Memorandum submitted by Dr Sue Roffey
1. SUMMARY
2. If we want pupils to learn and develop
pro-social behaviour, rather than only behaving well because they
might get into trouble if they don't, we need to develop a different
conceptualisation about behaviour that includes healthy relationship
building, increased participation, responsibility and meaningful
consequences.
3. A Zero Tolerance approach to challenging
behaviour damages relationships, and the evidence produced by
a task force of the American Psychological Association says that
it does not improve behaviour overall in the school, and academic
outcomes also suffer.
4. High levels of control in a relationship
are counter-productive. Detention is a blunt and ineffective instrument.
5. Some of our most challenging children
are also the most vulnerable. They need more, not less connection
to school. Restorative approaches are more effective in changing
behaviour and reducing social exclusion.
6. Good teaching practice underpins good
behaviour in class—didactic or otherwise dull pedagogies
do not engage students. Disengaged students find behavioural distractions.
7. Teacher training needs a greater emphasis
on the psycho/social dynamics of teaching and the quality of the
learning environment. This is beyond behaviour management.
8. CREDENTIALS
FOR MAKING
THIS SUBMISSION
9. I am writing this submission on the basis
of the following:
10. Many years experience as a teacher working
with children and young people with behavioural difficulty. A
main grade teacher in two mainstream schools, a teacher in a special
EBD school, teacher in charge of a special unit for long-term
non-attendees and Acting Director of the Camden and Islington
Educational Guidance Centre, a part-time facility for excluded
students with the aim of re-integration into their main school.
11. Over 10 years experience as an educational
psychologist, mostly in London, working in a very diverse and
challenging borough (Haringey). My last post there in 1998 was
as Principal Psychologist. As a senior psychologist I coordinated
the borough's attendance project and as part of this worked with
a multi-disciplinary group to produce The Primary School Guidelines
to Behaviour—recommended as a case study for good practice
by the government in 1996.
12. Substantial experience as an academic:
I was involved for five years teaching school counsellors in training
at the University of Western Sydney and am now an adjunct research
fellow there and an honorary lecturer at University College London.
Amongst other relevant research I was involved in the Australian
Federal Government's recent Scoping Study on Student Wellbeing
(http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/wellbeing/Documents/ScopingStudy.pdf).
13. Prolific author on behaviour in school:
In writing on these issues I have read a great deal of the relevant
research—this is all evidence-based practice. I have also
written on relationships and wellbeing but the following texts
are the most directly relevant to this inquiry.
— Roffey, S. (2011) Changing Behaviour
in Schools: Promoting Positive Relationships and Wellbeing.
London: Sage Publications (available November 2010). This summarises
the most up to date evidence about what works to change rather
than simply manage behaviour.
— Roffey, S. (2011) New Teachers Survival
Guide to Behaviour. 2nd Edition. London: Sage Publications
(available March 2011, first edition published 2004).
— Roffey. S. (2006) Helping with Behaviour
in the Early Years: Establishing the Positive and Addressing the
Difficult. London: Routledge Falmer.
— Roffey, S & O'Reirdan, T. (2003)
Plans for Better Behaviour in the Primary School: Management
and Intervention. London: David Fulton Publishers. This is
based on the multi-disciplinary project in Haringey.
— Roffey, S. (ed) (2002) School Behaviour
and Families: Frameworks for Working Together. London: David
Fulton Publishers (Based on Doctoral thesis).
— Roffey, S & O'Reirdan, T. (2001)
Young Children and Classroom Behaviour: Needs, Perspectives
and Strategies. London: David Fulton Publishers (also published
in Spanish 2004). Developed from funded project about how young
children settle into school and the differences between schools
in successfully managing this process.
14. How to support and reinforce positive
behaviour in schools
— Teach behaviour to children when they
first come to school in a structured and non-judgmental way. Give
reminders before reprimands.
— Develop nurture groups for the most damaged
children entering school—the evidence says this is an effective
first strategy.
— Build a positive self-concept by referring
to and reinforcing strengths and qualities.
— Avoid negative labels—they are
self-perpetuating.
— Devise class guidelines together with
students.
— Ensure that all teachers entering the
profession understand the importance of the teacher-student relationship,
what that means and how to put it into practice—some do
this beautifully, others really have no idea and exacerbate difficulties.
— Model pro-social behaviour and respect
at all times—children learn by what they see and hear.
— Help teachers understand and learn to
deal well with the emotions inherent in behavioural difficulties.
— Be aware of cultural differences and
respond appropriately
— Understand that some of our most challenging
children are also the most vulnerable. They need more not less
connection to school. Focus on how children develop a sense of
belonging—this also gives them increased responsibility
for each other.
— Teach relational values and relationship
skills in a safe and supportive environment.
— Teach resilience skills to children so
they have a repertoire of ways of thinking about and dealing with
adversity.
— Teach children first, curriculum second—in
high schools students feel that learning is less accessible and
meaningful and teachers are more controlling—as children
get older it should be the other way round.
— The evidence is clear that a whole child,
whole school approach to supporting positive behaviour is the
most effective approach rather than targeting individual children
to change.
— There are no quick fixes—it is
consistent positive practice that makes the difference.
15. The nature and level of challenging behaviour
in schools, and the impact upon schools and staff
16. Behaviour in schools is generally improving.
Serious and violent behaviours are comparatively rare but get
a lot of publicity.
