Teaching with Cowley: Starting Over

SubtitlesAssociated Teachers TV programme Teaching With Cowley: Starting Over0001 10:00:13:00 10:00:15:02(narrator) Sue Cowley, a former teacher0002 10:00:15:02 10:00:17:17 and author of "Getting the Buggers to Behave",0003 10:00:17:17 10:00:20:01 is here to offer some no-nonsense advice0004 10:00:20:01 10:00:24:16 on how to handle those difficult days in the classroom.0005 10:00:24:16 10:00:29:05She'll be troubleshooting with the help of heads, pupils and staff,0006 10:00:29:05 10:00:32:11 who've all agreed to take part by role-playing situations0007 10:00:32:11 10:00:35:19 that highlight some of the key issues.0008 10:00:35:19 10:00:40:00The school's happily staged these scenes, and in our mock makeover 0009 10:00:40:00 10:00:43:00Sue demystifies behaviour management theory0010 10:00:43:00 10:00:46:05 to reveal common-sense tips and tricks0011 10:00:46:05 10:00:50:00 based on her own experience in the classroom.0012 10:00:56:09 10:00:59:03School can sometimes feel a bit like a war zone0013 10:00:59:03 10:01:01:22 when it comes to dealing with challenging behaviour.0014 10:01:01:22 10:01:03:22But it's not the kids who are the enemy.0015 10:01:03:22 10:01:08:10The enemy is anything that gets in between them and their learning.0016 10:01:08:10 10:01:10:17Today we're going to don our flak jackets0017 10:01:10:17 10:01:12:22 to deal with those upsetting skirmishes0018 10:01:12:22 10:01:16:00 that can break out at the start of the school day.0019 10:01:16:00 10:01:19:22We're at Summerfield Primary School in Winson Green, Birmingham.0020 10:01:19:22 10:01:22:06On the whole, behaviour here is very good.0021 10:01:22:06 10:01:25:17But, like anyone else, they can have their bad days.0022 10:01:29:03 10:01:31:08Stop, stop.0023 10:01:31:08 10:01:33:03Boys, stop.0024 10:01:34:05 10:01:36:18Stop. Give up.0025 10:01:37:19 10:01:40:10Can we line up quietly, please?0026 10:01:40:10 10:01:44:02(Sue) 41-year-old Mark Heritage returned to teaching five years ago0027 10:01:44:02 10:01:46:00 after a spell in industry.0028 10:01:46:00 10:01:48:06 He's the art coordinator at Summerfield,0029 10:01:48:06 10:01:50:14 but today he's having a little difficulty0030 10:01:50:14 10:01:52:20 with an impromptu football match.0031 10:01:52:20 10:01:54:23Right, girls, line up.0032 10:01:54:23 10:01:57:09You're fighting with the boys to get lined up.0033 10:01:57:09 10:02:01:08While you're getting those to line up, the girls don't want to line up.0034 10:02:01:08 10:02:04:05By the time I get them all lined up ready to go in,0035 10:02:04:05 10:02:06:04 it seems half the day's gone already.0036 10:02:06:04 10:02:09:12It's taken us ages, far too long, to line up.0037 10:02:09:12 10:02:11:24Can you quietly go in, please?0038 10:02:14:12 10:02:17:04 Stop! Stop!0039 10:02:18:10 10:02:20:23Hang your coats up where they should be.0040 10:02:20:23 10:02:22:15Quietly!0041 10:02:22:15 10:02:25:04You're treading on those coats.0042 10:02:26:03 10:02:28:08Jody, sit down.0043 10:02:28:08 10:02:31:13Claire, Sharon, chair, please.0044 10:02:31:13 10:02:33:18We can't do the register with you talking.0045 10:02:33:18 10:02:39:02Getting them all sat down and quiet, they just don't want to listen.0046 10:02:39:02 10:02:40:20Raman? Raman!0047 10:02:41:20 10:02:43:15Raman, are you here, or not?0048 10:02:43:15 10:02:45:15You need to be listening. 