The Education Blog – Learning intensified

1. An awareness of the current pattern of undesirable behaviour, particularly of the trigger, that is to say, whatever immediately precedes the unwanted response. A teacher might be helpful in pointing this out. For example, he or she might notice that the pupil in question hits another member of the class whenever angry, or when he or she gets stuck with the work, or when there is a change in routine, and so on.

2. An awareness of the internal response to the trigger: what the pupil feels, thinks, sees, and his or her body posture immediately before the unwanted behaviour. This is the warning signal indicating that such behaviour is imminent, unless the pupil chooses differently. As one pupil with specific learning difficulties described his experience: ‘When I look at all the questions on the page and think I have to write them all out and all the answers I feel all knotted inside. It’s just too; much. I don’t care what I do after that’ Typically he would create some pretext and storm from the room. His warning signal was, therefore, feeling knotted inside. Learning to recognise this, he could then begin to create moments of choice.

3. Skills for creating a moment of choice. This disrupts the automatic progression into the unwanted behaviour, the undesirable habit. Instead, a gap is created in which it may be possible to introduce an alternative behaviour.

Over time, the new behaviour will become habitual, with occasional lapses. For many people the most effective way of creating this moment of choice is to breathe, shift their body posture and relax. This is because the unwanted behaviour will be associated with and facilitated by a particular breathing pattern and body posture. By altering these it is easier to try out new behaviour which will be linked to and facilitated by a different way of breathing and posture.

For example, once the pupil above feels ‘all knotted inside’ he can learn to create a moment of choice by taking a breath deep within, shifting his position and relaxing. This can give him time to decide to carry on as before, becoming angry, causing some kind of scene, storming out of class and getting into trouble as a consequence or to try out a new strategy: for example, telling the teacher it is too much work, covering the page so he sees only one question at a time, writing the answers only and explaining to the teacher later, and so on. The point is he is no longer stuck in only one kind of behaviour feeling there is no way out He has a choice.

4. Alternative behaviours in response to the trigger situation: what he or she could do instead. Thinking back to a role model can be useful here: what might X do and say in such a situation? It is often useful to have two, three or more possible alternatives to the unwanted behaviour. This reinforces the fact that the current way of behaving is in no way inevitable. Many other responses are possible. Some pupils may need encouragement even to consider a different kind of behaviour as a possibility.

5. Practice outside the actual situation is helpful. What would it feel like to carry out these new behaviours? Which feels most comfortable? How would X stand, sit or walk in this situation? How would he or she look? How would he or she sound? Try it out.

6. Small, specific, attainable targets.

7. Definite acknowledgement for achieving a target, some kind of reward, if appropriate. Rewards tend to be more difficult to devise in secondary school. They may come simply in the form of a regular letter back to parents acknowledging the fact that the target has been reached, in the form of a visit to the head for praise rather than a reprimand, or in that of a commendation or good conduct mark if the school has such a reward system in place. Or it may be some kind of privilege. To be effective a reward must be desirable to the pupil. Sometimes this can be difficult to ascertain since the pupil apparently ‘doesn’t care’.

Rather than focusing on stopping poor behaviour, the emphasis may be more effectively placed on concentrating on developing the desired behaviour: on instilling a new habit. For example, rather than thinking about not talking in assembly, a pupil would be given specific things to listen out for or to notice during that time and a new body posture to practise.

Example A
One Year 8 boy, F, started to get into trouble with a number of subject teachers for calling out and making ‘clever1 comments to the teacher which, though often very humorous, were extremely disruptive to the smooth running of the lesson and led to frequent confrontations and conflict with his teachers. He had quickly gained himself the role of class clown. He had no undue difficulties with work. At times he had shown himself to be a very efficient organiser and leader.

The intervention was discussed and agreed between the pupil, year head and form tutor who informed subject teachers. If possible, a meeting with all subject teachers would have been called to discuss a strategy, but this was impractical in this case. The form tutor saw the pupil regularly and the year head reviewed progress weekly.

Conflict arose when F was reprimanded for calling out and, consequently, it was this behaviour which was targeted for change. In speaking to him it seemed that his role as clown fulfilled a need to make an impact on his peers. He did not like the consequences of his behaviour, detentions, letters home and meetings with the year head, but his need to exercise his wit and be noticed by his classmates was stronger. The question emerged: how could he develop his abilities and gain attention in a positive way, one which avoided conflict and other undesirable consequences? How could he change his role of class clown into something that would enhance, or at least not hinder, his own learning and that of his peers?

It was agreed that he would take a report card to those lessons in which he had created difficulties with three specific targets: 1) punctuality, 2) finishing his work and 3) listening quietly to the teacher and others, making only relevant contributions when invited to speak. The subject teachers needed merely to tick or cross the relevant boxes. The first two points he invariably achieved without difficulty. Some success was, therefore, assured. The third outlined the target behaviour. At first he was to achieve three ticks in a lesson at least twice a week, reporting briefly to his form tutor who was his main support at lunch-time for praise and encouragement, then building up to all targets met in one lesson a day. This was gradually increased over a term until four out of the five daily periods were to be incident free. The initial target was set so that he could easily achieve and even surpass it on occasion.

