Why do we need our students to behave?

Because it’s our job to teach them and it’s almost impossible to do so if we cannot get them sat in their seats and focussed on the task at hand!

Why do youngsters misbehave?

Goodness knows. There are so many possible reasons for this. For many of our students there are genuine reasons for their behaviour; some may be wrestling with behaviour disorders; others may be dealing with SEN issues which they try to mask by mis-behaving (we have found that this is a lot more common than you may think); equally, you may find that they are gifted and talented in your subject but have EAL problems which must be tackled in order to limit their frustrations within the classroom.

One of the most common problems we have found that influences student behaviour in the classroom has been their social background and/or their previous school experiences. All too often it is these factors that affect youngsters the most and have an impact on their ability to concentrate in class and interact with their peers in a positive manner. What we need to remember is that regardless of the reason for their bad behaviour, it is our job as teaching professionals to be patient, become more aware of their needs and help them to remove their barriers to learning.