100 Tips on Behaviour
I set myself the challenge to tweet 100 tips on behaviour, in the run up to the publication of the new edition of Getting the Buggers to Behave, and I succeeded!
I set myself the challenge to tweet 100 tips on behaviour, in the run up to the publication of the new edition of Getting the Buggers to Behave, and I succeeded!
Tip No.1: Be clear in your own mind about the behaviour you want to see. (This can take a while to work out.)
Tip No.2: Share your expectations with your children. (Otherwise they'll have to misbehave to find out.)
Tip No.3: Build a respectful atmosphere for learning by having the rule that 'One person speaks at a time.'
Tip No.4: There is no magic wand when it comes to managing behaviour. It takes time to build relationships.
Tip No.5: You have to learn to manage your own emotions in order to manage your children's behaviour.
Tip No.6: Structures and routines help you manage your classroom; they also help your students feel secure.
Tip No.7: Find non-verbal ways to get your students' attention - a bell, a series of claps, a hand in the air.
Tip No.8: Learn your children's names as quickly as you can: this will help you start to build relationships.
Tip No.9: Use your 'deadly stare' to show that you've spotted problem behaviour without saying a word.
Tip No.10: Of course you can smile before Christmas! (Just make it an 'I'm in charge' kind of smile.)
Tip No.11: Rewards can be useful in managing behaviour, but motivation is a very complex subject.
Tip No.12: What motivates one child may be little or no use with another. Aim to personalise rewards.
Tip No.13: Often, the best 'reward' of all will be your time, your attention, a kind word, a smile.
Tip No.14: Although you need to be consistent with sanctions, you can get *really* creative with rewards.
Tip No.15: Help your children come to understand that *learning* is the best reward of all.
Tip No.16: Remember to reward social and emotional skills, as well as academic effort and attainment.
Tip No.17: Pretty much anything can be a reward, if you present it as one.
Tip No.18: Volunteer tasks make a great reward - delegate everything you possibly can.
Tip No.19: Make rewards hard to earn, so you keep the 'value of the currency' high.
Tip No.20: Aim to move children from wanting extrinsic rewards, towards an intrinsic desire to learn.
Tip No.21: Make sure that you specify the colour of umbrellas. (Ironic tweet.)
Tip No.22: Where possible, bring multi-sensory elements into play. Colour, sound, music, symbols.
Tip No.23: I once met a teacher who did classroom management by xylophone. Use your talents.
Tip No.24: Access to knowledge can be a powerful motivator. Learning it through experience can be too.
Tip No.25: Have 'behaving well' as a calm expectation. In the words of @PaulDix 'This is how we do it here.'
Tip No.26: If you do something 'exciting', control it carefully. Have clear boundaries and think safety first.
Tip No.27: Timings and targets are a great way to help children maintain their focus.
Tip No.28: There is no single 'answer' to behaviour, because each child, teacher, school, situation is unique.
Tip No.29: However, certainty, consistency, flexibility and kindness are a great starting point.
Tip No.30: You are not completely 'you' in a classroom, you are the teacher version of 'you'. Choose wisely.
Tip No.31: Parents can be your biggest ally – let them know how to help and support you. ‘Only connect.’
Tip No.32: Be reasonable.
Tip No.33: If you've been reasonable, don't waste valuable learning time reasoning with them.
Tip No.34: Avoid rhetorical questions. Don’t ask a question unless you actually want an answer.
Tip No.35: If a student swears at you, and you ask “What did you say?”, they might just tell you.
Tip No.36: Try not to back children into a metaphorical corner. Offer a 'way out' where possible.
Tip No.37: Model the behaviours you want to see – calm, polite, reasonable, kind, attentive, interested.
Tip No.38: Don't model the behaviours you don't want to see. (Especially getting wound up.)
Tip No.39: Focus on building empathy - help children understand the impact of their behaviour on others.
Tip No.40: Teach your children how to behave; teach your children why to behave as well.
Tip No.41: Your voice is a powerful asset: use tone, pace, pitch and volume to help you manage behaviour.
Tip No.42: We often talk more loudly than we need to. Deliberately lower your volume to encourage focus.
Tip No.43: Use tones such as surprise, disappointment, and curiosity, to encourage your children to behave.
Tip No.44: If you need to raise your voice, try to do it from a position of emotional control, not anger.
Tip No.45: We all make mistakes. Don’t be afraid to apologise when you get it wrong.
Tip No.46: Put yourself in your children’s shoes. Try to see the situation from their perspective.
Tip No.47: It can help to literally sit in various seats in your classroom, to see things as the children do.