0049 10:02:45:15 10:02:50:01I just feel so wound up and so tired at this present moment,0050 10:02:50:01 10:02:52:02 and the day has only just begun.0051 10:02:52:02 10:02:54:23I feel like I've been teaching a whole week.0052 10:02:54:23 10:02:57:16Stop squeaking those chairs, please.0053 10:02:57:16 10:03:00:06I can hardly hear myself speak.0054 10:03:00:06 10:03:02:13James.0055 10:03:02:13 10:03:04:11Boys?0056 10:03:04:23 10:03:06:17Blair, stop.0057 10:03:06:17 10:03:08:07Stop.0058 10:03:08:22 10:03:09:22Joey...0059 10:03:10:23 10:03:13:14We've all had days that have started like that. 0060 10:03:13:14 10:03:17:23I've been watching Mark trying to deal with some common flashpoints.0061 10:03:17:23 10:03:20:12I think it's time to give him a hand.0062 10:03:21:15 10:03:25:06Let's not forget, Mark staged his inept start to the day.0063 10:03:25:06 10:03:29:07He's now gamely agreed to have it pulled apart by me.0064 10:03:29:07 10:03:31:09So, first of all, the bell goes,0065 10:03:31:09 10:03:33:12 and what's going on here, then?0066 10:03:33:12 10:03:37:01(Mark) Well, the boys are playing football over the back.0067 10:03:37:01 10:03:38:11They won't stop.0068 10:03:38:11 10:03:40:01Boys, stop!0069 10:03:40:01 10:03:42:12- (Sue) So you decided to go over? - Yeah. 0070 10:03:42:12 10:03:44:21(Sue) What happens to the rest of the class?0071 10:03:44:21 10:03:46:07(Mark) The rest of the line,0072 10:03:46:07 10:03:49:13 the ones that did stop and line up when I asked,0073 10:03:49:13 10:03:51:20 they sort of then start breaking up.0074 10:03:51:20 10:03:55:21So it's like I'm trying to fight one and then losing the other one.0075 10:03:55:21 10:03:58:15(Sue) I'd recommend that you stay with your line0076 10:03:58:15 10:04:02:16 and that you stand there and give it full-on nonverbal communication.0077 10:04:02:16 10:04:04:21You stand there, they know the bell's gone,0078 10:04:04:21 10:04:08:19 they might be playing, but they're aware that the bell's gone.0079 10:04:08:19 10:04:10:17 Stand there looking really mean,0080 10:04:10:17 10:04:13:18 give it some of the looking at your watch, yeah?0081 10:04:13:18 10:04:15:17I'd leave it for roughly two minutes0082 10:04:15:17 10:04:19:02 before you actually feel the need to go and intervene.0083 10:04:19:02 10:04:22:12And most children, by the time two minutes is up,0084 10:04:22:12 10:04:24:20 will have realised something's going on.0085 10:04:24:20 10:04:28:01So let's have a look at the line. What's the line like?0086 10:04:28:01 10:04:30:07(Mark) Where I was positioned, it was OK,0087 10:04:30:07 10:04:33:01 but then it was going out at the back.0088 10:04:33:01 10:04:38:00As I tried to get that part back in, this part was coming out. 0089 10:04:38:00 10:04:41:19So I was fighting one side and then losing the other.0090 10:04:41:19 10:04:44:02It was just a battle up and down.0091 10:04:44:02 10:04:45:14Line up.0092 10:04:45:14 10:04:49:04I'll often either position myself towards the back of a line,0093 10:04:49:04 10:04:51:23 because it's always the rebels who are at the back,0094 10:04:51:23 10:04:55:21 or I'll pace up and down the line and perhaps stop beside any children0095 10:04:55:21 10:04:58:17 who appear not to be lining up correctly.0096 10:04:58:17 10:05:03:01I'm a real stickler for a good straight line, eyes front,0097 10:05:03:01 10:05:05:07 because it just says to the children:0098 10:05:05:07 10:05:08:08 "You're not coming in my school, let alone in my classroom,0099 10:05:08:08 10:05:09:23 until you are sorted."0100 10:05:09:23 10:05:13:02Now we're going to go in nice and quietly,0101 10:05:13:02 10:05:14:21 in a line, to the classroom.0102 10:05:14:21 10:05:17:24Nice and quietly. Right, lead on.0103 10:05:17:24 10:05:20:18(Sue) So we let the line inside. What happens next?0104 10:05:20:18 10:05:23:17(Mark) Well, that's it, they didn't go in in a nice line.0105 10:05:23:17 10:05:26:00They came in with the football mentality.0106 10:05:26:00 10:05:28:01They were still...0107 10:05:28:01 10:05:30:04As if they were charging the pitch,0108 10:05:30:04 10:05:33:02 they came straight into the corridor.0109 10:05:33:02 10:05:34:17(Sue) What's with the coats?0110 10:05:34:17 10:05:38:10(Mark) The boys didn't hang their coats up, they just threw them0111 10:05:38:10 10:05:40:07 and went into the classroom.0112 10:05:40:07 10:05:45:14The girls - I was distracted by the girls chatting about pencil cases.0113 10:05:45:14 10:05:47:10They