Search results matching tags 'classroom practice' and 'behaviour management'

The Behaviour Guru unleashed!

Anonymous — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 12:30:36 GMT

Tom Bennett, author of The Behaviour Guru, took part in a live web chat for the TES last Friday. If you missed it, you can read the full transcript here.

Melanie Wilson
Commissioning Editor (Professional Education)

A day in the life of a behaviour guru

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:45:37 GMT

Two or three times a week I check into the TES online forum to see if any problems have been posted for me to advise on – sometimes it's more often, depending on the time of year – the weeks leading up to the beginning of term starts to see a trickle of students nervous about beginning their NQT year, after which it goes quiet.

Most of the problems I answer are behaviour related. I find that for many of the correspondents, what they're looking for is reassurance and somebody else to remind them that they're not alone. Teaching can be a terribly lonely process; there can't be many other jobs where you can spend your whole day surrounded by people and yet feel completely alone. Especially if they feel like it's all going down the tubes. So I regard it as my duty to remain upbeat, positive and supportive no matter how bad the problem sounds; the correspondent can usually supply his own negativity, they don't need me for that. I can't believe it when I see some forum Troll jumping in and belittling the writer's problems. One of the perils of the internet, I suppose. But I'm delighted to say that the majority of the people who contribute are experienced and supportive. I think teaching is like that – I've certainly found that there’s a bunker mentality in the profession. Perhaps it's because we're so beleaguered on both sides – above and below.

That's why I wanted to write The Behaviour Guru – because there are loads of behaviour books on the market, but they're all a bit theoretical, or lengthy. New teachers need behaviour tips they can take into the classroom the next day, packed into their schoolbags. They don't need fifty pages of psychology or neuroscience. They want to know what to do or say right there, right then. I looked at all the questions and answers on the forums and thought, ‘You know, a new teacher would really benefit from reading these’. Real problems, real solutions, real fast. I hope it helps other teachers, because we're all in it together.

Tom Bennett is the Behaviour Guru on the TES website and is author of The Behaviour Guru, available for preview and purchase now. Tom recently wrote an article in the TES called ‘Courage under Fire’, which you can read here.

Melanie Wilson
Commissioning Editor

Fourth edition of Getting the Buggers to Behave is out now!

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:23:56 GMT

Pedigree Chum, anyone?

To celebrate the launch of the new edition of this international bestseller, we're offering you the chance to win a copy and a mention on the companion website!

For those of you who’ve never read Sue Cowley’s prodigious bestseller Getting the Buggers to Behave, you won’t yet be familiar with some of the slightly zany tactics Sue employs to get her kids to listen, and actually enjoy listening. My personal favourite is ‘The Can of Dog Food’, which can be found on p.115 of the new edition:

Description:

This activity was originally used for design technology, and it shocks the students into paying attention. Of all the suggestions I’ve ever made, this has attracted the most controversy. Your teaching style probably needs to be ‘comic and quirky’ or possibly ‘edge of madness’ to pull it off. Prepare your can ahead of time: cut the base off the tin or split open the pouch carefully; empty it out and wash it well; chop up the Mars bars and mix this with the jelly; refill the can or pouch and fix it back together with glue or tape. (Note: an easier alternative is to swap the labels over between dog food and something more appetizing.) Explain to the class that the lesson is about packaging. Show the students the can of dog food, open it up, and then eat from it. Offer it round the class, to see if anyone will have a taste. You’ll get a lively reaction to this opening, but your students will eventually quieten down to hear what you have to say.

Have you ever used a slightly off-the-wall starter to get your students’ attention? If so, we want to hear from you! If Sue likes your idea the best, you’ll win a free copy of the new edition and a mention on the companion website. To enter, just email mwilson@continuumbooks.com with your ‘edge of madness’ story before 30 September 2010.

Melanie Wilson
Commissioning Editor (Professional Education)

When “listen to me” is not enough…

Anonymous — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:21:56 GMT

Guest post by Continuum authors, Jacqui Woodcock and Liz Spooner

Last weekend, we were lucky enough to be asked to speak about our work on developing listening at the International Chromosome 22Q.113 deletion syndrome conference. We met parents and practitioners from across Europe and America and it was interesting to hear that they face similar challenges when trying to teach children with poor listening skills. The question we were most often asked was “What has changed? Why do children now find it so hard to keep listening?”.

The answer is not straightforward but the rise in screen-based entertainment and its impact on children’s play seems to be a common factor in many countries. New findings from The Nielsen Company (October 2009) show children aged 2-5 now spend more than 32 hours a week on average in front of a TV screen. This is 32 hours a week when they are not playing and listening to other people.

Consequently, increasing numbers of children are starting school without these foundations in place. When this happens saying “Listen to me” is never going to be enough. However, the good news is that our own research has shown just a small amount of targeted teaching can make a big difference to this key skill in school.

Jacqui and Liz are authors of Teaching Children to Listen: A practical approach to developing children’s listening skills, published in January 2010. It recently scored 5/5 in bulletin: The Official Magazine of The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.