88 PART II: ESTABLISHING YOUR TEACHING ROLE

7 Challenging Behaviour in the

Classroom

Learning to Cope

Philip Garner

In order that children learn at least at an age-appropriate level a class teacher needs to
recognise that certain ‘behaviours’ are essential in establishing the conditions which promote
engagement with the curriculum task set. So it isn’t really surprising that emphasis for
‘order’ and ‘discipline’ has been a feature of many commentaries on the state of schools
during the last 20 years or so (Young, 1997).At times there has been sensationalist coverage
in the media on the failure of a school, or an individual teacher, to ‘manage’ pupils who
challenge the system on account of their behaviour (Clark, 1998). Moreover, behaviour in
schools carries with it a high dividend for politicians, so emotive is the level of feeling about
the learning of others being disrupted. Ask any parent to explain what in their view makes
a ‘good’ school and they will invariably include ‘good discipline’ as one of their top
distinguishing characteristics.
From an official perspective, too, there has been recognition that dealing with behaviours
that challenge is a pivotal strategy in establishing the conditions where purposeful learning
can take place (Department for Education and Employment [DfEE], 1999a).This focus can
be traced back many years, and clearly signals the importance of effective classroom
management in the repertoire of required teacher-skills. Over 15 years ago the Elton Report,
whilst acknowledging that there were no simple remedies to certain complex problem
behaviours, nevertheless sought to raise awareness of a set of core skills in classroom
management.The Report concluded that ‘teachers’ group management skills are probably
the single most important factor in achieving good standards of classroom behaviour’ and
that ‘those skills can be taught and learned’ (Department of Education and Science [DES],
1989: 69).
Recognition of the latter by newly qualified teachers (NQTs) is vital. For a long time it
has been a subject of debate as to whether the ability to manage the learning and social
 UNIT 7: CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM 89

behaviour of a large group of lively young people in a single room is a skill which some
teachers are simply born with. In reality, though, most new teachers face a period in which
they must come to terms with the various challenges presented by their pupils. Echoing
this dilemma, Smith and Laslett questioned whether there was ‘… some special personal
magic which enables some teachers to quieten excitement merely by arriving at the scene,
quell misbehaviour with a glance, make classrooms bustle with activity and hum with cheerful
industry?’ (Smith and Laslett, 1993: 3).
You should take heart from Smith and Laslett’s response to their own question. It is a
response that permeates the entire content of this chapter: ‘learning behaviours’ can be
readily recognised and applied by newcomers to the profession. Moreover, the development
of a learning classroom (for the term ‘classroom’ is meaningless if it is characterised by
disorganisation, lack of focus and direction) is a key element in raising achievement levels of
pupils. The Teacher Training Agency (TTA) refers to the establishment of a ‘purposeful
learning environment’ and of the development of ‘environments that assist pupils’ learning’
(Department for Education and Skills [DfES]/TTA, 2002).
Looking at the standards set out by the TTA for managing behaviour in greater detail,
the Agency requires that the acquisition of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) is dependent
upon a student teacher demonstrating ‘high expectations of pupil behaviour’. It goes on to
state that students must ‘… establish a clear framework for classroom discipline to anticipate
and manage pupils’ behaviour constructively, and promote self-control and independence’
(DfES/TTA 2002, S3.3.9: 12).
What will be apparent to those beginning a career in teaching is that the core principles
of behaviour management, encapsulated within the TTA standard S.3.3.9 above, are mainly
a refinement and a reinforcement of the sensible guidance offered in the companion volume
to this book (Learning to Teach in the Secondary School, 3rd edition). The basic strategies,
rehearsed in this companion volume, are further reinforced by the DfES (DfES, 2003e).
The latter guidance comprises comprehensive auditing materials regarding behaviour; in
particular, you are directed towards those annexes dealing with rewards and sanctions and
classroom behaviour (http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/keystage3). The purpose of this
chapter, accordingly, is to amplify and extend these core principles by inviting reflection on
some of the social processes and inter-relationships which underpin the way in which
children and teachers operate in the classroom.

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this chapter you should be able to:

• identify approaches to managing challenging behaviours presented
by some of your pupils;
• be aware of ways to organise appropriate learning environments in
which challenging behaviours can be best managed;
• identify features of some specific behaviours which challenge and ways
to manage them;
• discuss research and related evidence which assists in understanding
and improving behaviour management.
90 PART II: ESTABLISHING YOUR TEACHING ROLE

