What happens if a kid throws a chair?

Behaviour management: maybe the most common thing my teacher has picked up on since I started placement. For the first lessons that my fellow trainees and I took, I think the only target/ point of improvement was to manage the behaviour of pupils better. To discipline. To follow through in our actions.

It's difficult for me though! Where is the balance between knowing that the children know that you are not their normal teacher, and being a total dictator towards them? I'm hoping I'm striking somewhere in the middle that while yes: I am not Mrs K, but I still hold the authority over the class, and when I am at the front delivering a lesson I should still have high expectations that children will behave and respond in an excellent way. TS7 describes setting these high expectations with the children because ultimately: if the children are behaving, they aren't just being quiet; they are being alert, engaged and responsive to any questions being asked and this is what will motivate the children to learn and progress in EVERY lesson regardless of the subject or topic.

The first three weeks of placement prior to Christmas, I feel as though our relationship with the children was a lot more casual as our main role was to be a TA rather than being up at the front teaching (with exception to the three team teaches we did together as trainees). A big task we therefore had was manipulating this relationship into one of authority over the children and we have had to earn this over the past few weeks by the way we treat the children and how we respond to their questions or stories they may tell us. A big thing which keeps cropping up is referring to the children as “guys” when teaching at the front. Personally this has been a challenge to stop because of the way even such a small word can be mistaken for a more casual relationship with the children. Therefore, addressing the class as “everybody”, “year 4”, or “boys and girls” is much more suitable for the school environment. It's amazing how something as minor as this affects the way the children behave: if the relationship is rigid enough that the children know and understand you are in authority, they will respect you when it comes to whole-class teaching.

Next question: what happens if a kid throws a chair?

The last day of our first week one child who suffers from ADHD had an outburst with one of the other pupils and needed up, in his anger, picking up his chair and trying to throw it at the other child. This shocking event was followed by also in acting out of anger, LK threw his pencil, an eraser and whiteboard rubber in front of him, hitting the whiteboard at the front of the classroom; thankfully no children were sitting in the way of his path.

Next predicament: Mrs K, the main class teacher, was not in the room whenever it happened. So, as a first year trainee, what did I do? I stood back and allowed the TAs, and when Mrs K came back, to do their job and see how they dealt with the situation.

What was interesting was the choice of words which the teachers used to communicate with LK. A common theme which I've found runs through this school is about the “choices” Clarence make whenever they act. For example, in this case, mrs K talked about making the “right choice” to calm down and to think about what he was doing. Of course, he did not get away with his actions just because he has ADHD. He was removed from the classroom for the day on Friday where he worked in year 6 all day out if a textbook; both out of safety for the other children and to discipline him for making the “wrong choice.” The following Monday he returned to work in class with everyone and a significant change in his behaviour was noted.

Update: the school nativity.

The other trainees and I didn't attend the nativity in the partnered church to the school, however we did witness many of their rigorous practices in the lead up to the performance. Upon arrival in school the day after their evening performance, we were greeted by a furious Mrs K. It turns out both LK and JB bagged in an appalling manner during the nativity: enough to receive complaints from several parents for interrupting the year 6s who had singing solos etc. LK consisted of taking off his shoes and socks and placing them in his head, and singing in a loud, out of tune manner. JB was laughing, joking and giggling so much that he made himself sick.

The consequences were undoubtedly severe for the two boys. They were removed from class and worked in other classrooms all day and so missed it on the various treats the rest of the class received for their fabulous performance and singing. The two boys received none of this and had to make a public apology to their class for their behaviour, and they had to write a letter of apology to the class teacher.

While we had only been in the class for a short amount of time, I still felt a great deal of disappointment towards the behaviour of the two boys. I can barely imagine the anger of the class teacher since she has been with this class for a year and a half.

While the behaviour was unacceptable, it is important to remember that behaviour should be separated from the child. These boys, and any children, are not “bad children”. Their behaviour, however, is absolutely “bad” and should be disciplined. The children them self, have circumstances which may contribute to play ups in behaviour, and so sometimes they in a sense, “cannot help” their behaviour. In the moment, however, it is so easy to forget this and I myself found this difficult to look past and move on from.

#TS7