Behaviour Basics: Key Questions for New Teachers

Becoming a fully qualified teacher and having your own class, or classes, for the first time is exciting – but daunting! During those first few days, weeks and months, there is so much to think about: from lesson planning and assessments to classroom organisation and displays, the to-do list feels endless.

Alongside teaching and learning responsibilities, one particular area that many new teachers can worry about is student behaviour. After all, behaviour is central to any successful learning environment and underpins every aspect of effective classroom practice.

These 8 reflective questions can help shape your thinking around behaviour and guide you to create a positive behaviour culture in your own classroom:

Question 1: What does ‘behaviour is communication’ mean?

All of our behaviour is a way of communicating something. For example:

• to avoid or obtain something
• to forge connection
• to express an emotion
• to gain sensory feedback

When we look at students’ behaviour, it can be useful to consider the following question: What is the function of this behaviour? In other words, what is this child or young person trying to tell me?

That way, rather than attaching unhelpful labels to students, or categorising behaviour as either ‘good’ or ‘bad’, we can seek to understand what is driving it. Then, we can address the underlying factors, rather than just the behaviour itself. In short, we can shift our perspective from behaviour management to behaviour support.

Question 2: Why does language matter when thinking about behaviour?

Often, the very word ‘behaviour’ can conjure up certain images and ideas in our heads. It can have negative connotations, making us think of ‘disruptive’ or ‘challenging’ behaviour, or ‘badly behaved’ students. This can make us feel anxious, and prompt us to wonder whether we will be faced with behaviour that we are unable to understand or support.

The words and phrases we use can radically influence the way we think about, talk about, and respond to behaviour. For example, rather than saying, ‘Billy is challenging’, we could instead say, ‘Billy is distressed’. Similarly, we could say, ‘Nihal was dysregulated during the lesson’, rather than, ‘Nihal was disruptive during the lesson’.

This simple shift in language encourages us to approach behaviour through the lens of compassion and curiosity and consider the different ways we can support the child or young person.

Question 3: How can routines and boundaries create a feeling of safety?

As human beings, we are creatures of habit; routines and boundaries can help us to feel safe in our environment – and it’s no different for our students.

By establishing set routines and clear, but flexible, boundaries, we can foster a sense of security and structure. When we are consistent, day in, day out, every student knows what to expect and the likelihood of disruption is kept to a minimum. We might allocate certain roles to certain students around classroom organisation or consider embedding a predictable structure into every lesson.

Flexibility is important, of course, to ensure that we can meet the highly individual needs of each student and always offer the best and most appropriate support.

Question 4: How can I manage tricky transition points?

Transitions, such as moving between activities, spaces or lessons, can often be flashpoints where students can become dysregulated and engage in behaviour that needs support. However, when co-ordinated effectively, transitions can often help to minimise the likelihood of behaviour incidents and facilitate the building of strong relationships within a positive, supportive environment.

As we get to know our students, we can learn to anticipate potential issues and use our knowledge of individuals to help them navigate transition points smoothly. For some, this might involve factoring in a movement or sensory break, whereas for others, we may need to allow for extended ‘take-up’ or processing time. An individualised approach is essential as every student is different, and what works for one may not work for another.

Question 5: How can I get my students’ attention without shouting?

Shouting is rarely an effective, sustainable way to gain students’ attention. It may appear to ‘work’ in the short term but does little to instil a culture of mutual respect where children and young people are intrinsically motivated to focus on us when required.

Instead, we can think about our presence and body language as valuable tools for gaining attention. From the way we walk into the room to our position, stance and facial expression, we can employ a range of non-verbal cues to communicate a calm, confident demeanour.

We can also consider the kind of environment we are fostering; the aim is to create a ‘purposeful buzz’ in our classrooms, through inspiring learning activities, engaging resources and well-pitched tasks that provide just the right amount of challenge. If we get our conditions for learning right, we maximise the chance of gaining and maintaining students’ attention.

Question 6: Why is it important to build relationships with my students?

Strong relationships built on mutual trust and respect are the foundation of effective practice. Whether it’s through incidental chats in the corridor, meeting and greeting students as they enter the room, or setting aside time to have regular one-to-one conversations, we can find out about students’ likes and dislikes, interests, areas of strength, and so on. By gaining insight into what makes them tick, we can tap into this knowledge and use it to connect with them – something that is especially important during difficult moments.

Feeling seen and valued for who they are raises feelings of self-esteem and self-worth, reduces the likelihood of behaviour that needs support, and helps students feel safe and secure in the learning environment.

Question 7: Why are strong home-school links important?

A strong home-school partnership is essential when it comes to effective behaviour support. Parents and carers know their child better than anyone else, so by creating opportunities for them to share their views through open, two-way communication channels, we can tap into each other’s expertise and discuss ideas.

Often, there can be barriers to engagement with families, and it can sometimes be hard as a newly qualified teacher to establish healthy boundaries. We can look to mentors and senior leaders for support and guidance around the best ways to engage with parents and carers. That way, we can foster a strong relationship with home and build a feeling of trust where everyone is on the same page when it comes to behaviour.

It can also be a good idea to look for opportunities to reach out to families with ‘good’ news and share the positives with them, rather than only interacting when there is a problem.

Question 8: How can I protect my own emotional, mental and physical wellbeing?

As committed professionals, we strive to bring our best selves to the classroom every day, and inspire, engage and challenge our students with exciting learning opportunities. This prolonged output of energy, however, can take its toll as the term wears on, and we can soon become run down, exhausted and overwhelmed.

To protect our emotional, mental and physical wellbeing, it’s vital that we prioritise self-care. This does not have to mean long bubble baths and luxurious pampering sessions – although these can be wonderful!

Self-care can mean eating well, finding time to exercise, getting enough sleep, or setting healthy boundaries, both at home and at school. All of this is easier said than done, of course, but if we neglect our health, we cannot be effective either professionally or personally.

Final thoughts

There’s no doubt that the early days of your teaching career are often amongst the toughest. The learning curve is steep and understanding how to support behaviour is an important part of a much wider picture of effective classroom practice.

However, it’s often by shifting our focus from behaviour itself onto the conditions we create in and around our classrooms that means we can foster positive, safe and happy learning environments for all.

By becoming conscious practitioners who take an inquisitive, puzzle-solving approach, we can learn to understand and support behaviour rather than manage or ‘fix’ it and transform outcomes for every child and young person.