STRUCTURE OF THE CHAPTER

The chapter is divided into three parts, which seek to promote critical reflection as new
teachers develop skills in respect of this standard. It should be recognised at the outset,
however, that the chapter does not seek to reiterate the full repertoire of behaviour
management skills. Comprehensive guidance on these can be readily found elsewhere, and
some can be found in the bibliography (see, for example, Department for Education [DfE],
1994b; Blandford, 1998; Gray, 2002, Ayers et al., 2000; McSherry, 2001, amongst others).
In each section a number of basic principles regarding pupil behaviour are examined.
Attention to these, alongside the scrutiny of practice-related research evidence and the
guidance of more experienced colleagues, will do much to enhance skills in managing a
diverse range of behaviours.
The first part of the chapter examines the meaning of the term ‘challenging behaviour’,
alongside a brief review of the main approaches that have commonly been utilised in their
management. The next section suggests that proactive management of the classroom is a
pivotal insulator against misbehaviour. Here some of the conditions which you must strive
for to create a learning classroom will be briefly surveyed.A key element of this is your skill
in group management whilst taking account of the diversity of learner needs. The third
section of the chapter concentrates on individual behaviours which challenge, and offers
some examples of strategies which teachers have found to be successful in their management.
Much of what is contained in this chapter is based on existing or emerging research
evidence of strategies that work in the classroom. In lots of ways, too, they will strike chords
with what have come to be regarded as the ‘folk wisdom’ of the staff room. The evidence
base, drawn from our knowledge of theories of how children behave, is a powerful and
persuasive one. This has been the focus of recent developments in initial teacher training
(ITT), notably the establishment of a ‘professional resource network for initial teacher training
which deals with behaviour management’ (TTA, 2004).The core premise of this activity is
an understanding of five underpinning principles, adapted from the work of Bronfenbrenner
(1979):
• Behaviour does not occur in isolation – it is the product of external and internal
factors.
• Behaviour needs to be viewed in the context of individual development and social
interaction.
• A teacher can understand the meaning of the behaviour of an individual pupil, and
respond more effectively to it, if she has greater knowledge of the theories under-
pinning development and cognition.
• Behaviours relating to social interaction can be better understood, and responded
to, by a teacher if she has greater knowledge of behavioural, social and affective
theories of development and cognition.
• Positive relationships enable learning.
Each of these principles is referred to at various points in the body of the present chapter.
 UNIT 7: CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM 91

Reflective task 7.1

Explaining pupil behaviour

What are your initial views about each of the principles which
Bronfenbrenner argues are at the root of all behaviour? Can you identify
any sources of tension between them and the way in which you interpret
pupil behaviour?

CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR: DEFINITIONS AND APPROACHES

When teachers talk about a pupil’s ‘behaviour’ it is usually the case that they are referring to
their inappropriate behaviour. Used in this way the term is a metaphor for all manner of
colourful language: anti-social, disruptive, naughty, acting out, maladjusted, un-biddable,
problem, confrontational, off-task, unwanted and so on.What really is missing is a prefix, so
that we come to recognise that what we are really referring to is misbehaviour – those
actions and activities which interfere with children learning and teachers teaching.

Reflective task 7.2

Describing pupil behaviours

Write down all of the terms/expression that you know which you/
colleagues use to describe children and their behaviour. Do they describe
precise, observable behaviour? To what extent might they be susceptible to
personal interpretation?

The Elton Report (DES, 1989) refers to misbehaviour as behaviour which ‘causes concern
to teachers’. Elsewhere the term ‘emotional and behavioural difficulties’ (EBD) has been
used as a catch-all expression. It describes all those behaviours which comprise a continuum
from ‘normal though unacceptable’ through to mental illness (DfE, 1994a). Currently this
term has been expanded as ‘SEBD’, with the incorporation of social difficulties into the
spectrum. But all teachers quite rightly ask for more specificity than this – such general
terms have to be illustrated by particular pupil actions that are observable and measurable,
in order that teacher intervention might follow.
One way of illustrating the types of behaviour that teachers have long regarded as
unsatisfactory, in that they are generally disruptive and get in the way of their teaching, is to
make further reference to the Elton Report (DES, 1989). In a helpful set of research data
the study provides a summary of those pupil behaviours which a large sample of teachers
(Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4) encountered most frequently in their classrooms.These are
summarised in Figure 7.1.What these data tell us is that it is mainly ‘low-level’ disturbance
which constitutes the most problematic occurrences for teachers. Such disruption is
principally characterised by talking out of turn, hindering other pupils,‘calculated idleness’
and unwanted movement around the class.All of these, when they present as chronic features
of a classroom, are likely to have a long-term negative impact on both the pupils’ levels of
achievement and their socially acceptable behaviour.
92 PART II: ESTABLISHING YOUR TEACHING ROLE

Figure 7.1 Frequency of problem behaviours (1 = most common)

reported by secondary teachers (after the Elton Report, DES,1989)

