Creating a Positive Learning Environment

TABLE OF CONTENTS PART A: BECOMING A SAVVY TEACHER The First Day: Creating a positive learning environment1 Being prepared: Proactive management Organising the learning spacePlanning for behaviour Understanding behaviour Establishing positive relationships A quick reminder2 Developing strategies: Interactive management How do I respond to behaviour? Settling in Steps toward interactive management Step 1: Preventing strategically Step 2: Correcting assertively Step 3: Supporting empathically Step 4: Affirming strategically ‘Be firm, be fair, be kind’ A quick reminder3 Knowing what to do when things go wrong: Restorative management How do I restore situations, relationships and facilitate behaviour change? Discipline—an overview Step 5: How can I follow through when students need to learn to behave differently and make reparation? Strategies for students to self-manage Self-reflection Reflective exercise with problem solving A quick reminder4 Enable yourself, enable others: Supportive management What do I need to know to manage myself in a school — what is expected of me? Be prepared—enable yourself Building support and relationships with colleagues Building support and relationships with parents Building a positive relationship with parents Resources for teachers A quick reminderPART B: BEING A SAVVY TEACHER Teachers’ StoriesTerm 1: Proactive 1. My first day and my first class—yay, I’m good to go!2. How can I teach my students to behave?3. How do I get my students to pay attention?4. What can I do about daily misbehaviour?5. How do I settle a class so we can start learning?6. What can I do when my students are restless and off task?7. How do I manage when younger students are emotionally upset?8. How do I get respect from students?9. How can I ensure the correct use of technology in class?Term 2: Interactive 10. How do I deal with low-level, irritating misbehaviours?11. What can I do about a noisy class?12. How do I manage unkind behaviours in younger students?13. What can I do when students ignore my instructions?14. How do I manage young students who don’t follow my instructions?15. Why do some students take so long to move between activities and lessons?16. What can I do about students who repeatedly seek attention?17. What can I do when students challenge me?18. How do I manage when students are anxious or emotionally upset?19. How can I ensure I don’t neglect my ‘good’ students?Term 3: Restorative 20. It’s a new term—why have my students forgotten to behave?21. Why don’t students listen and do as I ask?22. How can my students learn to be better organised?23. What can I do when I feel my class is getting out of control?24. What do I do when students blame others?25. Why can I do when students say ‘No!’ and won’t cooperate?26. What can I do when older students won’t cooperate?27. What works best when applying consequences?28. How do I manage hurtful behaviours in older students?29. How can I build a cohesive and caring class?30. What can I do when students are disengaged and negative?31. How can I build students’ self-esteem?Term 4: Supportive 32. How can I support CRTs to manage my class?33. Teaching in a multi-cultural situation—what do I need to remember?34. What do I do when students are really mean and hurtful to others?35. How do I manage extremely challenging behaviours?36. What do I do when students say they ‘don’t care?37. How can I best manage students with special needs in my class?38. How can I build resilience in my students?39. How do I know when to call on the school’s behaviour management practices?40. What can I do to maintain positive relationships with my colleagues?41. How can I build positive relationships with parents?