The Behaviour Whisperer
Journal Data
| Type | SOURCE_BOOK |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Routledge (GB) |
| ISBN-13 | 9781003440826 |
| Total publications | 97 |
| Coverage period | 2024 - 2024 |
| Language | EN |
Dealing with poor behaviour is exhausting and stressful. But it doesn’t have to be! Some teachers keep their students in line with apparent ease. They defuse tricky situations with discreet words and almost imperceptible gestures. They extract work from the most reticent students. Yet even experienced teachers are not immune to the impact of bad behaviour on both the classroom environment and their own well-being. In this exciting new book, bestselling author Mark Roberts shares the secrets of how behaviour whispering can improve 100 common classroom problems, from the student who is always late to the class that is unsettled by a wasp. Divided into two sections, Part A features 80 common behaviour scenarios that teachers are likely to encounter. Roberts reframes ineffective responses to these scenarios by using language that helps students feel supported, and helps you succeed in regaining control of the situation. Part B introduces 20 non-verbal forms of communication that can be used in a variety of behaviour situations to manage the problem without singling out a troublesome or unfocused student. Each of the 100 scenarios featured in the book is accompanied by an illustration and an explanation of why this phrase or gesture works. Practical next steps follow at the end of every scenario, giving further suggestions on how to maintain good behaviour. Providing unrivalled insight into the importance of communication and the psychology that underpins it, the book breaks behaviour down to a granular level, offering tried and trusted responses to virtually every conceivable classroom behaviour scenario at primary and secondary levels
The class that is reluctant to respond to feedback
Night after night, to ensure that your students receive detailed written feedback, you spend hours marking. Yet, whenever you hand back work, your comments provoke a minimal response. Some students routinely ignore your feedback, others pay only cursory attention, rushing through their corrections as swiftly as possible. Feedback is seen as a chore, not a gift.
The class that you really dislike teaching
As they step through the door, apprehension takes a grip of your innards. Shoulders tighten. Armpits moisten. Your heartbeat quickens. Hesitation and uncertainty solidifies into anxiety and dread. They&s;ve already entered the hall of infamy as Least Favourite Class Ever.
The student who makes deliberately distracting noises
A hushed, anticipatory silence falls on the auditorium. This most eagerly awaited recital will feature a once-in-a-generation talent, a virtuoso soloist playing one of the finest concertos in the history of music. Stretching their fingers, puffing out their cheeks, then picking up their priceless instrument, they begin. It starts with a brisk allegro then morphs skilfully into the warmth of the darting melodic lines.
The class that ridicules students for working hard
For the majority of the students in your class, learning is seen as something that is forced upon them. Work is viewed as a means to an end, to be done only under duress. Tasks will be completed begrudgingly, with the minimal amount of effort exerted. Given the choice, they&s;d rather be anywhere else than in a classroom, being educated against their will.
I'd like you to answer my question
Teachers use their voices a lot. Over a five-period day, they&s;ll use thousands of words. Greeting and instructing and explaining and summarising and reminding and responding and cajoling and remonstrating and encouraging and congratulating and critiquing and clarifying and on and on and on. It&s;s no surprise that it&s;s not just our throats that become worn out.
Listen to me
Unbeknown to you, in the lesson so far the student has done the following. They&s;ve read a laminated health and safety information leaflet, which was Blu-tacked to the wall circa 2004. They&s;ve counted the number of damaged or discoloured ceiling tiles (23, if you really want to know). They&s;ve watched a fly make repeated efforts to penetrate a closed window.
The student who struggles to deal with frustration
You&s;re handing back test papers. Marking them, you could sense your students&s; perspiration levels. Everyone tried their best. But, unfortunately, not everyone did well. The papers – featuring a prominent percentage in the top right-hand corner, scrawled in a strident crimson ink – are doled out.
The class that questions the point of the subject
There are things about the subjects we teach that we don&s;t particularly enjoy. Certain topics might seem dull, unnecessary or irrelevant. Little wonder that students occasionally query the need to learn some stuff that the curriculum tells us we have to cover.