1 Talking out of turn

2 Calculated idleness or work avoidance
3 Hindering other pupils
4 Arriving late to school/lesson
5 Unwanted non-verbal noises
6 Persistent infringement of class rules
7 Getting out of seat without permission
8 Verbal abuse of other pupils
9 General rowdiness or ‘mucking about’
10 Cheeky remarks or impertinence to teacher
11 Physical aggression to other pupils
12 Verbal abuse to teacher
13 Physical destructiveness
14 Physical aggression to teacher

A more recent attempt to provide a tangible set of behaviours can be taken from a study
conducted by Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA, 2001). This identified 15
behaviours groupings by which a pupil’s emotional and behavioural development might be
assessed.These were divided into ‘learning behaviours’,‘conduct behaviours’ and ‘emotional
behaviours’. Each of these groupings is sub-divided into sets of criteria, depicting desirable
and undesirable behaviours (see Figure 7.2). A number of conclusions can be drawn from
these lists, as well as a set of parallels with the earlier Elton Report. Not least amongst them
is the underpinning theme which links social behaviours to learning behaviours in producing
what pupils and teachers alike recognise as ‘good’ behaviour.
The task of identifying or defining ‘misbehaviour’ is an important one if a teacher is
going to develop strategies to deal with them. There is a need, at the outset, to describe
exactly what any unwanted behaviour actually comprises.Telling another teacher that ‘Salim
behaved really badly before playtime’ tells a colleague little of value. Indeed, the lack of
precision might well lead to Salim acquiring an unwanted label which would become an
almost permanent negative descriptor. So it is essential, for both you and your pupils, that
precise, objective language is used in any description of behaviour.The description needs to
be of the behaviour, not the pupil. Moreover, you need to constantly remember the ‘hidden
“E” in EBD’: as a professional group we invariably focus on ‘acting out’ (conduct), as opposed
in ‘acting in’ (emotions) behaviour.

Reflective task 7.3

Which behaviours do you find
the most difficult to manage?

Identify six pupil behaviours that you find most difficult to deal with.
Compare this list with that of an NQT colleague or a more experienced
teacher. Which of the QCA groupings in Figure 7.2 do your selections fit
into?
 UNIT 7: CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM 93

Figure 7.2 Desirable and undesirable pupil behaviours

Desirable behaviour Undesirable behaviour

L1. Attentive/Interested in Schoolwork
• attentive to teacher, not easily • verbal off-task behaviours • does not
distracted • interest in most schoolwork finish work / gives up easily • constantly
• starts promptly on set tasks/motivated needs reminders • short attention span
• seems to enjoy school • negative approach to school
L2.Good Learning Organisation
• competent in individual learning • forgetful, copies or rushes work
• tidy work at reasonable pace • can • inaccurate, messy and slow work
organise learning tasks • fails to meet deadlines, not prepared
L3. Effective communicator
• good communication skills (peers/ • poor communication skills
adults) • knows when it’s appropriate to • inappropriate timing of communication
speak • uses non-verbal signals and • constantly talks
voice range • communicates in 1:1 or • lack of use of non-verbal skills
group settings
L4. Works efficiently in a group
• works collaboratively • turn-takes in • refuses to share
communication/listens • takes • does not take turns
responsibility within a group
L5. Seeks help where necessary
• seeks attention from teacher when • constantly seeking assistance • makes
required • works independently or in excessive and inappropriate demands
groups when not requiring help • does not ask ‘finding out’ questions
C6. Behaves respectfully towards staff
• co-operative and compliant • responds • responds negatively to instruction
positively to instruction • does not aim • talks back impertinently to teacher
verbal aggression at teacher • interacts • aims verbal aggression, swears at
politely with teacher • does not teacher
deliberately try to annoy or answer the • deliberately interrupts to annoy
teacher rudely
C7. Shows respect to other pupils
• uses appropriate language; does not • verbal violence at other pupils
swear • treats others as equals • does • scornful, use of social aggression (e.g.
not dominate, bully or intimidate ‘pushing in’) • teases and bullies
• inappropriate sexual behaviour
C8. Seeks attention appropriately
• does not attract inappropriate • hums, fidgets, disturbs others • throws
attention • does not play the fool or things, climbs on things • calls out, eats,
show off • no attention-seeking runs around the class • shouts and
behaviour • does not verbally disrupt otherwise attention seeks • does
• does not physically disrupt dangerous things without thought
C9. Physically peaceable
• does not show physical aggression • fights, aims physical violence at others
• does not pick on others • is not cruel • loses temper, throws things • bullies
or spiteful • avoids getting into fights and intimidates physically • cruel /
with others • does not have temper spiteful
tantrums
C10. Respects property
• takes care of own and others’ • poor respect for property • destroys
property • does not engage in vandalism own or others’ things • steals things
• does not steal
continued …
94 PART II: ESTABLISHING YOUR TEACHING ROLE