17. It is the everyday irritations and low
level behaviours that wear teachers down. The evidence is that
many teachers feel isolated in the classroom, do not necessarily
ask colleagues for support and often struggle with putting basic
strategies into practice. The best practice is where teachers
can share their concerns in a supportive discussion. This needs
to be constructive or can deteriorate into a moan and blame session.
18. A collegial approach within school staff
makes a positive difference to both teacher stress and skills.
Head Teachers need as much training on the social/emotional dynamics
of their school as teachers need about classrooms.
19. An over-crowded curriculum can be damaging
to the quality of teaching and learning.
20. Approaches taken by schools and local
authorities to address challenging behaviour, including fixed-term
and permanent exclusions
21. Behavioural approaches have minimal
long term impact. Punishment can be met with one of three responses:
— Pupils for whom significant figures being
disappointed in them is enough
— Pupils for whom punishment can be a badge
of pride
— Pupils where nothing you can throw at
them comes close to what they are already dealing with.
22. A Zero Tolerance approach to challenging
behaviour damages relationships, and the evidence produced by
a task force of the American Psychological Association says that
it does not improve behaviour overall in the school and academic
outcomes also suffer. They recommend, as do many others, that
a restorative approach to behaviour is much more effective. This
has also been my experience—I have seen many schools where
behaviour has improved dramatically with this approach. Restorative
approaches need to be introduced into the whole school system,
not just be a package taken off the shelf. I have come across
schools that tell me that they have "no detention, no suspension
and no exclusion". Their behaviour policy is based in relationship
building and restorative practice. They have worked to get parents
on side over time, but as parents can see this is effective together
with an increased responsibility in their children, they have
been convinced.
23. Where consequences are offered to students
in response to unacceptable behaviour these need to be meaningful
and delivered with respect.
24. The research on resilience says that
even where children are dealing with multiple risk factors (and
expressing their distress by behaving in challenging ways) schools
can and do make a considerable difference. (But teachers rarely
get accolades for saving children's lives and futures, just getting
good test results). Resilience is built on:
— someone who cares what happens to you
and seeks your strengths rather than emphasising your deficits
— high expectations and not giving up on
you
— the opportunity to participate and feel
that you belong to your community. If that isn't family or school
it may be a gang.
25. Good teaching practice underpins good
behaviour in class—didactic or otherwise dull pedagogies
do not engage students. Disengaged students muck about.
26. Ways of engaging parents and carers in
managing their children's challenging behaviour
27. Parents are often at a loss themselves
to manage behaviour well. Because of this they are inconsistent
in their approach. They often do not realise what authoritative
parenting entails (this is the parenting style with the most positive
outcomes for children and young people and can be mirrored by
authoritative teaching approaches). My experience is that most
parents want the best for their children and want their children
to be well-adjusted, sociable and happy individuals. Engaging
parents on what helps their children be resilient, how the school
is teaching pupils about healthy relationships and how these are
being reinforced in the school will support parent knowledge and
skills
28. It is a good idea to send home regular
positive messages to parents about their children and what they
are doing well—this is not just in academic subjects but
in developing personal attributes. This has a dual outcome of
making parents feel more disposed towards school (and many may
have had negative experiences themselves) and also boost a positive
parent-child interaction.
29. When difficulties do occur parents need
to be approached as the expert on their child. Parents
often feel blamed, helpless and marginalised in their interactions
with schools over issues of school behaviour. This results in
being embarrassed, angry and defensive or further condemning their
child—who is left with no advocate. The way meetings are
conducted is crucial to engaging parents positively. Courses for
parents on the challenges children present delivered in school
(and open to all) can be helpful. In piloting one of these last
year parents said they learnt a great deal about child development
and their relationship with their child had improved in a positive
spiral.
30. It is important to make these interventions,
meetings etc at a time and place that meets parents' needs—and
they should always be asked to bring along a supporter. Big school
meetings can be highly intimidating and do not lead to improved
pupil behaviour.
31. How special educational needs can best
be recognised in schools' policies on behaviour and discipline
32. Learning and behaviour are two sides
of the same coin. Distressed students don't concentrate or learn
well: learning difficulties often lead to immature behaviours.
Dealing with these issues in silos is unhelpful, but often happens.
33. Assessment needs to include issues related
to the whole child—and be solution focused so that there
is a clear indication of where to go next.
34. Students need success experiences in
both learning and behaviour in order to maintain motivation.
35. "Discipline" has connotations
of control and conformity—using the words positive behaviour
policies is more congruent with the approaches suggested by the
evidence.
36. The efficacy of alternative provision
for pupils excluded from school because of their behaviour
37. Wherever possible this should be linked
to supporting a return to mainstream. There are poor outcomes
for permanently excluded students in terms of social exclusion,
mental health and criminality.
38. Links between attendance and behaviour
in schools
39. Some issues pull children out of school.
These include family disruption, violence, loss etc. Other issues
push pupils out—these include being bullied, poor teacher-student
relationships, not feeling that you can be successful, always
getting into trouble.
40. The Government's proposals regarding
teachers' powers to search pupils, removal of the requirement
for written notice of detentions outside school hours, and the
extent of teachers' disciplinary powers
41. This is a slippery slope in the wrong
direction. If we want students to learn and develop pro-social
behaviour, rather than only behaving well because they might get
into trouble if they don't, we need to develop a different conceptualisation
about healthy relationship building with both increased participation,
responsibility and meaningful consequences. High levels of control
in a relationship are counter-productive. Detention is a blunt
and usually ineffective instrument.
September 2010
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