The class that passes notes around
Something odd is going on. You&s;ve not yet sussed out what it is but something untoward is happening. Your teacher Spidey senses are tingling. An electric current of suspicion is pulsing through your nerve endings. They&s;re up to something. Muffled laughter. Furtive hand gestures. Movement that betrays a lack of focus on the work. But what is it?
The student who argues back
They are waiting. They are ready. They are looking for an opportunity. Whenever you challenge them about their behaviour – be it turning around, talking over you, not focusing on their work – it always leads to further problems. It&s;s got to the stage where, fearful of a volcanic escalation, you sometimes choose to ignore behaviours that you&s;d normally tackle.
The student who says your lessons are boring
You spend ages planning your lessons. Hours of research to make sure your subject knowledge is fully up-to-date. Hours creating resources that are accessible and visually appealing. Hours thinking about the key knowledge students need to know and how best to impart it.
The class that talks over each other
Gradually, following lots of reminders, you&s;ve developed a classroom culture where students listen while you&s;re talking. Previously your talk would be punctuated with students talking over you. Now, thankfully, they pay respectful attention to your words, with very few interruptions.
The student who won't leave the room when asked
You&s;ve had enough. For the duration of the lesson so far their behaviour has been poor. You&s;ve reminded them of your expectations. When that made no difference, you moved to the next stage of the behaviour policy. And yet they&s;ve continued to disrupt the class.
I'm waiting for silence
With some classes, giving instructions and explaining things is simple. You talk and they listen. Or better still, you talk and they listen very carefully, giving their full attention, making notes of the really important things you say, even nodding along in recognition of the profound significance of the powerful knowledge you are in the process of imparting.
The class that packs up before you're finished
As the large clock hand edges its way perceptibly towards the end of lesson time, the class becomes restless. Attention starts to drift away from you and towards the ticking clock. Exercise books are closed. Booklets slipped into folders. Lids placed decisively back on pen nibs.
The class that always ask to go to the toilet
It&s;s not long after break, and the next lesson is underway. You&s;re in the middle of explaining a complex idea when a student pops their hand up. Expecting them to ask for clarification or raise an interesting point, you pause and allow them to speak. Their important question? “Can I go to the toilet, please?”
The student who keeps turning up late
The class is seated, settled and quietly getting on with the lesson starter. Well, not quite the full class, of course. One seat remains noticeably and predictably unoccupied. As the seconds hand ticks on, you make a mental note of their increasing tardiness. One minute late. Three minutes late. Finally, after 5 minutes, the student saunters through the door.
The class that's noisy when they should be quiet
You&s;ve finished explaining a task or discussing a topic. Now, it&s;s time to focus on individual work. To do that successfully, without distraction, requires a purposeful classroom environment. We&s;re talking minimal noise levels or complete silence.
I can see what you're doing
Most students causing behaviour headaches can be spotted with relative ease. Without much thinking, they act up. They&s;re bored so they start chatting openly to whoever&s;s sitting next to them. They&s;re meant to be talking about improper fractions, but they can be overheard discussing their favourite chocolate bar or what they did yesterday evening.
The student who makes misogynistic comments
You get on well with the male students you teach. Your relationships with boys are solid. They know you care about them and expect them to do well. You set firm but fair boundaries; there&s;s a feeling of mutual respect in your classroom.
The class that claims your sanctions are unfair
We&s;ve got massive news coming from today&s;s big grudge match. Let&s;s go to Alan, our pitch side reporter, for an update... Unbelievable scenes here, Kelly. There&s;s been a few big decisions gone against the home team and the atmosphere has quickly turned sour. The referee has been surrounded by a handful of furious players, challenging several huge calls. Naturally the crowd have gone bananas; objects have been thrown onto the pitch and chan…
The class that shouts across the room to each other
Like a chess grandmaster studying obscure game openings, you were meticulous in your planning. Colour coded and rigorously researched, your seating plan was destined to make a difference. The result of many hours of mental labours, it was designed to nullify bad influences, separate unproductive partnerships and stop some students killing each other.
