The adoption of consistent rules and routines is another key tool in assisting students to behave in an appropriate way and promoting a standard within the school.
Rules establish the behavioural context of the classroom by specifying what behaviours are expected of students, what behaviours will be reinforced, and the consequences for inappropriate behaviour. If rules are stated or worded positively to describe the expected behaviour, rather than what not to do, problem behaviour is more easily prevented (Kerr and Nelson, 2002). A schools Responsible Behaviour Plan should outline problem student behaviour and what occurs when unacceptable behaviour occurs. The Plan should also ensure that stated consequences are consistent and proportionate to the nature of the behaviour.
Guidelines for Rules
Matello, Nelson and Marchand-Martella (2003)suggest the following which should be considered when developing a Responsible Behaviour Plan:
- rules should be kept to a minimum to allow students to remember them
- rules should contain language that is simple and appropriate to the developmental level of the students and the classroom.
- rules should be developed for various situations or contexts as needed (eg. class field trips).
- rules should be consistent with the Schoolwide Behaviour Plan.
Rules and routines should be taught systematically to be effective and early attention to these at the beginning of the school year is critical to effective classroom management.
Rules establish the behavioural context of the classroom by specifying what behaviours are expected of students, what behaviours will be reinforced, and the consequences for inappropriate behaviour. If rules are stated or worded positively to describe the expected behaviour, rather than what not to do, problem behaviour is more easily prevented (Kerr and Nelson, 2002). A schools Responsible Behaviour Plan should outline problem student behaviour and what occurs when unacceptable behaviour occurs. The Plan should also ensure that stated consequences are consistent and proportionate to the nature of the behaviour.
Guidelines for Rules
Matello, Nelson and Marchand-Martella (2003)suggest the following which should be considered when developing a Responsible Behaviour Plan:
- rules should be kept to a minimum to allow students to remember them
- rules should contain language that is simple and appropriate to the developmental level of the students and the classroom.
- rules should be developed for various situations or contexts as needed (eg. class field trips).
- rules should be consistent with the Schoolwide Behaviour Plan.
Rules and routines should be taught systematically to be effective and early attention to these at the beginning of the school year is critical to effective classroom management.
Broken Window Theory
"Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired,
the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may
even break into the building, and if its unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light
fires inside. Or consider a footpath. Some rubbish accumulates. Soon, some more
rubbish accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of rubbish from
take-aways there or breaking into cars"
(James Wilson and George Kelling, 1982)
What this theory means for behaviour in the classroom is simple - misbehaviour is acknowledged and the student has to address the behaviour. This is an example of the broken window theory in practice which says in essence that is we deal with the little things routinely, the big things are less likely to occur.
Now for something light-hearted...............
Now for something light-hearted...............