Prevent The Crisis, Not Manage It - The Secret Of Managing Kids' Behaviour...

I had some visitors in my class today. They were staff from a local school where I'd given some behaviour management training and I always encourage them to come and see the strategies being used. I love having visitors and the kids just take it in their stride - it's normal to them to have an audience and it doesn't bother them at all...

The visitors observe from the back of the room and I hear them quietly talking. I encourage questions - I want them to question what I do. People need to know the resaons behind the actions.

One of the observers today had a very relevant question... Her class were starting to show low level unacceptable behaviours after starting off well at the start of term. She knew she had to do something to stop the incessant talking in class, poor effort, low achievement, but what?

I was delighted to offer advice on what she should do - it won't be difficult to sort out. I was impressed by her honesty - it can be hard to admit to others that you're having some difficulties managing classroom behaviour.

It's vital that she acts now, otherwise she's going to go down the same route as so many people who, when faced with a problem, don't act soon enough and end up with a crisis to manage.

Managing children's behaviour successfully depends on realising that preventing a crisis is vital - so much more productive than the constant fire fighting of crisis management. It's about timing, using your voice and body language effectively. Set your ground rules and follow effective strategies with total consistency.

This troubled teacher didn't feel the situation had deteriorated sufficiently to warrant action - but she's wrong. Act before the problem has chance to become a crisis - life is simpler that way, for everyone...

Effective behaviour management is pretty easy - take the effective strategies on board, practise them and use them consistently and you'll get the results you want - sooner than you think! Stress levels will drop, kids will accept your authority and be confident in you - life just improves beyond measure.

The kids I teach are totally out of control in their mainstream schools, but if you saw them in my class you'd wonder what the problem is... They're great, well mannered, hard working - oh yes, and they're happy!Liz Marsden is a highly experienced children's behaviour management expert, specialising in extremely challenging behaviour. Visit Liz's website where you can access the information you need to make your life in class or at home far less stressful, more productive and successful.
Practise the techniques and quickly see improvements in the form of well behaved and confident children.