weren't taking their coats off.0114 10:05:47:10 10:05:51:13While I was persuading those to put down the pencil case and come in,0115 10:05:51:13 10:05:55:07 the boys were charging in so I was losing those as well.0116 10:05:55:07 10:05:58:22(Sue) Yeah. The problem with this, where you've got a split focus0117 10:05:58:22 10:06:02:22 and you've got more than one group misbehaving,0118 10:06:02:22 10:06:06:14 is that once you try and deal with that kind of attention seeking,0119 10:06:06:14 10:06:09:10 then something else kicks off behind you.0120 10:06:09:10 10:06:11:24I often find it's best to position yourself0121 10:06:11:24 10:06:15:14 in front of your classroom door. "This is my territory", yeah?0122 10:06:15:14 10:06:18:09"Nobody's coming in until we've got this sorted out."0123 10:06:18:09 10:06:22:18And try not to get distracted into dealing with those minor incidents0124 10:06:22:18 10:06:24:17 that can be deferred to later on.0125 10:06:24:17 10:06:27:24So you might say to the boys, "I've noticed what you're doing."0126 10:06:27:24 10:06:30:07"I'm going to deal with it in a moment."0127 10:06:30:07 10:06:33:19To the girls, you might say, "We have a clear desk policy."0128 10:06:33:19 10:06:36:12"We don't get anything out until sir says so."0129 10:06:36:12 10:06:38:24So until you've got them in their seats0130 10:06:38:24 10:06:42:06 you need to defer any of this low-level misbehaviour0131 10:06:42:06 10:06:45:03 which is getting in the way of you getting on, isn't it?0132 10:06:45:03 10:06:46:07Yeah, it is.0133 10:06:46:07 10:06:49:05So you let them into the classroom.0134 10:06:49:05 10:06:51:01And what happens next?0135 10:06:51:01 10:06:53:01(Mark) They came in rowdy,0136 10:06:53:01 10:06:55:24 and it just took so long to settle them down.0137 10:06:55:24 10:06:58:22I was asking them to stop and stop and stop...0138 10:06:58:22 10:07:00:24(Sue) And you were starting to shout.0139 10:07:00:24 10:07:03:15(Mark) They were engrossed in what they were doing.0140 10:07:03:15 10:07:06:11Stop. Stop.0141 10:07:06:11 10:07:08:14Some teachers will make the mistake0142 10:07:08:14 10:07:12:06 of trying to use their voice to control the level of noise.0143 10:07:12:06 10:07:15:07Once the noise gets to a certain level in the classroom,0144 10:07:15:07 10:07:19:02 no matter how loud you shout, and it is doing your voice damage,0145 10:07:19:02 10:07:22:05 no matter how loud you shout they aren't going to hear you.0146 10:07:22:05 10:07:26:14In this sort of situation, I'd say try some sort of nonverbal signal.0147 10:07:26:14 10:07:30:13 So you might simply stand with your arms folded, looking at your watch,0148 10:07:30:13 10:07:32:10 the expression on your face saying:0149 10:07:32:10 10:07:35:12"What do you think you're doing? You're wasting time."0150 10:07:35:12 10:07:40:10You might try something else. You might write a little message saying:0151 10:07:40:10 10:07:43:04"If you won't be quiet within the next three minutes0152 10:07:43:04 10:07:46:09 then you are going to force me to give you some sanction."0153 10:07:46:09 10:07:50:14By the time you're halfway through that, they'll all be looking at you.0154 10:07:50:14 10:07:53:15You've got some issues with the furniture here as well.0155 10:07:53:15 10:07:56:04(Mark) Because the tables are close together,0156 10:07:56:04 10:07:59:00 they're leaning across each other and chatting,0157 10:07:59:00 10:08:02:02 so the talking's not just confined to their table.0158 10:08:02:02 10:08:06:02It's going across the tables because they're quite close together.0159 10:08:06:02 10:08:08:10(Sue) It's starting to spread, isn't it?0160 10:08:08:10 10:08:12:21Now, this is going to be constrained by the space in your classroom,0161 10:08:12:21 10:08:15:07 but it's often worth thinking,0162 10:08:15:07 10:08:17:20"Is there any other way I can arrange the desks0163 10:08:17:20 10:08:21:01 so that there's more room