The trigger to his calling out was considered. There seemed nothing specific, but his unwanted behaviour occurred mostly at the beginning of the lesson before he settled down to a particular task. There were several strategies concerning this point discussed with his teachers: that pupils might at times be given an initial task as a focusing and settling down exercise; that the teacher might ensure individual contact with F, greeting him, making eye contact and having a brief, positive interchange at the start of a lesson (presenting the report card provided a natural opportunity for this); that F might sometimes be given a specific task to do, such as handing out books or going to fetch the video recorder.

Thinking more about the trigger situation, F reported to his form tutor that he felt at times what he described as ‘bored and restless’. This then was to, be his warning signal. Whenever he started to feel this he would need to breathe, relax, shift his position into the new posture mentioned below, look at the teacher and focus on what he or she was saying, or get on with his own work, as appropriate.

F’s body posture which accompanied his calling out was taken into account. He was not sure how he would be sitting at such times, although there would probably be a particular body posture which belonged to and, therefore, facilitated the calling out behaviour. (If it had been possible for another teacher to observe F in lessons this could have been of great value in noticing this.) F was able, however, to recreate how he might sit when listening to instructions and when writing. There was a notable difference, the former involving his sprawling back and twisting to the side with one arm hanging down over the back of the chair. In the latter he leant over the desk. It was suggested that he find a new listening posture that allowed him to be relaxed, attentive and ready to work, and he did so. In this he sat more upright and square to the desk in front.

F carried his own report card for his personal comments on progress made. The targets on this were: 1) to think of his intention for the lesson before entering the classroom; 2) to give in his teacher report card; and 3) to take up and maintain his new listening posture as much as possible at the beginning of a lesson. Whenever he remembered he was to check his posture and return to the listening position if he had moved out of it. If he chose he could show this card to his form tutor, but it was not obligatory since it was for his own satisfaction and for developing self-awareness.

The question of replacing his role as class clown was also addressed. F was given the responsibility of helping class members prepare for a talk they were to give on a subject of their choice. This meant that two pupils a week rehearsed their talk in front of F and the form tutor who gave useful feedback. F also compered the talk in tutor time, introducing the speaker and subject. It was hoped that, for a time, this would give him the experience of having peer attention and using his wit in a way which facilitated learning in the ciass9 thus helping him develop a new self-image. It was pointed out to him that, with this new role, he might no longer need to be a clown.

It was tempting at first to make this helping and compering role dependent upon F achieving his targets. This idea was rejected, however, since the aim of his taking on this role was to demonstrate that he could gain attention from the class and entertain without sabotaging lessons. It was important that he had the opportunity of using positively a skill he had previously used with negative results.

Fs parents were involved insofar as they were regularly informed of his progress and supported his efforts to change. They also helped him to find a drama club where he could further develop his performing skills. Attendance at this was dependent upon his meeting his targets.

The issue of F’s angry response to a reprimand was also addressed directly in the meeting with his form tutor and year head, since some incidents of this would probably occur during a period of change. His habitual response had been to argue back with the teacher in some way, endeavouring to point out that his comment had been relevant, had not been time-wasting and so on. In his attempt to get the last word he had sometimes been sent from the room, which he left angrily, slamming the door.

The report card system often helped prevent the situation developing into one of conflict. If F made some inappropriate comment, the teacher need only refer to the card, for example, ‘Remember your report card’, or I still have your report card, remember1, and F usually quietened down. Rather than being told off as such he was in these instances being given a choice: to continue with his comment and fail in meeting his target, or to back down. Usually he chose the latter.

This intervention with F was successful and his behaviour in class improved gradually over the term. However, even though he wanted to avoid detentions and saw the reason for change it still took time to replace one habit, one way of operating, with another.

It is all too easy to expect change to be immediate and total. This is unrealistic. The decision to change can be instantaneous, but the process of carrying it out inevitably takes time because of the inertia of habit. It is after the first few failures, the early lapses, that hope is often lost and determination and perseverence are most needed. Consequently early targets are best kept easily attainable, increasing demands gradually. Support and encouragement are usually essential.

Example B
In talking to one 14-year-old girl, H, it seemed that the major potential obstacle to change was her self-image as ‘tough’, someone who ’stood up’ to teachers. She was frequently in trouble for confrontations with staff, swearing at them, answering rudely and sweeping angrily out of class. She appeared very proud of her reputation in dealing with teachers. After talking to her it seemed there were three main issues to address:

1. her anger towards teachers for what she considered to be past injustices;
2. her lack of non-confrontational communication skills;
3. her need to maintain her tough self-image and reputation as someone who Stood up to teachers.

H’s year head asked her to choose one teacher with whom she was prepared to build a more positive relationship. This teacher agreed to see H for ten minutes a day for the next month. During this time she would:

- talk with H about any confrontations she had had with teachers, listening attentively to her anger;

- work out with H what else she might have done and said, and what the consequences of each choice might have been;

- help H to think of how else she could use her toughness in more positive ways. How else could she be proud of herself?

Subject teachers were asked to give H the benefit of the doubt during this trial period, whilst still maintaining boundaries.

H was motivated to try to improve her behaviour. Since her friends went to the school she did not want permanent exclusion. Consequently, she attended most daily meetings. She did not reform overnight, but a month later was in trouble less frequently than before, having consistent difficulties in only two subjects. She was beginning to see that there was a correlation between how she behaved and how teachers treated her, that is to say, she began to take some responsibility for her actions and to acknowledge that she had more power to influence an interaction with a teacher than she had previously believed. She had started attending a karate class to maintain her tough image.

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Tags: process of change, pupil change teachers