Figure 7.2 continued

Desirable behaviour Undesirable behaviour

E11. Has empathy

• is tolerant and considerate • tries to • intolerant • emotionally detached
identify with feelings of others • tries to • selfish • no awareness of feelings of
offer comfort • is not emotionally others
detached • does not laugh when others
are upset

E12. Is socially aware

• understands social interactions of self • inactive, daydreams, stares into
and peers • appropriate verbal/non- space • withdrawn or unresponsive
verbal contacts • not socially isolated •does not participate in class activity
• has peer-group friends; not a loner • few friends • not accepted or well-
• doesn’t frequently daydream • actively liked • shows bizarre behaviour
involved in classroom activity • not aloof, • stares blankly, listless
passive or withdrawn
E13. Is happy
• smiles and laughs appropriately • depressed, unhappy or discontented
• should be able to have fun • generally • prone to emotional upset, tearful
cheerful; seldom upset • not • infers suicide • serious, sad, self-
discontented, sulky, morose harming
E14. Is confident
• not anxious • unafraid to try new • anxious, tense, tearful • reticent,
things • not self-conscious, doesn’t feel fears failure, feels inferior • lacks self-
inferior • willing to read aloud, answer esteem, cautious, shy • does not take
questions in class • participates in group initiative
discussion

E15. Emotionally stable/self-controlled

• no mood swings • good emotional • inappropriate emotional reactions
resilience, recovers quickly from upset • does not recover quickly from upsets
• manages own feelings • not easily • does not express feelings • frequent
flustered or frustrated • delays mood changes; irritable • over-reacts;
gratification does not accept punishment or praise
• does not delay gratification

Source: Adapted from QCA 2001.

Note
L, learning behaviour; C, conduct behaviour; E, emotional behaviour

During the course of your early career, several of these behaviours are likely to be
encountered. The first question you may need to ask is, ‘What do experienced teachers do
when confronted with such pupils?’ Generally speaking there are a small number of intervention
models which are currently in common usage. Before briefly describing each of these it is
worth adding a word of caution. Most teachers tend to use their personal judgement and
intuition in responding to unwanted behaviour; in other words they will try for a ‘best-fit’
intervention, based on what they see as those elements of these models which, in their view,
are appropriate and workable. So the key here seems to be the adoption of a ‘pick-and-mix’
approach to managing behaviour, so that the needs of the pupil and the teacher are catered for.
A second proviso is that a classroom teacher needs to be aware of the broader ‘behaviour
 UNIT 7: CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM 95

ethos’ within the whole school.And so individual actions need to be sympathetic to the spirit
and aims of a whole-school behaviour policy.
Generally speaking the management of pupil behaviour is usually mapped against six broad
conceptual models, informed by certain theoretical principles (Evidence for Policy and Practice
Information [EPPI], to be published 2004). Each of these six models has its merits, and as has
been pointed out in the preceding paragraph, there is a tendency for teachers to draw from
each of these orientations. Recognition of their existence, and an understanding of them, will
allow you to understand where a certain pupil behaviour is coming from and, because of this,
enables you to arrive at an appropriate intervention (see Figure 7.3).
Figure 7.3 summarises both explanations and possible action and offers some clues as to
what the underlying theories are, which can be drawn upon to justify or validate those
actions. What is apparent, and confirmed by emerging research, is that teachers use an
intervention model based in some part on their interpretation of the behaviour and the
causal factors underpinning it (Garner and Gains, 1996).

Figure 7.3 Explanations of pupil behaviour

Source: Adapted from EPPI, 2003.

Frequent Theory Explanation Action

behaviour
Off task Off task Pupil gets more Reward on-task
attention by being behaviour
off-task
Off task Cognitive Pupil thinks he Encourage pupil to
can’t do task identify parts of task
that he can do
Off task Affective Pupil fears failure Build self-esteem
(e.g. ‘Circle Time’)

Off task Social/ ‘He has a brother Nurture group work/

Environmental who is just the work with parents/
same’ family

Off task Biological Pupil has attention Refer for medical

deficit hyperactive assessment
disorder (ADHD)

Off task Developmental Pupil not ready for Learning Support and
independent work set more appropriate
learning target

Reflective task 7.4

Identifying the cause of
unacceptable behaviour

Discuss with a colleague the strengths and limitations of the models

outlined in Figure 7.3. How applicable are they to a given pupil in your
own classroom?
96 PART II: ESTABLISHING YOUR TEACHING ROLE

MEETING THE CHALLENGE IN THE CLASSROOM: PROACTIVE

ENGAGEMENT

The first task of any teacher is to establish a positive learning environment. This is a key
element in any approach to managing classroom behaviour. From the outset you need to
ensure that a set of insulating conditions are established: these will go a long way to minimising
problematic behaviour. Some writers on the topic have even stated that there are deviance
insulative and deviance provocative teachers (Jordan, 1974). The former is able to prevent the
development of long-term problem behaviour by ensuring that certain routines are followed.
In Smith and Laslett’s work (1993) the way in which this ‘insulation’ process is accounted
for is straightforward.Teachers have to:
• get the pupils into the classroom;
• get on with the lesson which has been planned;
• get on with the pupils themselves; and finally
• get the pupils out of the classroom.
But whilst this four-stage process might sound relatively straightforward, each one of
these phases requires thought and planning from the outset. If a teacher gets things ‘right’
the chances are that the classroom will be a place where all of the pupils come to recognise
that purposeful learning takes place.