between the tables?"0164 10:08:21:01 10:08:24:20Because they're children, and it's natural that if they're close0165 10:08:24:20 10:08:28:15 they're having a quick chat, probably about that football game 0166 10:08:28:15 10:08:31:04 that was going on after the bell.0167 10:08:31:04 10:08:34:18OK. Can we stop for the register, please?0168 10:08:34:18 10:08:37:03OK? Stop for the register?0169 10:08:38:03 10:08:41:08Er, shh! Quiet, please.0170 10:08:41:08 10:08:45:11You're trying to take the register. How are you feeling at this stage?0171 10:08:45:11 10:08:49:23Well, I'm feeling really tired. My voice is really sore.0172 10:08:49:23 10:08:51:12And quite frustrated.0173 10:08:51:12 10:08:53:04Stop.0174 10:08:53:04 10:08:54:22That table, can we just stop?0175 10:08:54:22 10:08:57:11This side I didn't want to be thinking about,0176 10:08:57:11 10:08:59:07 I wanted to think about the lesson.0177 10:08:59:07 10:09:03:08Yeah, it's so frustrating when you can't get the lesson under way.0178 10:09:03:08 10:09:05:24Now, as you're trying to take the register,0179 10:09:05:24 10:09:09:20 and if the children are talking when you're waiting to start,0180 10:09:09:20 10:09:14:03 and I always say that the pause is a very, very powerful technique.0181 10:09:14:03 10:09:17:12So before you start you wait for silence.0182 10:09:17:12 10:09:19:21As you're taking the register, you say a name0183 10:09:19:21 10:09:24:18 and somebody's talking over it, that's not acceptable.0184 10:09:24:18 10:09:29:03So you just pause. Instead of jumping out with your voice,0185 10:09:29:03 10:09:32:19 you instead take a step back and you show that's not acceptable 0186 10:09:32:19 10:09:34:12 just by stopping for a moment.0187 10:09:34:12 10:09:37:10- (Mark) Are you here or not? - Yeah.0188 10:09:37:10 10:09:39:03And then you can combine that0189 10:09:39:03 10:09:43:00 by actually getting down on the level with the children.0190 10:09:43:20 10:09:47:00In some situations, I'd be tempted to start from the beginning0191 10:09:47:00 10:09:49:17 every time a child talks over me.0192 10:09:49:17 10:09:51:17"We'll start the register again."0193 10:09:51:17 10:09:54:18When you do that, it can feel like you're wasting time,0194 10:09:54:18 10:09:56:12 but what you're saying is:0195 10:09:56:12 10:10:01:19"My expectation is total silence when I'm taking the register." 0196 10:10:01:19 10:10:03:12(Mark) Rosie. Rosie...0197 10:10:03:12 10:10:07:01- Sir, they don't listen... - No, you need to listen. OK?0198 10:10:07:01 10:10:08:22(girl) It's not funny.0199 10:10:08:22 10:10:13:05(narrator) Mark's a great teacher, but too static in the classroom.0200 10:10:13:05 10:10:17:09He's got to learn to use every corner of that space.0201 10:10:17:09 10:10:20:03Sometimes when the class are being hyperactive,0202 10:10:20:03 10:10:23:07 it pays to start patrolling your territory.0203 10:10:23:07 10:10:28:00So if you imagine you're like a cat and the classroom is your territory.0204 10:10:28:00 10:10:31:12And you're going to mark your territory just by moving around it.0205 10:10:31:12 10:10:35:10The children never know when you might come up behind and catch them.0206 10:10:36:15 10:10:40:14A few days later we caught Mark back on the playground front line.0207 10:10:40:14 10:10:45:05Time to try some positive role-play, armed with my tips and tricks.0208 10:10:45:05 10:10:48:19So, Mark, this time around things are obviously going a lot better.0209 10:10:48:19 10:10:50:09(Mark) Yes, a lot better.0210 10:10:50:09 10:10:54:00- Are you feeling a bit better? - Yeah, a lot better than before.0211 10:10:54:00 10:10:56:05I'm not having to use my voice so much,0212 10:10:56:05 10:10:59:20 and it feels calm, it feels nice.0213 10:10:59:20 10:11:05:09Yeah, you look really calm. Your face looks a lot happier.0214 10:11:05:09 10:11:07:14This is lovely here.0215 10:11:07:14 10:11:08:16 Morning, Alima.0216 10:11:08:16 10:11:12:16When