Challenging Students: Dealing with Student Anger, Defiance, Aggression, and Violence

As a relief teacher, I meet and work with challenging students on a regular basis; and it is fair to say that my 2008 school experience and 2009 relief teaching experience in a TRIBES school have defined my attitude and management approach towards these students. My experiences, observations, and professional learning in these schools underpin […]

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The “Theory of Bumps”

The “Theory of Bumps” (Bennett & Smilanich, 1994) is a framework which guides teachers’ responses to student misbehaviour along a continuum of severity. The Key Principles of the “Theory of Bumps” An effective teacher expects and plans for student misbehaviour as a natural part of the learning process. They aim to prevent or reduce the […]

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Part 5: The Third ‘R’ – (Shared) Responsibility

The Third ‘R’ of an effective learning environment relates to developing students’ sense of responsibility for their learning and classroom environment. To effectively manage this long-term process, graduate teachers need to clarify their position in, and plans for their classroom learning environment. My personal approach has been influenced by my teaching philosophy and relief teaching […]

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Part 3: The 3 R’s of an Effective Learning Environment

The 3 R’s: Relationships, Respect & (Shared) Responsibility In the course of their everyday work, a teacher takes on many roles – teacher, guide, role-model, learner, authority figure, confidante, disciplinarian, communicator, and the list goes on. Teaching is so much more than “chalk and talk”, and our students are not the “empty vessels” of Charles […]

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Part 2 – My Jigsaw Approach to Classroom Management

Back in 2008, my reflections on my school experience and professional reading led me to develop a practical construct to describe my classroom management approach. The result was: My “Jigsaw” Approach to Classroom Management Key Ideas 1. The classroom teacher’s attitude to student misbehaviour underpins the effectiveness of their management response. 2. A safe learning […]

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A Process of Trial & Error: Developing My Classroom Management Approach

I have found classroom management a very complex topic to learn about, let alone write about, so I have divided it up under four major headings: Classroom Management – Creating a Learning Environment which Works Behaviour Management – Strategies for Dealing with Student Misbehaviour Complex Behaviour Situations – Dealing with Aggressive/Violent/At-Risk Children/the “Class from Hell” […]

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Thoughts on Classroom Behaviour Management

Classroom Behaviour Management. Those skills we wish were taught in first year university, but (at least in my case), most definitely were not. Those skills, without which a class can effectively fall apart; where unruly and sometimes violent students reign, and drive even experienced teachers to and sometimes beyond breaking point. I have witnessed this first-hand, […]

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