Entry and settling down

The key word here is routine. Pupils are creatures of habit; they like their teacher to adopt
a set of sensible routines from the outset; and they like to know the framework and boundaries
for their learning. This process will begin before they get inside their classroom. All the
sensible advice states that the teacher must be in the classroom before the pupils; greeting
pupils is very important. Studies have shown, for instance, that so-called disruptive pupils
dislike being treated with disrespect – a friendly nod, a word of encouragement on entry to
the room can prompt appropriate behaviour where otherwise it may not be forthcoming.
Effective insulative teachers also make sure that they have a firm idea of how the class is to
be seated – here again is a basic strategy to inhibit problem behaviour and promote learning
(Hastings and Chantrey Wood, 2002). Such teachers are firm and directive, whilst ensuring
that the pupils know why they are being seated in a particular place. A set of rules is an
essential feature of learning classrooms – these need to be publicised and constantly
reinforced. Good practice also suggests that the pupils are involved in this process. Again,
research suggests that classrooms in which children take responsibility for behaviour are
successful learning environments (Coulby and Coulby, 1995). It is worth remembering that
you have to plan for learning behaviour as much as for actual curriculum content. All too
frequently the basics of the ‘social curriculum’ of the classroom are left to just happen by
chance. A failure to attend to learning behaviours is offering an open invitation to some
pupils: you are indicating to them that you are not in control of the teaching space. Research
studies also show that pupils who are inclined to misbehave prefer teachers who convey a
strong message that they are ‘in charge’ (Davies, 1996).
It is worth pointing out, however, that compliance, pro-social behaviour and positive
approaches to learning do not happen overnight. One of the frequently expressed concerns
 UNIT 7: CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM 97

of new teachers is that they feel that their pupils are failing to respond to classroom protocols.
Some pupils, they believe, do not want to accept the rules and procedures commensurate
with effective learning. It is at this stage that you have to bear in mind two important issues.
Firstly, that behaviour does change, but that it will be a slower process for some children.
The key, therefore, is to persevere, keep your nerve and maintain (though monitor and
review) established routines at all costs.The second issue is that you should make full use of
the resources at your disposal in helping to develop classroom management skills. Close
liaison with an induction mentor, making full use of training opportunities and, importantly,
observing more experienced teachers in their dealings with pupils are three strategies which
need to become second nature.

Teaching the lesson

The National Standards for QTS are perhaps a useful basis to explore the key pedagogical
issues that help teachers to secure pro-social behaviour and advance the learning of all
pupils.Teachers are required to address what are regarded as the three principles of inclusion:
setting suitable learning challenges, responding to pupils’ diverse needs and overcoming
potential barriers to learning (TTA, 2002: 26). Consideration of these issues is, in fact, at the
heart of many chapters in the present volume. But they have especial relevance to pupils
whom, for whatever reason, present the teacher with unwanted problem-behaviour.
Circular 9/94, which addressed pupil behaviour and discipline, confirmed a long-held
view that ‘an effective curriculum, appropriately differentiated to stimulate and engage the
pupils, is a key factor in motivating children and maintaining an orderly learning environment’
(DfE, 1994a: 13). Moreover, research into the views of pupils who misbehave is conclusive
about their expectations of teachers (Wise, 2000).These pupils want a teacher who presents
lesson content in ways that engage them, irrespective of their own preferred style of learning.
They want their teacher to be interesting, well prepared and able to recognise that all pupils
can contribute very effectively to their own learning.
A crucial element in this process involves a recognition that pupils who misbehave are
frequently struggling because of specific learning difficulties. The Code of Practice (DfES,
2001b) is very explicit in stating that the first-line responsibility for addressing such difficulties
is the class teacher. So it is very important that you move beyond the misbehaviour presented:
as has been stated earlier, all behaviours are a means of communication. In many cases, the
pupil is saying, ‘I can’t do this work,’ and attempting to disguise this by ‘displacement
behaviour’ – actions which are off-task and often disruptive to other learners.
As has also been mentioned, pupils are creatures of habit; they feel safe when a learning
routine is established. But all teachers can expect a period of subtle ‘negotiation’ – this is the
time, comprising the first few weeks of working with a group of pupils, during which
pupils can be expected to test the boundaries that have been set out as a framework for their
behaviour (Woods, 1990).
As I have indicated, there is now a huge literature of sound practical advice regarding the
explicit routines (and their implicit meanings) of classroom management (for example, see
Chaplain and Freeman, 1998). Figure 7.4, adapted from one set of guidances, provides a
basic checklist. Whilst some of its recommendations may seem obvious, these common-
sense approaches are sometimes overlooked as too basic to address complex interactions
and behaviour. But it has to be emphasised that such guidance is the bedrock which both
98 PART II: ESTABLISHING YOUR TEACHING ROLE

