Kids’ Bad Behaviour Linked To Bad Teaching
If kids can’t manage to learn in their lessons they can behave badly!
Kids have limited options if they can’t follow their lessons in class. They can’t read so they can’t do the work. The chances are they’ll start to become disruptive and badly behaved. They don’t know what they’re capable of or what they could achieve. There isn’t enough basic knowledge to there’s nothing to build on so they can’t achieve their potential. These kids aren’t unintelligent but they are under educated! But generally schools blame their lack of progress on their bad behaviour and assume they can’t learn.
I have such a boy who’s just started in my classes… He’s out of control in mainstream school. He’s violenct, confrontational, foul mouthed. But school say he’s bright! How do they know? He can’t read properly or do basic arithmetic! He’s 10 but has the knowledge of a 7 year old…
It’s amazing that they school aren’t questioning why this child, who they consider to be bright, is achieving at such a low level and why things are going so wrong.
That doesn’t seem to cross their minds… It’s so much easier to blame the boy’s lack of achievement on his behaviour. It wouldn’t register to question what they may be doing wrong! This boy doesn’t lack intelligence but he’s not indicating this in school at present.
The other children who can’t cope in class simply ‘wither away’ and almost become invisible. I met such a child…
In a Year 3 class this little girl had a laptop with a maths game running. She had to use fractions to colour a flag, but it was obvious from the way she was randomly clicking on the shape that she hadn’t the first idea what it was about. She was close to tears when I asked her if I could help. What a shame to see a little kid so distressed.
It became apparent that she didn’t even understand what a fraction was! But this little girl was bright.. within quite a short time she had understood the basic concept and was happily colouring her flags. What’s happening to little kids like this – out of their depth but certainly nothing wrong with their intelligence levels? Poor little things…
So much paper work collected on children but what’s it used for if it isn’t indicating that they need help in certain areas, or that they’re doing well and need challenging to extend their knowledge.
A few years ago I was called to a school to assist with a 5 year old whose behaviour had deteriorated alarmingly… I asked him to read to me which he did happily. His reading was exceptional but school had no idea what his reading ability indicated. They hadn’t done a reading age assessment but when they did it indicated he had reading age of a 10 year old. When they catered for this ability the behaviour problem disappeared! Amazing…
Ask yourself ‘why?’ if you’re facing problem behaviour. It may be due to lack of behaviour management skills, but also ineffective teaching. A lack of differentiation in lessons can lead to problem behaviour. Practise differentiation and meet children’s learning needs – you’ll save yourself from a lot of stressful situations!
Liz Marsden is a highly experienced children’s behaviour management specialist who uses her expertise in her own classes and also to train teachers, student teachers, classroom assistants and parents to manage children’s behaviour effectively and confidently. Visit Liz’s website where you can access her down to earth behaviour management advice which you can easily put in to practise and see immediate results.
categories: how to manage children’s behaviour,managing challenging behaviour,managing difficult behaviour,managing behaviour in the classroom,children’s development,planning lessons,classroom management,effectively disciplining children,developing as a teacher
