headteacher-secondary

teachwire.net B E H AV I O U R Hearing this led me to the view that there are four types of teacher talk, each of which affects the nature of the meanings present in our classrooms, as detailed in the panel on the right. It became obvious that the more time teachers spent in ‘facilitative mode’, the better. In that mode they could use ‘soft’ persuasion techniques, such as humour and warmth, to get the pupils to comply far more effectively than if they had tried to use their authority. Spending time in facilitative mode enabled them to bank goodwill, meaning the pupils were more likely to comply if and when the teacher had cause to drop down into authoritative mode. I noticed that when good teachers went into authoritative mode, they worked hard to get back to ABOUT THE AUTHOR Peter Nelmes is a senior manager in a special school and the author of Troubled Hearts, Troubled Minds: Making Sense of the Emotional Dimension of Learning (Crown House Publishing, £16.99) facilitative mode as quickly as possible, so as to avoid running low on that goodwill. Working predominantly in facilitative mode is vital for teachers’ wellbeing. I picture my own day-to-day teaching as similar to being on a treadmill that turns each day – sometimes quite slowly, but on more difficult days, with a speed that can knock me back a bit (see Fig 1). On those occasions I must work harder to get back to the top of the wheel, from where I can walk slightly downhill and get a clearer view of what the day is bringing. What I want to avoid at all costs is being in a position where each day feels like a series of conflicts, an uphill climb and a struggle with the pupils’ and my own emotions. MODE EXPLANATION EXAMPLES FACILITATIVE Teacher and pupil both creating the meanings in class, building a relationship • Let’s do... • Why not try…? • What were you thinking? ( genuine enquiry ) AUTHORITATIVE Cashing in on your personal relationship with the pupil to achieve compliance by imposing a meaning the pupils chooses to accept • Because I said so • Go on, just do it for me AUTHORITARIAN Invoking external powers or the power of your position to impose a meaning the child has no choice but to accept • You need to… or else… • What were you thinking?! ( attempt to humiliate ) EXCLUDING Imposing a meaning upon the pupil which often results in their exclusion or shame • Get out! • How dare you! ( imposition of punishment ) Behind the wheel There are many factors that can affect techers' position on the wheel, including how emotionally strong they are and how well their lessons are organised. How easy or hard they find each day may also depend on how aware their pupils are of the extent to which they like and celebrate them. Teachers should consider how achievable and fun their activities are, the relevance of the curriculum and how to repair any breakdowns in understanding. There should be a clarity of teacher expectations around behaviour, and positive relationships cultivated with parents. Other factors affecting how hard the wheel is to deal with can include the amount of help teachers receive from colleagues, their de-escalation and problem prevention skills, and whether they consistently follow up problems with fairness and respect. If there’s a pupil in a class whose behaviour is presenting problems, the teacher should try to listen to themselves when speaking to them. Chances are, they'll be using less facilitative talk than usual. If they can find a way to remedy that, the pupil’s behaviour will change for the better. 13