they smile back at you, you can see that they appreciate that.0217 10:11:12:16 10:11:15:20You're focusing on the children who are doing what you want0218 10:11:15:20 10:11:18:11 as opposed to... They're all doing what you want,0219 10:11:18:11 10:11:21:07 because they see that's the way to get your attention.0220 10:11:21:07 10:11:24:17Right, would you like to lead in, please?0221 10:11:32:20 10:11:35:14(Sue) Look at the difference in the way that...0222 10:11:35:14 10:11:38:17They've left their playground selves behind.0223 10:11:38:17 10:11:43:01And they've come in and they're putting their coats up nicely.0224 10:11:43:01 10:11:46:09OK, one nice straight line, please. 0225 10:11:46:09 10:11:48:17(Sue) And look where you're positioned.0226 10:11:48:17 10:11:50:09(Mark) Yeah, right at the front.0227 10:11:50:09 10:11:52:23(Sue) You're saying, "This is my classroom."0228 10:11:52:23 10:11:56:03You've said "Good morning", they're welcome to come in,0229 10:11:56:03 10:11:58:18 but they're coming in under your rules,0230 10:11:58:18 10:12:02:07 and not in the way that they might want to come in.0231 10:12:02:07 10:12:03:22So you get them inside,0232 10:12:03:22 10:12:08:07 and look at the difference in the way they actually go to their seats.0233 10:12:12:16 10:12:16:18(Mark) I think the spacing between the tables has helped lots as well.0234 10:12:16:18 10:12:21:06(Sue) So there's not all that physical banging against each other,0235 10:12:21:06 10:12:24:14 somebody just behind their shoulder they might chat to.0236 10:12:24:14 10:12:26:04(Mark) Well done, this table.0237 10:12:26:04 10:12:30:00(Sue) Now you're waiting to take the register. What are you waiting for?0238 10:12:30:00 10:12:32:05(Mark) I'm waiting for those children to be0239 10:12:32:05 10:12:35:19- just the way they should be. - (Sue) Completely silent.0240 10:12:35:19 10:12:38:22Thank you. OK. Well done.0241 10:12:38:22 10:12:41:04(Sue) And the thing is, every time you do that0242 10:12:41:04 10:12:45:00 you make it that much easier for yourself the next time, don't you?0243 10:12:45:00 10:12:51:00Because those children know that this is exactly what I expect.0244 10:12:53:12 10:12:57:24 And you must have felt like, "Now I can get on with teaching my lesson."0245 10:12:57:24 10:12:59:05That's how it should be,0246 10:12:59:05 10:13:02:05 where I don't need to be thinking about the coming in,0247 10:13:02:05 10:13:04:08 the lining up, the register.0248 10:13:04:08 10:13:06:14It's the teaching that we're here for.0249 10:13:06:14 10:13:09:00I don't want to have to think so much about this.0250 10:13:09:00 10:13:12:10Absolutely. And in terms of the time wasted,0251 10:13:12:10 10:13:14:09 the difference is amazing, isn't it?0252 10:13:14:09 10:13:17:10It takes half, a quarter of the amount of time,0253 10:13:17:10 10:13:21:19 and you can spend that time on much more positive things. 0254 10:13:21:19 10:13:22:24Excellent. Well done.0255 10:13:29:04 10:13:30:12- Alima? - Here.0256 10:13:30:12 10:13:31:22- Ahmed? - Here.0257 10:13:31:22 10:13:33:08- Kalim? - Here.0258 10:13:33:08 10:13:34:13- Jordan? - Here.0259 10:13:34:13 10:13:36:04- Safina? - Here, sir.0260 10:13:36:04 10:13:39:03Those are a few ideas to help the start of your school day0261 10:13:39:03 10:13:41:23 run a bit more smoothly. Remember, they're not rules.0262 10:13:41:23 10:13:45:00They're just common-sense strategies that worked for me.0263 10:13:45:00 10:13:47:19 - Cowley? - Yes, sir?0264 10:13:47:19 10:13:51:03Join me next time for some more useful tips.0265 10:13:56:11 10:13:59:11Visiontext subtitles by Paul Burns0266 10:13:59:11 10:14:01:11 www.visiontext.co.uk

Teaching with Cowley: Starting Over

Details

Download

Copyright

We respect the copyrights and intellectual property rights of all users. All uploaded documents are either original works of the uploader or authorized works of the rightful owners.

Support