Figure 7.4 Checklist for promoting learning behaviours

Classroom organisation Classroom management Rewards/punishment

All equipment accessible Arrive on time Relate to learning

behaviour
Ambient Clear instructions Fair and consistent
temperature
Lighting/ventilation Acknowledge positive Achievable and relevant
behaviour
Materials labelled Acknowledge achievement Understood by all pupils
Facilitate easy movement Act as role model Understood by parents/
carers
Positive pupil grouping Differentiated learning Respond incrementally to
pupil actions
Working environment Varied pedagogy
purposeful, orderly,
friendly, supportive
Work displayed Use learning support
(teaching assistants)
Pupil involvement in Use peer support
class layout
Routine for distribution Emphasise pupils’ role
of materials
Set of rules/routines
Negotiated rules/routines
Displayed rules/routines
Reinforce rules/routines

Source: QCAAW, 2000.

pre-empts many unwanted behaviours and insulates classrooms from the negative impact
of pupil misbehaviour. Periodic reflection, therefore, on each of the issues highlighted in
Figure 7.4 will pay significant dividends in helping to establish a learning classroom.

Establishing relationships

Further reference to existing research will confirm the long-standing belief in importance
of the social role of the teacher (Polat and Farrell, 2002). Establishing – and maintaining –
good relationships with all pupils is a vital insulating factor against problematic behaviours.
In much the same way that adults draw inferences from the ways in which their friends or
associates relate to them, so too do pupils in class. They formulate a profile of how their
teacher communicates, and with whom, and they are quick to seize upon any inconsistencies
and apparent favouritism.
 UNIT 7: CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM 99

One of the frequent protestations by such pupils is that a teacher is unfair and does not
treat each pupil as an individual (Wise, 2000).There is also a lack of recognition that reward
is a major motivational factor. Pupils who misbehave feel that they are unable to achieve in
the terms recognised by the school: as sociologists would have it, they become ‘status
deprived’.This situation is fertile ground for pupils’ seeking alternative means of recognition
– by engaging in individual or group actions which disrupt the class.
You will need to continually review your social relationships with those pupils who are
most at risk of misbehaviour.There is a tendency to view classroom relationships as fixed,
but such a view fails to recognise that pupils arrive at a lesson bringing with them all
manner of immediate experiences which might influence their behaviour. Nor should it
fail to be acknowledged that the same would be true for teachers themselves. Understanding
these systemic but changing linkages is a vital element of relationship building, and has
been elegantly theorised by Bronfenbrenner (1979). It is a sad, but common, occurrence
that the profile of a pupil who is inclined towards misbehaviour will usually highlight a
background of domestic dysfunction, negative peer influences and the involvement of social
service departments and/or the police. Securing a positive relationship against such an
unpromising backcloth is obviously difficult, especially when the young person sees himself
or herself as being incapable of doing so. But again, research evidence can assist us by showing
that such pupils require:
• consistency in their relationships with adults;
• unconditional positive regard from their teacher;
• opportunities for pro-social relationship modelling (Sage, 2002).

Conclusion and dismissal

The conclusion of a lesson, ending with the dismissal of the class, is a potential trigger for
problem behaviour. And yet it is frequently discounted in ‘… a sigh of relief that it is nearly
over’ (Gray and Richer, 1988).A pupil will experience as many as six or seven lesson endings
during the course of a day in school.A noisy, unstructured or chaotic conclusion minimises
any lasting effect of the learning that has taken place during the lesson. It also ensures that
these pupils arrive at their next classroom in a frame of mind which is not geared towards
effective learning.

Reflective task 7.5

Minimising unacceptable
behaviours

Reflect on each of the four insulation phases described above. Construct a

personal checklist of your actions which you believe

1 insulate against misbehaviour

2 might trigger unwanted pupil actions.
How might you be able to move checklist items from 2 to 1?
100 PART II: ESTABLISHING YOUR TEACHING ROLE

Once again, an ordered routine is paramount. Reviewing lesson content and pupil
achievement as part of this process offers an opportunity to give positive feedback and
recognition to pupils who otherwise might regard themselves as invisible. It also can be
used to signal ‘closure’ to pupils; it is their ‘signpost’ to the next part of their day in school,
and as such is an appropriate time for you to quietly reinforce, by instruction or praise,
social behaviours that are acceptable.

