📋Behaviour Policies, time to go?📋
Are behaviour policies outdated? Can you run a school without having punitive measures in place?
Behaviour policies are a controversial topic within schools in England at the moment. Some academies and schools have very strict behaviour policies, others have more relaxed ones. This means that a student’s behaviour in one school could lead to multiple suspensions, resulting in an exclusion. However, another student in a different school displaying the same behaviour would receive support through restorative practice.
Missing the point…
I truly believe behaviour policies completely miss the point, let me explain.
A behaviour policy is written and enforced in an attempt to maintain an expected level of behaviour throughout the school. However, they often prioritise the punishment over understanding and addressing the root cause of the behaviour. This often leads to a cycle of negative reinforcement, with students feeling isolated, alienated and stigmatized. These pupils will often increase the frequency of their persistent disruptive behaviours unless they are permanently excluded from the school.
Punitive measures can also disproportionately affect vulnerable and marginalized students, exacerbating existing inequalities and hindering their academic and social development.
What is Poor Behaviour?
If you haven’t heard the term ‘behaviour is communication’ yet then I’m glad I could introduce you to it. It essentially means that there is ALWAYS an underlying reason for why a person is behaving in a certain way. For example, if a young person has not slept or eaten well over the weekend. They may display some behaviours which result in negative marks E.G. answering back, refusing to follow instructions etc. As you can imagine, continuing down the behaviour policy path will not magically make this young person behave.
It’s worth mentioning here that I am not trying to provide an excuse for poor behaviour. Merely shine a light on the fact that behaviour is communication and there will always be a reason for why a person is displaying certain behaviours. I agree that certain behaviours should not be tolerated. However, I do believe it’s worth putting in time and effort to truly understand why a student has displayed said behaviour.
How can Schools change?
Changing from a punitive behaviour policy to a restorative one is not easy. It will take a cultural shift within the school. Although this will take time and a lot of training for the staff. I’d argue the benefits massively outweigh the negatives.
To begin this cultural shift, there should be an emphasis on restorative practices and positive behaviour support. This will foster a more inclusive, empathetic, and effective educational environment.
There are many different ways to begin this change. I won’t go into detail about all of them now, as they each deserve their own future post. However, I have outlined a few below with a small summary.
Way to begin a Cultural Shift
Start with Greetings: A warm "Good morning" or a friendly "Hello" can set the tone for the day. Acknowledging each student as they enter the classroom shows that you value them as individuals.
Ask About Their Lives: Take a few moments to inquire about their weekend, hobbies, or extracurricular activities. Showing genuine interest in their lives demonstrates that you care about them beyond academics.
Be a Good Listener: When a student decides to share something with you, whether it's about their interests, worries, or achievements, make time to listen to them. Active listening makes them feel seen and heard.
Celebrate Achievements: Acknowledge their accomplishments, no matter how big or small. Celebrate their progress, effort, and resilience to boost their confidence. Catch them being good!
Random Acts of Kindness: Surprise your students occasionally with a treat or a small gesture of appreciation. It could be a snack during a lesson or a note of encouragement before an exam. Postcards or notes/phone calls home are very impactful.
Offer Support: Be approachable and available when they need help or guidance. Let them know that your door is always open.
Create a Positive Classroom Culture: Encourage collaboration, kindness, and respect among students. When they feel supported by their peers as well as you, the learning environment thrives. Teachers should model this culture in their classrooms with other members of staff.
By incorporating these positive interactions into your daily routine, you'll gradually foster strong connections with your students. This, in turn, will lead to a more engaged, enthusiastic, and motivated class.
Building these relationships is an ongoing process, and it requires authenticity and consistency. Your students will be quick to spot insincerity, so be genuine in your approach. Students pick up on everything and they will know if you’re lying.
The golden rule that has worked wonders for me in the past is the 7-1 ratio. If you have 7 positive interactions (offering them food, listening to them etc) with each student for each negative interaction (having a restorative conversation, writing a negative comment in their planner), you’ll notice their disruptive behaviours decrease over time. Trust me, it works!
If you’ve found this post useful, please consider subscribing. It’s free and you’ll get my future posts straight into your email inbox. As mentioned before, I will do future posts about each of the 7 bullet points.
I absolutely agree!!! It's just that schools and teachers often lack systematic support (at least in the US), which becomes a barrier to really implement all this. We must try to break this cycle, though!
This is really good, very much child first approach!