Behaviour Management For Beginners

I endeavour to proceed my posts totally maths-focused, but I've been doing a lot of thinking close behavior administration this calendar week thus I consider it mightiness hold upward helpful to part my ideas. I'm the beginner here.

In June I moved from a girls' grammer schoolhouse to a boys' comprehensive. I'd been at the grammer schoolhouse for v years (I became a instructor inwards my belatedly 20s in addition to it was my starting fourth dimension teaching job). With the exception of the fourth dimension I spent at a 'difficult' schoolhouse inwards Croydon during my PGCE, I'd never done whatsoever proper behavior administration before. My students almost e'er followed instructions. Sometimes they were chatty, in addition to they were forever rolling upward their skirts, but it was all real low-level. In fact 1 of the challenges of working at a grammer schoolhouse was planning plenty cloth for lessons because most students were thus focussed that they worked incredibly quickly.

When I said I was moving to a comprehensive school, I was met amongst looks of horror from approximately colleagues - "you do realise that's going to hold upward actually hard, don't you?", they'd say. H5N1 friend suggested that I read Tom Bennett's fantabulous mass The Behaviour Guru to ready myself. I was a fleck dismissive of all this because my novel schoolhouse has a reputation for proficient behaviour, in addition to when I had a tour of the schoolhouse I saw nil but fantabulous comport inwards lessons.

A bad start
When I started my novel undertaking inwards June I establish things a lot harder than I'd expected. I had 2 Key Stage three classes that I felt I had no command over. It's hard taking over classes during the summertime term in addition to it was made worse yesteryear my failure to laid out my expectations from the start - I hadn't realised how of import this is. Now I know better.

I was taken aback yesteryear the agency the boys argued amongst me - if I told them to halt doing something, they'd either combat dorsum or they'd whine. I kept nagging them to acquire on amongst their work. They did giddy things that drove me crazy. I establish myself shouting similar a madwoman at times, but fifty-fifty in addition to thus they weren't listening. I felt similar I was barely teaching whatsoever maths in addition to that made me both deplorable in addition to embarrassed.

I was also taken aback yesteryear how much I warmed to these students - approximately of them were testing me in addition to nosotros all knew it, but the vast bulk were total of personality in addition to real likeable.

A fresh start
I'm determined to hold upward ameliorate at this inwards September. I've settled inwards now, thus I won't hold upward 'the novel teacher' whatsoever more. Having my ain classes correct from the start of the twelvemonth volition run wonders. Here's v things I demand to remember:

1. Consistency. I direct keep a terrible habit of threatening to give punishments in addition to and thus non next through. This totally undermines my position. Consistency is vital.

2. Structures. My schoolhouse has proficient behavior administration structures inwards place. I mustn't hold upward afraid to role these back upward mechanisms, such every bit having a pupil removed from a lesson when they are disrupting learning.

3. Expectations. I shouldn't just assume that students know the rules. Every instructor is different. I will state the rules at the start of the twelvemonth in addition to remind the cast every bit oft every bit is necessary. I establish Tom Bennett's video on Classroom Rules helpful here.

4. Parents. I've exclusively phoned a bring upward 1 time inwards v years of teaching! I demand to do this to a greater extent than - both to give proficient feedback in addition to to hash out behaviour. It's taken me a spell to appreciate the extent to which most children aid close what y'all tell their parents. I excogitation to do a half-termly newsletter (inspired yesteryear this great post from @MathedUp) to part my students' successes.

5. Don't endeavour to hold upward liked. Another bad habit of mine is caring also much close what people intend of me. It actually doesn't affair if I'm non my students' 'favourite teacher'. The of import thing is that I learn maths well.

It's actually of import that I acquire behavior administration correct because (as I've experienced) if I brand a mess of it in addition to thus I won't direct keep the chance to learn maths, which is a disaster for all involved. I real much concur amongst what David Perks says inwards his article Pupils Behaving Badly, "And herein lies the challenge for teachers: they direct keep to believe that what they are teaching is the most of import thing inwards the globe for their pupils to learn. This is the rootage of their authorization inwards the classroom. It is what gives them the correct to stand upward inwards front end of pupils in addition to demand their attention".

Resources
I've made a few bits in addition to pieces to acquire me started. They may hold upward gimmicky, but making them has given me the chance to intend close how I desire things to work, thus it's been a worthwhile exercise.

Inspired yesteryear @theshauncarter's post Classroom rules 2015, I'll hold upward quest students to stick this laid of rules onto the within comprehend of their practise books.

And inspired by @mathycathy's postal service First Day Favorites, I've made 2 videos for my starting fourth dimension lessons. This is for my Year 11s - it's a modest cast currently working at GCSE flat E/F:



And this one, amongst dissimilar messages, is for my high attaining Year 10s:



These were made amongst a seven Day Free Trial of VideoScribe. I mightiness brand 1 for Year 12 also because these are actually fun to make.

I was going to purchase these Sparky VIP Rewards to encourage positive behavior but I intend they'd run best at Key Stage 2 or three in addition to I'll exclusively hold upward teaching Key Stage iv in addition to 5. Lovely consider though.

Thanks to everyone who has offered me behavior administration advice over the yesteryear few months - peculiarly Samantha Rhodes (@rhodes_math) who sent me lots of helpful advice when I was finding things hard. Thanks also to everyone on Twitter who has given me tips on how to motivate boys.

Here's hoping I boom this inwards September - want me luck!