Tip No.48: Most of the time, your students’ behaviour is not about you; it is about them.
Tip No.49: The most appropriate response to poor behaviour is pity, rather than anger.
Tip No.50: Humour is useful to lighten the mood and alleviate stress, but never use it against a child.
Tip No.51: It's tempting to 'pull' your class to you. Encourage them to *bring themselves* to you instead.
Tip No.52: Use your pause. It is more powerful than you might think.
Tip No.53: Model the behaviour you want. Show your students what 'good behaviour' looks like.
Tip No.54: Have consistent high standards, but be flexible about how you help your children *achieve* them.
Tip No.55: Use fun visual aids to support behaviour - I have a giant sand timer and a 'silent spot' rug!
Tip No.56: When children misbehave consider *why*. Not to excuse their misbehaviour, but to understand it.
Tip No.57: As every parent knows, when young children are tired, their behaviour often deteriorates.
Tip No.58: Think ahead about behaviour issues that often arise, and figure out ways to pre-empt them.
Tip No.59: Keep your students busy. That way they are less likely to think about misbehaving.
Tip No.60: Help your children see *their* behaviour as *their* choice. Help them learn to make good choices.
Tip No.61: Adapt the space you teach in to help you manage behaviour. Don't be afraid to make changes.
Tip No.62: Meet your students at the door, to encourage a controlled entry to your room. Welcome them inside.
Tip No.63: Move around the space during lessons, to ensure that you 'connect' with every child.
Tip No.64: We tend to look to our dominant side. Focus left as well if you are right handed, and vice versa.
Tip No.65: If your knees allow, dip down beside children to deal with misbehaviour. This lowers the tension.
Tip No.66: Keep your eyes scanning around the room. Be conscious of what is going on everywhere.
Tip No.67: Develop those magical 'eyes in the back of your head'.
Tip No.68: When you use the board, don't turn your back on the class. Turn your body sideways instead.
Tip No.69: Sometimes, teach from the back of the room. This works especially well for reading stories/texts.
Tip No.70: Seating plans can be useful, especially at secondary. However, they are not a miraculous 'answer'.
Tip No.71: Given free choice of seating, your rebels are likely to sit at the back. You can visit them there.
Tip No.72: There are no seats in Drama or PE lessons. Have a clearly agreed signal for 'stop and listen'.
Tip No.73: When children get excited, their behaviour often deteriorates a bit. This is perfectly normal.
Tip No.74: Think ahead. Set clear boundaries *before* you take your students outside. Not after.
Tip No.75: Learning is about balance. Time spent 'watching the clouds' is not necessarily wasted time.
Tip No.76: You can't swap your students for some other ones. You *can* adapt the way that you teach.
Tip No.77: Focus on what you can change, rather than worrying about what you can't.
Tip No.78: Saying that teaching impacts on behaviour is *not* the same as blaming teachers for misbehaviour.
Tip No.79: Think about why, when and where *you* misbehave. What could this tell you about your children?
Tip No.80: You can't build trust without handing over responsibility.
Tip No.81: Creativity matters. Think laterally to come up with new ideas, strategies, rewards, approaches.
Tip No.82: Context matters. There is no one approach that works in every situation. Start with your children.
Tip No.83: Appropriate behaviour is something that children need to learn, just like the curriculum.
Tip No.84: Politeness matters. Saying "please", "thank you", sharing, taking turns. Build good habits.
Tip No.85: Try not to ask for something from your children that you can't give them back in return.
Tip No.86: School requires children to defer gratification. This is harder for some children than for others.
Tip No.87: Get to know your SENCO. Ask your SENCO for support, advice, ideas and information.
Tip No.88: Peer pressure can be an incredibly powerful force for behaviour, both positive and negative.
Tip No.89: Harness the power of positive peer pressure. Help children learn to support each other.
Tip No.90: Sometimes, just sometimes, you can make your children completely forget to misbehave.
Tip No.91: Targets and deadlines are a wonderful way to focus the mind. (See ... only 9 more tips to go!)
Tip No.92: Behaviour in lessons is often about focused attention. Children can learn to focus their attention.
Tip No.93: It's worth asking yourself whether you want to manage behaviour, or try to change it as well.
Tip No.94: People tend to change their behaviour when they understand why what they are doing is 'wrong'.
Tip No.95: 'Firm but fair' is a great style to use. Defining what 'firm but fair' is depends on your context.
Tip No.96: You may 'like' some children more than others. Be conscious of this so you don't let it show.
Tip No.97: If you are brave enough to film yourself teaching, this can help you to reflect on what works.
