Management of Pupil Behaviour

A reflective report on the management of pupil behaviour

In this report I intend to focus on the different strategies of quieting down and calming the class. Managing the behaviour of the classroom has always been a problem for the class teacher. When given the responsibility of 30 children, all individual, all different, it is a hard task to try and also keep your class peaceful and co-operative. The Elton report stated that Ð''Primary schools had to deal with many incidents of minor disruptive behaviour e.g. shouting out, pushing, running in school, name calling, defiance.' (Elton Report 1989)

Because of these incidentds of disruptive behaviour it is important that teachers have in place their own methods of calming the class, or in some cases of repremanding them. The different methods of claming or repremanding the class are often debated amongst theorists. Johnstone, M is of the opinion Ð''A lost temper is often needed in order for the pupils to realise the consequence of their actions'(Johnstone1992) Johnstone believes that a teacher needs from time to time to loose his/her temper in order for the class to notice that when they are disruptive the teacher gets angry and unpleasent. Wilson and Cowell do not agree with this belief. Ð''It is essential for teachers to remain in control of themselves at all times, so that they may be a source of security for the pupils. They can be excited or enthusiastic or funny, or all sorts of things, but they must feel secure.' (Wilson & Cowell 1990) As we can see from this quote shouting is not the only method of discipline advised. Whilst punishment and calming strategies are very often needed, and all so often a day to day occurrence

in the primary classroom, over use of these strategies wouls be and in some schools have proved to be a problem. When children are constantly shouted at or told to be quiet, in many cases, they loose repsect for the authority figure. Ð''Whilst children will accept that punishment is occasionally needed to secure order, once it becomes over used it becomes self defeating, in that pupils loose respect for the school, its values and the enjoyment of learning.' (Jennings 1979)

When in school, be it on teaching practise or as a chid myself, I witnessed many different forms and strategies of pupil behaviour management. Jennings states Ð''As in any other institution good discipline is an essential to success. However if one considers the various functions of the school, it is clearthat the forms of control which teachers use, have a qualitative effect upon the results achieved.' (Jennings 1979) In the schools that I am in now, when