EDFD260 ASSESSMENT A: BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT PLAN

Student name / number:

Stephanie Cole S00126853

Introduction
As a teacher I believe in the pscychoeducational approach to behaviour management. ( Harris, & Moran 2012) Individual students
have both social and emotional needs that affect their behaviour/ misbehaviour. All students behaviour/ misbehaviours are
motivated and only the individual student can control where and how this motivation is applied and directed. ( Harris, & Moran
2012) As a teacher it is your role to meet each individual students needs creating an intrinsically motivating, positive and
constructive learning environment. Rudolf Dreikurs Goal Centred theory, supports that each childs needs are met in terms of
education and social belonging. Students have a choice in terms of setting up rules, consequences and academic work in the
classroom. Students are supported throughout their learning to set goals and achieve them in their best attempts. Teachers in this
model encourage effort not achievement throughout students work. (Harris, & Moran 2012)
In classrooms it is important to set up a respectful/ trusting teacher-student relationship in order to achieve positive and
constructive student behaviour.
William Glassers Choice Theory also focuses on the teacher meeting each students individual needs. Glasser focuses on 5 basic
needs including belonging, survival, freedom, fun and self-determination. (Carroll, 2014)
If a teacher meets each students basic needs then it leads to a positive and collaborative learning environment.
As a teacher I believe a fun, intrinsically motivating classroom that meets the needs of each individual students learning styles
and interests is the best way to keep students on task and enjoying the learning process.
Glassers theory shows how students misbehaviour is based on a teacher, classroom or lesson, which is unstimulating and not
meeting the students basic needs. Teachers need to set up a motivating classroom where students feel respected and part of the
decision making process, having a voice in the classroom. Glasser shows how teachers need to lead students towards needs
satisfaction through appropriate behavioural choices rather then focusing on set rules. ( Harris, & Moran 2012) The students then
have a choice in how they behave and if they choose to misbehave this means they have chosen to suffer the appropriate and
logical consequences.
Links to theoretical model / approach

Teacher actions / strategies

Preparatory and Establishment phases

- Dreikurs and Glasser suggest that students need to
have a choice and be part of the decision making
process in terms of rules, consequences and
academic work. (Harris, & Moran 2012)

- In the preparatory phase it is important for teachers to seek information

from higher staff to find out the school rewards system and the system
put in place if the teacher is confronted with challenging behaviour that
requires action out of the classroom.
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- Both Dreikurs and Glasser recommend building

class trust and students self-responsibilities. (Harris, &
Moran 2012)

- Dreikurs suggests teachers provide explicit

expectations and boundaries in terms of behaviour.
(Harris, & Moran 2012)
- Dreikurs suggests a democratic teaching style and
classroom milieu. In order to achieve this it needs to
be set up in the Establishment phase. (Harris, & Moran
2012)

- In the establishment phase engage the whole class in a discussion

about needs satisfaction and appropriate behaviour, coming up with
reasonable consequences as a group for misbehaviour. Make a poster,
which is then displayed in the classroom with these expectations and
consequences.
- Engage students in a lesson throughout the establishment phase
creating student profiles including their hobbies and interests, which then
leads to opportunities for building teacher-student relationships.
-In the Establishment phase create individual and class responsibility
charts. On the individual charts students list their responsibilities in the
classroom as a student, in the school as a member of a community and at
home as a member of the family. (This can be referred back to in future
times)
- - Making class responsibility charts where each student has a job around
the classroom allows students for feel a sense of belonging as well as
learning about responsibilities.
-Model consistent, considerate and responsible behaviour around the
classroom to students and other teachers. In the preparatory phase
(before entering the classroom) write down your realistic expectations of
the students and yourself. Engage students in a whole class discussion
explaining your expectations and allowing students to express what they
want to achieve from lessons and throughout the year in terms of
academic work.
- Students need to have the freedom to express themselves and their
opinions. The classroom needs to be a non-judgemental area where
students feel supported and equal. Teachers need to make this clear in
the establishment phase through posters around the classroom and
verbal reinforcement- Every student has equal rights to learning and
freedom of choice.

Positive practices / Preventative measures

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- Glasser suggests that it is a teachers core

responsibility to create a quality school where
students basic needs can be best met and respect is
central to teacher-students relationships. (Harris, &
Moran 2012) If students needs are met then they will
be interests and engaged in classroom activities.
- Glasser recommends teachers to adopt a lead
manager role, which focuses on facilitating learning,
sharing control over decision making with the
students. (Harris, & Moran 2012) When students feel
part of the decision making process they feel a sense
of belonging to the school/classroom and have less
reasons to misbehave.
- Dreikurs recommends teachers identify and respond
to students strengths and abilities. (Harris, & Moran
2012)

-Dreikurs suggests a classroom, which establishes

and fosters mutual respect and valuing of each
member. (Harris, & Moran 2012) If students feel
respected and valued they are less likely to
misbehave.

- Base and adapt lessons to suit student learning styles, preferred

pedagogy and individual needs. Prepare collaborative group work to
respond to childrens social need for belonging and make the tasks fun
and goal driven keeping students on task.
- Interact with students in the playground to learn about students
interests and social context, which will help teachers learn about students
interests as well as build a positive relationship with them.
- Provide students with question choices in set tasks and prepare inquiry
based learning lessons where students can individually or in groups;
research, investigate and hypothesise allowing them to feel part of the
learning process.
- Individualising lessons to students abilities using their strengths as a
basis for every lesson. E.g. Planning an English lesson for student who is
good at mathematical problem solving; pose the student with a
mathematical problem to solve and then get them to write a story about
the problem.
- Teachers need to respect each childs input and opinion throughout the
classroom. When students feel respected they will respect you as a
teacher. Teachers need to address students in positive ways throughout
positive reinforcement rather then negative connotations. Bad behaviour
should be ignored and good behaviour and decisions should be
encouraged.