MEETING THE CHALLENGE: RESPONSES TO INDIVIDUAL CASES

In spite of a proactive approach to classroom management it is sadly the case that a small
percentage of pupils will misbehave. For some pupils this is an infrequent and uncharacteristic
action; but some other pupils offer a greater challenge, such is the chronic nature of their
misbehaviour.This section of the chapter examines possible responses in such cases. At the
outset it is reassuring to return to the Elton Report’s research on teacher opinion, which
states that ‘We find that most schools are on the whole well ordered’ (DES, 1989: 11) and
that serious incidents are rare. At the same time, the Report believes that ‘… even in well
run schools minor disruption appears to be a problem’. So all teachers need to refine strategies
for dealing with misbehaviour as soon as it occurs.What follows is a rehearsal of what will
be familiar territory for some; but all teachers, whether newly qualified or experienced, are
likely to benefit from continued reflection on these ‘basics of behaviour’.
The ABC of behaviour is a good starting point. When confronted by a pupil who is
misbehaving you need to address the (B)ehaviour in ways in which its (A)ntecedents are

Reflective task 7.6

Addressing unwanted
behaviour

Write a short paragraph that describes one incident that you have recently
had to deal with in your class. Then divide a sheet of paper into three
equal parts – A, B and C – and place each of the key words or phrases you
have used in your description into one, or more, of the categories, as
described above. Is your description accurate enough to enable an
intervention which is based upon ‘evidence’?

recognised and its (C)onsequences are understood. Few teachers would argue that the
unwanted action should be the focus of immediate attention.This is a ‘public’ performance,
and all eyes in the classroom are on the teacher’s response to this challenge. But it is the
behaviour that is unwanted, not the pupil himself! All too frequently the two are merged in
the mind of the teacher. If Rory’s immature behaviour is publicly rebuked as ‘Stop behaving
like a five-year-old, Rory’ it merely exacerbates the situation, as Rory needs to save face
(and maintain his status with his peers) with a teacher-directed insult.
Avoidance of confrontation is essential, as a minor disagreement could escalate into a
more serious form of disruption. But that is not to say that unwanted behaviour should be
tolerated. Rather, it needs first to be neutralised so that effective learning can continue.
 UNIT 7: CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM 101

Typically such neutralisers involve use of a traffic light system, where a pupil is given feedback
about his or her behaviour so that he or she can be involved directly in its own management.
Where a pupil is working efficiently (green), communicate this with verbal approval,
recognition that the pupil is retaining focus on the task set. Other rewards can follow
continued positive behaviour. On noticing the first sign of non-compliance the traffic light
shows amber, to alert the pupil to the fact that this inappropriate behaviour has been noticed.
This can be reinforced by a verbal cue (‘On-task, John … please’) or a non-verbal signal.
This should be followed by the use of choices: ‘You can either do this work now, John, or
you can complete it during break-time.’ Further failure to comply means a red alert. Here is
a pupil who may have learnt to off-task behaviour. The failure to comply needs to be
neutrally acknowledged publicly as it happens (again, all the pupils need to know that you
are in charge): ‘John, I want to see you after this lesson to discuss your work.’ This approach,
which provides a structured approach in shared behaviour management, can be utilised in a
range of cases where pupil misbehaviour is apparent. It should be the basis of a routine that
all pupils come to regard as non-negotiable.
The class as a whole will be rating a teacher’s performance in managing the classroom.
The class, above all else, want its teacher to demonstrate confidence in managing any
misbehaviour likely to be encountered in the classroom. The pupils do not want to be
taught by a teacher who is easily rattled by the few pupils who appear unwilling to follow
the rules of the classroom. In consequence you should always adopt a defensive and de-
escalating approach in managing individual incidents by trying to offer the pupil at least
one way out of a conflict situation. This is vital to the pupil, in that if a battle of wills
between the two of you results in that pupil being ‘shamed’ in front of his peers, the
relationship between you will be shattered, almost beyond the point of recovery.
The pupils also monitor your performance for any signs that you are becoming angry.
Research by social psychologists indicates conclusively that human beings are much more
influenced by non-verbal than by verbal communication (Argyle, 1983). It follows that,
irrespective of the level of frustration felt on account of continued low-level disruption to
a class; any tendency to interpret these actions as being directed at you personally must be
avoided. If this is not done it greatly increases the stress and frustration felt by you, which in
turn influences future teacher–pupil interactions. Concomitant to these feelings are visible
signs of anxiety and anger. This has two equally negative effects: it reduces the capacity to
think objectively in order to ‘problem solve’ the behaviour and it models unwanted behaviour
for all the other pupils in the class.And of course, a teacher who is ‘mad’ is a gift horse to any
pupil wishing to misbehave.
Much has been written of the need to identify sets of rewards and punishments (or
sanctions).Whilst guidance on the nature and use of these are usually to be found in the staff
handbook, it is worth noting a number of classroom principles. Firstly, that the most potent
form of reward is verbal praise from the teacher (thereby indicating recognition of the
pupil). Next, that rewards should be based on what has currency in the eyes of the pupils.
Key rewards here, apart from verbal praise, are positive communication with the pupil’s
home, or to other teachers, display of pupils’ work or recognition of progress or achievement
during assembly or class discussion.
It is vital, in promoting a classroom ethos where learning can be accessed by all pupils,
that a balance is struck between rewards and punishments.You should recognise that, in the
pupils’ mind, punishment is a legitimate response to wrongdoing. Equally, though, they are
very aware that certain teachers make use of more punishment than rewards, and also that
102 PART II: ESTABLISHING YOUR TEACHING ROLE

