How Do Members Of Staff Demonstrate Expected Behaviour

Members of teaching staff demonstrate expected behaviour in many ways throughout school. Initially the presentation and personality of the members of staff is a primary method of setting a good example. Teachers and teaching assistants should dress appropriately for work, wearing smart clothing yet clothes that can cope with the demands of the working day (e.g. ties that clip on/off to prevent strangulation if pulled, clothing that isn’t too tight/restrictive). Teachers and TA’s should speak to other members of staff, young people and children in an appropriate manner, as well as using appropriate tone, volume, spoken words and body language. Members of staff should be setting examples for children to follow, as you are the professionals in which the children and young people look up to, and look for, for guidance and support through their school lives. Ultimately children learn by example so members of staff can input expected behaviours into the children’s and young people’s learning experiences by behaving as you would expect others to behave.
School rules are very important in a child or young person’s school life, by having rules set from the day the students arrive to the day they leave is fundamental for all children to be ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’.
If all children/young people are taught from the beginning what is expected of them whilst in school, and with visual reminders of ‘class rules’ in their workplaces or classrooms then it is easy for members of staff to reinforce what is expected of them during school. Verbal reminders will also be required whilst around the school. An example of this would be to remind students to “not run in the corridors, we don’t run in the corridors do
we?”

In a classroom environment, start a topic in the classroom in which the children and young people discuss what they believe is appropriate behaviour in the school, discuss their views and opinions of rules set for particular parts of the school (e.g. what would be expected in the classroom, during dinner time and lining up for dinner, what would be expected in the playground, is there any restricted areas in which the children/young people aren’t allowed to go to), then have the students review each other’s ideas of school rules and implement their own thought up rules, which is then more likely for the children to abide by as they have made and set the rules themselves. Behaviour contracts can be used for children and young people who are struggling to follow school rules, or need more of an individual needs tailored set of rules, which is reviewed either daily or weekly, to ensure that the child or young person is being supported through their school experience. Children who use behaviour contracts are given a responsibility to tailor their rules to their individual needs, which gives that child/young person a responsibility in which they thrive off. Although allowing a child or young person the opportunity to generate their own individual rules for school, monitor and regulate this as you don’t want the child or young person to project too high or too demanding rules for that child/young person to abide by which would ultimately set the child/young person up to fail, which risks not only just breakdowns in relationships with staff and peers, but a breakdown in schoolwork and ultimately risking that child’s education as a whole.

Children respond differently to young people in terms of understand and adhering by rules. Children will benefit from songs, games and activities based around school rules. Songs and jingles are a good way for children to remember particular pieces of information, by inputting rules into song and dance, then when it is time for them to tidy, playing the tidy up song will trigger them into knowing the lyrics and knowing what the song means, and ultimately allowing the children to enjoy their responsibility and have fun whilst following rules and routines.

Another effective method of promoting expected behaviour is have a reward chart, in my current placement of work we have a reward chart system. There are five charts Monday to Friday, and 5 chances to earn points which translates to the five lessons during the school day. The method of earning points per lesson is the opportunity to earn up to three points per lesson, 3 for a great lesson with good involvement and behaviour throughout the lesson, 2 points for an average attempt at the lesson, with fluctuating levels of involvement and behaviour, 1 for a poor effort at the lesson, with poor behaviour and 0 for non-compliance and off baseline/escalating behaviours. After each lesson the child or young person discusses with the member of staff what amount of points they have earnt for that lesson and why. Next to the reward charts in each classroom is the school rules and what is to be expected of them during school, so this is a fantastic opportunity to discuss in detail the rules and promote positive behaviour and exclaim that if they follow the school rules then they will receive full points. Children/young people have the opportunity to earn ‘bonus points’ during the day, whereby they earn points by going out of their way to help others or follow school rules impeccably. Each day the children/young people have to earn over 13 points, and if they do they earn a pound for that day. Every child or young person then has a goal to achieve each lesson of each day, then on a Friday their points are counted up for each day and the children/young people are awarded the pound for each day if they’ve achieved over 13 points, they can then spend their money at the local shops on education rewards for following school rules and displaying the behaviours the school expect of them, this gives the children and young people a daily challenge and keeps the children on track as members of staff can use the reward chart system as a reminder for the child or young person to not let their expected behaviours slip which works very effectively in my current workplace. Certificates are a very effective method of praising the children or young people for their efforts in school which encourages continuation of positive behaviour.