Low level / unobtrusive / non-punitive interventions

Dreikurs Goal centred theory shows that everyone

has needs to belong. Misbehaviour is caused by
students faulty beliefs about how to belong.
(Carroll, 2014)

Students may feel the need to gain attention by

acting out in class in order to feel a sense of
belonging in the classroom. They may be searching
for belonging from their peers around them.
Glassers Choice Theory states that, All behaviours
are an individuals best attempts to satisfy present
and future needs i.e. survival, belonging, power,
freedom and fun. (Harris, & Moran 2012)
Students convey these low levels of misbehaviour
when they are in an unstimulating environment where
they feel the need to stimulate themselves in off-task
ways. These forms of misbehaviour may be a cry for
help or a long for feeling a sense of belonging.
Second tier responses / interventions
Glassers choice theory suggests that the locus of a
problem behaviour lies in the school/classroom
environment and in the relationship between the
student and teacher. (Harris, & Moran 2012)
Dreikurs demonstrates that behaviour is orderly and
purposeful and seeks to gain social recognition and
self-determination. (Harris, & Moran 2012)
Students seek attention as a way of showing their
yearn for belonging and attachment. Students calling
out and distracting others can be a calling for help as
they dont understand the task given. Students show
their anger and emotions in different ways and their
misbehaviours can be their way of showing their hurt,

Low-level forms of misbehaviour may include; chatting, tapping on desks

and swinging on chairs. (Carroll, 2014)
Teacher strategies:
- Ignoring the behaviour.
- Non-verbal signs such as the pointer finger over the lips whilst
having eye contact with the disruptive child.
- Pointing to posters on the wall, which has the class expectations on
them.
Encouraging and giving positive verbal re-enforcement to the
students who are
portraying on-task behaviours causing a ripple
effect of behaviour. (Carroll, 2014)
- Giving gentle reminders whilst walking past the student asking,
hows it going? Not drawing attention to the student.

Behaviours that may need second tier responses from teachers include;
calling out, wandering around the classroom, distracting others and
throwing objects around the classroom.
Teacher strategies:
- Give clear directions to the class so there are no misunderstandings
about the task.
- Breaking tasks up into sections, which keeps students interested.
- Encouraging and recognising students strengths and
accomplishments, positively encouraging them to get back on task.
- Offer clear choices for the students who are misbehaving e.g. you
have the choice to either complete this task now or in your free
time?
- Alter the task to engage students, if interest is lost. Lets make this
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angry or emotional.

a little more interesting, get into groups and brainstorm how you
can best resolve this mathematical problem.

More significant interventions / moving beyond the classroom

Glasser suggests that students boredom, frustration
Challenging behaviours that may need more significant interventions
and inappropriate behaviours in schools are a product moving beyond the classroom include; defiance, challenging authority
of learning environments which fail to satisfy basic
and violence.
needs through appropriate behaviour. (Harris, & Moran Teacher strategies:
2012)
- As the teacher base lessons on the challenging students interests
Students are motivated to misbehave and only the
and preferred learning styles keeping them interested and involved
student can control how that motivation is directed
in the learning process.
Remove the student from the situation to an area which is out of
and applied.
sight from students but the child can still be monitored by the
If students needs arent met then the desire to
teacher.
misbehave increases as they arent being stimulated
- Talk to the student about why s/he made the choice to act in this
through the teachers interactions, the set tasks or the
way and discuss if the student feels it was the best way to portray
classroom environment.
these feelings. Teacher will need to use reflective listening here and
These misbehaviours are often cries for help or signs
respect what the student has to say.
that they arent interested or being stimulated
Send student to a school time out zone (part of the school policy),
through the set tasks or interactions.
which all students are aware of as a consequence of
Often students who are searching for help or a sense
bad/inappropriate behaviour. This is lead by a follow up talk with the
of belonging cause these more challenging
student about why they felt the need to make these choices.
behaviours.
- Set up a behaviour plan with the Assistant Principal, class teacher
and the student where consequences for actions are agreed upon.
Conclusion
As a teacher I feel it is important to have an intrinsically motivating classroom that is a positive and collaborative learning
environment. The teacher needs to model the appropriate and expected behaviour in the classroom and set up class expectations
in order for students to feel a part of the decision making process. When setting tasks I feel it is important to set multiple inquiry
based questions which students can choose from, stimulating their interest and making them feel like they have a choice in their
learning experience.
Creating fun and interesting activity and experiences for the children helps keep students motivates and on track eliminating
reasons for misbehaviour.
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My personal philosophy links with Rudolph Dreikurs, Goal Centred Theory and William Glassers, Choice Theory. I agree that
children have needs and their behaviours are attempts to meet these needs.
The classroom needs to be a diplomatic environment where students feel they have choices and a voice. When students feel
valued and respected they are more inclined to behaviour in an appropriate manner.
References
Carroll, K. (2014) EDFD260 Lecture. Strathfield: ACU
Classroom Management and Discipline/Democratic Classrooms. (n.d.). Wikibooks. Retrieved August 31, 2014, from
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Classroom_Management_and_Discipline/Democratic_Classrooms
Harris, J. & Moran, M. (2012) (Compiled by). EDFD220 / EDFD260: Teaching and Managing Learning Environments. Australia: Cengage Custom
Solutions.