Reflective task 7.7

Rewards and punishment

List the rewards and punishment that you make use of in your classroom.
Does your list emphasise one or the other? How do you make sure that
your preferred approaches in each case are effective?

these are often out of proportion to the wrongdoing. Punishment should be both directed
towards an individual and explained in order that social learning might ensue from it.
Punishing a large group of pupils, or even a whole class, is seldom productive and inevitably
leads to pupil resentment. At all costs effective teachers avoid what some pupils refer to as
revenge-punishment, which is destructive to both pupil and teacher.
In spite of these interventions some pupils are unable to follow the normal routines and
rules of the classroom. Such pupils usually have associated emotional or learning difficulties
and have been brought to the attention of the school’s special needs co-ordinator (SENCO).
In collaboration with the SENCO it is the job of the subject teacher to identify which
behaviours are to be prioritised – usually in terms of their rate of occurrence, longevity,
impact on the pupil’s learning, impact on others and so on.The process usually involves an
observation checklist, completed over several weeks.This then forms the basis of that pupil’s
individual education plan (IEP).A characteristic of the plan is its limited number of behaviour
targets; care has to be taken to ensure that such targets are ‘SMART’ (Tod and Cornwall,
1998): those which are Specific, Measurable,Achievable, Realistic and Time related (can be
reviewed and monitored in a sensible time span).
Finally, in those individual cases where pupils present the severest challenge, the role of
the school as an active professional community comes into play. Colleagues on the staff will
be very supportive – after all, there will be few experienced teachers who have not
encountered at least one pupil whose behaviour was so extreme that they felt unable to
cope. Experienced teachers in school can offer an opportunity for you to obtain non-
judgemental feedback on the strategies they use in individual cases. And it is worth
remembering that teachers learn as much from a failed strategy as from those that appear to
work.

SUMMARY

Managing behaviour in schools is a topic which has been covered in hundreds of books,
research papers and official documents. Much of what has been written has a basis in common
sense. Rather than replicate the substance of that literature this chapter has sought to identify
certain principles that help promote a learning classroom, in which pupils at risk of
misbehaviour can thrive.What will be apparent is that much of this relates to your adopting
a proactive approach to behaviour, in which conditions are established that minimise the
likelihood of long-term problem behaviours arising by promoting effective engagement
with learning. The existence of such conditions will also significantly insulate you and
other pupils from widespread negative impact of misbehaviour. Placed in the context of
both whole-school mechanisms for promoting good behaviour and of the clearly evidenced
 UNIT 7: CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM 103

link between the curriculum and social learning, they offer opportunities for a more positive
engagement with pupils who are inclined towards misbehaviour.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I acknowledge the support and helpful feedback from colleagues from the TTA Initial
Teacher Training Professional Resource Network (Behaviour) in developing the focus of
this chapter and in particular Dr Janet Tod from Canterbury Christ Church University
College.

FURTHER READING

Hanko, G. (2003) ‘Towards an inclusive school culture – but what happened to Elton’s
“affective curriculum”?’ British Journal of Special Education, 30 (3), 125–31. This article
emphasises the importance of establishing an appropriate set of conditions, or ‘ethos’, in
your classroom in order to promote pupil learning. Hanko suggests that a deeper
understanding of social and emotional factors will enable disaffected pupils to be more
fully included within curricular and social processes, resulting in greater engagement in
appropriate learning.
Visser, J., Cole, T. and Daniels, H. (2002) ‘Inclusion for the difficult to include’, Support for
Learning, 17 (1), 23–6. This article reports on findings from a major study funded by
government in England into what conditions need to be present in schools in order to
meet the needs of children and young people who experience emotional and behavioural
difficulties.