The student who is late to ask for homework help
It&s;s the start of the school day. Walking down the corridor towards your classroom, you encounter a slightly red-faced student. Hesitantly, they explain the problem. They need some help for that piece of homework that you set last week. That piece of homework you set last week, which is due today. They&s;re stuck. They&s;re not sure where to begin. They haven&s;t done it.
The class that asks to listen to music while working
You&s;ve explained the task carefully, modelled the success criteria and given them all the resources required to complete the work. All is calm; all is quiet. They are ready to begin.
The class that keeps using their mobile phone in lessons
At most points during any given lesson, you feel like you&s;re only really ever talking to about 80% of the class. Whether you&s;re explaining, questioning, giving instructions or students are working independently, there&s;s a constant sense that you&s;re never getting the full attention of the class.
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The class that is reluctant to respond to feedback
Night after night, to ensure that your students receive detailed written feedback, you spend hours marking. Yet, whenever you hand back work, your comments provoke a minimal response. Some students routinely ignore your feedback, others pay only cursory attention, rushing through their corrections as swiftly as possible. Feedback is seen as a chore, not a gift.
The class that you really dislike teaching
As they step through the door, apprehension takes a grip of your innards. Shoulders tighten. Armpits moisten. Your heartbeat quickens. Hesitation and uncertainty solidifies into anxiety and dread. They&s;ve already entered the hall of infamy as Least Favourite Class Ever.
The student who makes deliberately distracting noises
A hushed, anticipatory silence falls on the auditorium. This most eagerly awaited recital will feature a once-in-a-generation talent, a virtuoso soloist playing one of the finest concertos in the history of music. Stretching their fingers, puffing out their cheeks, then picking up their priceless instrument, they begin. It starts with a brisk allegro then morphs skilfully into the warmth of the darting melodic lines.
The class that ridicules students for working hard
For the majority of the students in your class, learning is seen as something that is forced upon them. Work is viewed as a means to an end, to be done only under duress. Tasks will be completed begrudgingly, with the minimal amount of effort exerted. Given the choice, they&s;d rather be anywhere else than in a classroom, being educated against their will.
I'd like you to answer my question
Teachers use their voices a lot. Over a five-period day, they&s;ll use thousands of words. Greeting and instructing and explaining and summarising and reminding and responding and cajoling and remonstrating and encouraging and congratulating and critiquing and clarifying and on and on and on. It&s;s no surprise that it&s;s not just our throats that become worn out.
Listen to me
Unbeknown to you, in the lesson so far the student has done the following. They&s;ve read a laminated health and safety information leaflet, which was Blu-tacked to the wall circa 2004. They&s;ve counted the number of damaged or discoloured ceiling tiles (23, if you really want to know). They&s;ve watched a fly make repeated efforts to penetrate a closed window.
The student who struggles to deal with frustration
You&s;re handing back test papers. Marking them, you could sense your students&s; perspiration levels. Everyone tried their best. But, unfortunately, not everyone did well. The papers – featuring a prominent percentage in the top right-hand corner, scrawled in a strident crimson ink – are doled out.
The class that questions the point of the subject
There are things about the subjects we teach that we don&s;t particularly enjoy. Certain topics might seem dull, unnecessary or irrelevant. Little wonder that students occasionally query the need to learn some stuff that the curriculum tells us we have to cover.
The class that passes notes around
Something odd is going on. You&s;ve not yet sussed out what it is but something untoward is happening. Your teacher Spidey senses are tingling. An electric current of suspicion is pulsing through your nerve endings. They&s;re up to something. Muffled laughter. Furtive hand gestures. Movement that betrays a lack of focus on the work. But what is it?
The student who argues back
They are waiting. They are ready. They are looking for an opportunity. Whenever you challenge them about their behaviour – be it turning around, talking over you, not focusing on their work – it always leads to further problems. It&s;s got to the stage where, fearful of a volcanic escalation, you sometimes choose to ignore behaviours that you&s;d normally tackle.
The student who says your lessons are boring
You spend ages planning your lessons. Hours of research to make sure your subject knowledge is fully up-to-date. Hours creating resources that are accessible and visually appealing. Hours thinking about the key knowledge students need to know and how best to impart it.
