to restate the
………………………………………. instruction
• Re-direct to task …………………………………………...
• Promote a learning climate • Change task
where ‘it’s ok to take risks’ • Faculty ‘buddy system in place
• Refer to ‘our’ class rule with SLT support
• Tactically ignore secondary • Planned ‘hot-spot’ visits by SLT
behaviour patrol
• Use ‘the broken record’ calmly
repeated what you want them to
do
• Describe wanted behaviour

25. Use a positive script
• The language of choice with
take-up time
• ‘when you…. then you…’
• ‘what should you be doing?’
• ‘maybe… and what should you
be doing’
• ‘I’ statements
• Assertive + friendly voice at
conversational pitch
• Can you raise your voice
without anger or irritation
• Challenge without
confrontation
The language you use to pupils is vital if you want a positive response.

26. Leaving the classroom.
• Establish a leaving
routine in line with whole-
school.
• Make time for this to
happen with timely
reminders to pupils
• Tell them what you want
them to do/repeat if
necessary
• Thank where appropriate

27. Reframing language and
its impact on
positive learning

28. Stick to the core principles
• Actively build relationships with your pupils
• Keep your focus on the primary behaviour
• Model positive behaviour for your pupils
• Divorce inappropriate behaviour from pupil
• Work within the 4 Rs framework
• Adopt strategies consistently, reflect and revisit
• Follow-up and follow-through with individual pupils
• Work to repair and rebuild relationships
‘plan for behaviour and don’t leave it to chance’

29. An optimist has as many problems as a pessimist, however an
optimist has more fun finding the solutions
Remember optimism will help build your resilience !

30. For more information, further help, and support contact:
Positive Resonance
Support for Good Practice in Teaching and Learning as well as Behaviour
for Learning.
Strategic School Improvement using:
•Solution Focus - Thinking as a change agent.
•Executive Coaching and Coaching for Heads of Departments in schools.
•Development of provision for emotional recovery through Primary and
Secondary Nurture Groups.
Contact Jim Parker:
m: 07879605411
e: jimparker1@live.co.uk
w: http://www.in2schools.co.uk/positiveresonance/?pid=221
© Jim Parker, 2012