Tip No.98: Grab every opportunity you are given to see other teachers in action. Learn from what they do.
Tip No.99: Look after yourself. Fit your own oxygen mask first, before you help your children fit theirs.
Tip No.100: Even in your worst lesson, nobody died.
Tip No.2: Share your expectations with your children. (Otherwise they'll have to misbehave to find out.)
Tip No.3: Build a respectful atmosphere for learning by having the rule that 'One person speaks at a time.'
Tip No.4: There is no magic wand when it comes to managing behaviour. It takes time to build relationships.
Tip No.5: You have to learn to manage your own emotions in order to manage your children's behaviour.
Tip No.6: Structures and routines help you manage your classroom; they also help your students feel secure.
Tip No.7: Find non-verbal ways to get your students' attention - a bell, a series of claps, a hand in the air.
Tip No.8: Learn your children's names as quickly as you can: this will help you start to build relationships.
Tip No.9: Use your 'deadly stare' to show that you've spotted problem behaviour without saying a word.
Tip No.10: Of course you can smile before Christmas! (Just make it an 'I'm in charge' kind of smile.)
Tip No.11: Rewards can be useful in managing behaviour, but motivation is a very complex subject.
Tip No.12: What motivates one child may be little or no use with another. Aim to personalise rewards.
Tip No.13: Often, the best 'reward' of all will be your time, your attention, a kind word, a smile.
Tip No.14: Although you need to be consistent with sanctions, you can get *really* creative with rewards.
Tip No.15: Help your children come to understand that *learning* is the best reward of all.
Tip No.16: Remember to reward social and emotional skills, as well as academic effort and attainment.
Tip No.17: Pretty much anything can be a reward, if you present it as one.
Tip No.18: Volunteer tasks make a great reward - delegate everything you possibly can.
Tip No.19: Make rewards hard to earn, so you keep the 'value of the currency' high.
Tip No.20: Aim to move children from wanting extrinsic rewards, towards an intrinsic desire to learn.
Tip No.21: Make sure that you specify the colour of umbrellas. (Ironic tweet.)
Tip No.22: Where possible, bring multi-sensory elements into play. Colour, sound, music, symbols.
Tip No.23: I once met a teacher who did classroom management by xylophone. Use your talents.
Tip No.24: Access to knowledge can be a powerful motivator. Learning it through experience can be too.
Tip No.25: Have 'behaving well' as a calm expectation. In the words of @PaulDix 'This is how we do it here.'
Tip No.26: If you do something 'exciting', control it carefully. Have clear boundaries and think safety first.
Tip No.27: Timings and targets are a great way to help children maintain their focus.
Tip No.28: There is no single 'answer' to behaviour, because each child, teacher, school, situation is unique.
Tip No.29: However, certainty, consistency, flexibility and kindness are a great starting point.
Tip No.30: You are not completely 'you' in a classroom, you are the teacher version of 'you'. Choose wisely.
Tip No.31: Parents can be your biggest ally – let them know how to help and support you. ‘Only connect.’
Tip No.32: Be reasonable.
Tip No.33: If you've been reasonable, don't waste valuable learning time reasoning with them.
Tip No.34: Avoid rhetorical questions. Don’t ask a question unless you actually want an answer.
Tip No.35: If a student swears at you, and you ask “What did you say?”, they might just tell you.
Tip No.36: Try not to back children into a metaphorical corner. Offer a 'way out' where possible.
Tip No.37: Model the behaviours you want to see – calm, polite, reasonable, kind, attentive, interested.
Tip No.38: Don't model the behaviours you don't want to see. (Especially getting wound up.)
Tip No.39: Focus on building empathy - help children understand the impact of their behaviour on others.
Tip No.40: Teach your children how to behave; teach your children why to behave as well.
Tip No.41: Your voice is a powerful asset: use tone, pace, pitch and volume to help you manage behaviour.
Tip No.42: We often talk more loudly than we need to. Deliberately lower your volume to encourage focus.
Tip No.43: Use tones such as surprise, disappointment, and curiosity, to encourage your children to behave.
Tip No.44: If you need to raise your voice, try to do it from a position of emotional control, not anger.
Tip No.45: We all make mistakes. Don’t be afraid to apologise when you get it wrong.
Tip No.46: Put yourself in your children’s shoes. Try to see the situation from their perspective.
Tip No.47: It can help to literally sit in various seats in your classroom, to see things as the children do.
Tip No.48: Most of the time, your students’ behaviour is not about you; it is about them.
Tip No.49: The most appropriate response to poor behaviour is pity, rather than anger.
Tip No.50: Humour is useful to lighten the mood and alleviate stress, but never use it against a child.