The class that talks over each other
Gradually, following lots of reminders, you&s;ve developed a classroom culture where students listen while you&s;re talking. Previously your talk would be punctuated with students talking over you. Now, thankfully, they pay respectful attention to your words, with very few interruptions.
The student who won't leave the room when asked
You&s;ve had enough. For the duration of the lesson so far their behaviour has been poor. You&s;ve reminded them of your expectations. When that made no difference, you moved to the next stage of the behaviour policy. And yet they&s;ve continued to disrupt the class.
I'm waiting for silence
With some classes, giving instructions and explaining things is simple. You talk and they listen. Or better still, you talk and they listen very carefully, giving their full attention, making notes of the really important things you say, even nodding along in recognition of the profound significance of the powerful knowledge you are in the process of imparting.
The class that packs up before you're finished
As the large clock hand edges its way perceptibly towards the end of lesson time, the class becomes restless. Attention starts to drift away from you and towards the ticking clock. Exercise books are closed. Booklets slipped into folders. Lids placed decisively back on pen nibs.
The class that always ask to go to the toilet
It&s;s not long after break, and the next lesson is underway. You&s;re in the middle of explaining a complex idea when a student pops their hand up. Expecting them to ask for clarification or raise an interesting point, you pause and allow them to speak. Their important question? “Can I go to the toilet, please?”
The student who keeps turning up late
The class is seated, settled and quietly getting on with the lesson starter. Well, not quite the full class, of course. One seat remains noticeably and predictably unoccupied. As the seconds hand ticks on, you make a mental note of their increasing tardiness. One minute late. Three minutes late. Finally, after 5 minutes, the student saunters through the door.
The class that's noisy when they should be quiet
You&s;ve finished explaining a task or discussing a topic. Now, it&s;s time to focus on individual work. To do that successfully, without distraction, requires a purposeful classroom environment. We&s;re talking minimal noise levels or complete silence.
I can see what you're doing
Most students causing behaviour headaches can be spotted with relative ease. Without much thinking, they act up. They&s;re bored so they start chatting openly to whoever&s;s sitting next to them. They&s;re meant to be talking about improper fractions, but they can be overheard discussing their favourite chocolate bar or what they did yesterday evening.
The student who makes misogynistic comments
You get on well with the male students you teach. Your relationships with boys are solid. They know you care about them and expect them to do well. You set firm but fair boundaries; there&s;s a feeling of mutual respect in your classroom.
The class that claims your sanctions are unfair
We&s;ve got massive news coming from today&s;s big grudge match. Let&s;s go to Alan, our pitch side reporter, for an update... Unbelievable scenes here, Kelly. There&s;s been a few big decisions gone against the home team and the atmosphere has quickly turned sour. The referee has been surrounded by a handful of furious players, challenging several huge calls. Naturally the crowd have gone bananas; objects have been thrown onto the pitch and chan…
The class that shouts across the room to each other
Like a chess grandmaster studying obscure game openings, you were meticulous in your planning. Colour coded and rigorously researched, your seating plan was destined to make a difference. The result of many hours of mental labours, it was designed to nullify bad influences, separate unproductive partnerships and stop some students killing each other.
The student who is late to ask for homework help
It&s;s the start of the school day. Walking down the corridor towards your classroom, you encounter a slightly red-faced student. Hesitantly, they explain the problem. They need some help for that piece of homework that you set last week. That piece of homework you set last week, which is due today. They&s;re stuck. They&s;re not sure where to begin. They haven&s;t done it.
The class that asks to listen to music while working
You&s;ve explained the task carefully, modelled the success criteria and given them all the resources required to complete the work. All is calm; all is quiet. They are ready to begin.
The class that keeps using their mobile phone in lessons
At most points during any given lesson, you feel like you&s;re only really ever talking to about 80% of the class. Whether you&s;re explaining, questioning, giving instructions or students are working independently, there&s;s a constant sense that you&s;re never getting the full attention of the class.