Tip No.51: It's tempting to 'pull' your class to you. Encourage them to *bring themselves* to you instead.
Tip No.52: Use your pause. It is more powerful than you might think.
Tip No.53: Model the behaviour you want. Show your students what 'good behaviour' looks like.
Tip No.54: Have consistent high standards, but be flexible about how you help your children *achieve* them.
Tip No.55: Use fun visual aids to support behaviour - I have a giant sand timer and a 'silent spot' rug!
Tip No.56: When children misbehave consider *why*. Not to excuse their misbehaviour, but to understand it.
Tip No.57: As every parent knows, when young children are tired, their behaviour often deteriorates.
Tip No.58: Think ahead about behaviour issues that often arise, and figure out ways to pre-empt them.
Tip No.59: Keep your students busy. That way they are less likely to think about misbehaving.
Tip No.60: Help your children see *their* behaviour as *their* choice. Help them learn to make good choices.
Tip No.61: Adapt the space you teach in to help you manage behaviour. Don't be afraid to make changes.
Tip No.62: Meet your students at the door, to encourage a controlled entry to your room. Welcome them inside.
Tip No.63: Move around the space during lessons, to ensure that you 'connect' with every child.
Tip No.64: We tend to look to our dominant side. Focus left as well if you are right handed, and vice versa.
Tip No.65: If your knees allow, dip down beside children to deal with misbehaviour. This lowers the tension.
Tip No.66: Keep your eyes scanning around the room. Be conscious of what is going on everywhere.
Tip No.67: Develop those magical 'eyes in the back of your head'.
Tip No.68: When you use the board, don't turn your back on the class. Turn your body sideways instead.
Tip No.69: Sometimes, teach from the back of the room. This works especially well for reading stories/texts.
Tip No.70: Seating plans can be useful, especially at secondary. However, they are not a miraculous 'answer'.
Tip No.71: Given free choice of seating, your rebels are likely to sit at the back. You can visit them there.
Tip No.72: There are no seats in Drama or PE lessons. Have a clearly agreed signal for 'stop and listen'.
Tip No.73: When children get excited, their behaviour often deteriorates a bit. This is perfectly normal.
Tip No.74: Think ahead. Set clear boundaries *before* you take your students outside. Not after.
Tip No.75: Learning is about balance. Time spent 'watching the clouds' is not necessarily wasted time.
Tip No.76: You can't swap your students for some other ones. You *can* adapt the way that you teach.
Tip No.77: Focus on what you can change, rather than worrying about what you can't.
Tip No.78: Saying that teaching impacts on behaviour is *not* the same as blaming teachers for misbehaviour.
Tip No.79: Think about why, when and where *you* misbehave. What could this tell you about your children?
Tip No.80: You can't build trust without handing over responsibility.
Tip No.81: Creativity matters. Think laterally to come up with new ideas, strategies, rewards, approaches.
Tip No.82: Context matters. There is no one approach that works in every situation. Start with your children.
Tip No.83: Appropriate behaviour is something that children need to learn, just like the curriculum.
Tip No.84: Politeness matters. Saying "please", "thank you", sharing, taking turns. Build good habits.
Tip No.85: Try not to ask for something from your children that you can't give them back in return.
Tip No.86: School requires children to defer gratification. This is harder for some children than for others.
Tip No.87: Get to know your SENCO. Ask your SENCO for support, advice, ideas and information.
Tip No.88: Peer pressure can be an incredibly powerful force for behaviour, both positive and negative.
Tip No.89: Harness the power of positive peer pressure. Help children learn to support each other.
Tip No.90: Sometimes, just sometimes, you can make your children completely forget to misbehave.
Tip No.91: Targets and deadlines are a wonderful way to focus the mind. (See ... only 9 more tips to go!)
Tip No.92: Behaviour in lessons is often about focused attention. Children can learn to focus their attention.
Tip No.93: It's worth asking yourself whether you want to manage behaviour, or try to change it as well.
Tip No.94: People tend to change their behaviour when they understand why what they are doing is 'wrong'.
Tip No.95: 'Firm but fair' is a great style to use. Defining what 'firm but fair' is depends on your context.
Tip No.96: You may 'like' some children more than others. Be conscious of this so you don't let it show.
Tip No.97: If you are brave enough to film yourself teaching, this can help you to reflect on what works.
Tip No.98: Grab every opportunity you are given to see other teachers in action. Learn from what they do.
Tip No.99: Look after yourself. Fit your own oxygen mask first, before you help your children fit theirs.
Tip No.100: Even in your worst lesson, nobody died.