MANAGING DIFFICULT AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM

Training courses for:

Governors
Headteachers and Deputy Headteachers
Teachers
Administration and Reception Staff
School Nurses
Classroom Assistants

Flexible training programmes to help mainstream and special school staff work with difficult and aggressive pupils.

INTRODUCTION

Managing disruptive behaviour in the classroom has been a key issue in education today. All too often teachers find themselves in crisis management rather than classroom management situations resulting in teaching and learning processes being compromised.

Studio III Training Systems is one of the UK’s leading training providers on the management of challenging behaviour in the classroom. Our courses are designed to help staff deal with challenging behaviour in a practical and ethical way.

Over the last 7 years in partnership with schools, unions and behavioural support services we have developed a proactive classroom tested approach to dealing with challenging behaviours. Our approach ensures a minimal breakdown in trust between pupil and teachers while allowing staff to manage difficult behaviours effectively and safely. Staff are taught a range of skills focusing on early intervention and low arousal approaches in order to defuse challenging situations.

We believe that the use of physical intervention to manage challenging behaviours is an absolute “last resort.” As a consequence we work with schools to ensure that when physical interventions are necessary they are carried out in a manner acceptable to both staff and pupil.

BENEFITS OF STUDIO III TRAINING

· Teachers no longer unwittingly reward trouble makers

· Teachers learn problem solving opposed to confrontational approaches to managing challenging behaviours.

· Reduce arbitrary responses to reward breakers.

· Reinforces the pupil’s responsibility to learn.

· Develop whole-school approaches to managing challenging behaviours.

· Moving from reactive to proactive management strategies.

· Reduces physical confrontation

AIMS

To develop a whole school approach to managing challenging behaviours whilst also creating a proactive strategy to managing violence and aggression.

One study on managing violence and aggression in the classroom concluded…

“the action teachers take in response to a “discipline problem” has no consistent relationship with their managerial success in the classroom. However, what teachers do before misbehaviour occurs is shown to be crucial in achieving success.”

THE COURSES

1. MANAGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM

For staff working in mainstream education. Key stages 1 - 4.

COURSE OUTLINE

The course: “Managing Challenging Behaviour in the Classroom”, developed in conjunction with a major teaching union, aims to provide governors, teaching and non-teaching staff with a better understanding of how to cope with violence and aggression in mainstream education. The course is available in two modules.

Module one considers challenging behaviour in schools from a number of contrasting perspectives. Participants will compare and contrast a number of different management strategies including school policy based approaches, behaviour management rather than behaviour change, the non-physical management of threatening situations presented by both groups and individuals, moving pupils round school out of the classroom and dealing with incidents of attack on teachers.

Module two considers the practical implications of low arousal and early intervention strategies in the management of challenging behaviours through the use of practical interventions, participant feedback and role play. Participants are also introduced to the physical implications of section 550a of the 1997 Education Act and learn a number of low key physical breakaway and intervention skills appropriate to the pupils they teach. The second module can only be attended by participants who have completed module one.

Studio III’s philosophy is based on early intervention and a low arousal approach to dealing with threats and aggression. Research shows that early low key interventions are highly successful in reducing the chance of confrontational situations escalating into violence and aggression. Within a school, a low arousal approach would commit us to managing challenging behaviours with a minimal breakdown in trust between staff and pupils, whilst ensuring that staff facing challenging behaviours maintain high levels of personal safety, yet still operate completely within the law and the policies of their own school.

COURSE CONTENTS

Although modules are geared to the specific needs of the participants, courses will generally cover the following areas.

MODULE ONE:

The Golden Rules

· Developing positive relationships between teachers and pupils.

· The theoretical difference between effective classroom, behaviour and crisis management.

· Redefining effective teaching and teamwork

· The important differences between managing and changing behaviour

Systemic approaches to challenging behaviour

· The responsibilities of the Government, LEAs, Head Teachers and Governors.

Protecting the teacher, protecting the pupil

· A review and explanation of current legislation

· Legislation in practice and a teachers duty of care

· Health and Safety implications and risk assessments

· Developing whole school policies, reactive plans and individual education plans

Understanding difficult and aggressive behaviour in the classroom

· Review of current information on classroom violence

· The pupil as a victim

· Past history, causes, cues and triggers - theories of classroom violence

· The National Curriculum - Educational Attainment or essential learning skills?

· Fuelling the fire - ineffective teaching skills

· Recognising and responding to stress - the teacher as victim

Early intervention and low-arousal approaches to challenging behaviour

· Theory and practical implication

· The history of crisis intervention in the classroom

· Defining and monitoring successful outcomes

· Management of groups who present challenging behaviour

· Management of individuals who present challenging behaviour

· Understanding styles of learning

· A low arousal approach in practice - the value of practice and feedback

MODULE TWO:

Many NQT’s contend that they are not actually taught to manage difficult pupils. As many teachers will acknowledge there is often a great difference between teaching theory and teaching practice. Nowhere is this more true than when working with pupils with difficult and aggressive behaviour that continues to escalate. Module two allows teachers to explore the practical implications of the early intervention and low arousal approach presented in the first module. Course tutors will create situations in which teachers can discuss and evaluate early intervention and low arousal approaches in a range of settings.

Whilst Studio III would prefer that physical skills were never used and do not and should not be part of a teacher’s core skills we do appreciate that in some very exceptional circumstances they may be necessary. Whilst we would wish to avoid physical contact at all costs, should either physical avoidance or restraint be needed, we believe our approach ensures a minimum level of breakdown in the relationship between the teacher and pupil.

As with module one, courses are geared to the participants specific needs but will generally cover the following areas;

· Recap of module one

· Non-physical de-escalation skills in practice

· Creating a safe environment in the classroom

· Combining low arousal approaches with non-violent physical skills

· The low arousal approach in action - recognising problems and moving on

· Calling for help - the role of the police

· The worst case scenario

· Role-plays - Defusing difficult and threatening situations using the low arousal approach

BACKGROUND ON STUDIO III

Studio III Training Systems is a specialist research and training organisation, founded in 1989, specialising in the management of challenging behaviour within the education, caring and counselling professions. We are one of the largest organisations of our kind in the UK and currently work with over 450 clients in the UK and Ireland.

Studio III provides a unique fusion of skills between academic researchers, teachers, specialist movement skills trainers, applied clinicians, doctors, lawyers and clinical and educational psychologists. Studio III tutors are experienced professionals, some of them teachers, with many years experience of work in a diverse range of areas including learning difficulties, mental health, education, residential and non residential youth work, substance misuse and geriatrics.

Seven years ago Studio III was approached by a group of mainstream teachers requesting training in the management of challenging behaviour in the classroom. We did not wish to offer the teachers a generic training course and set out to devise a training course specifically for teachers, based on the academically proven early intervention and low arousal approach. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers offered to pilot the initial training course and we have worked in partnership with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers and the Behavioural Support Service of the City of Swansea LEA for the last four years to continually improve and develop our work with teachers.

Studio III is a member of the Department of Health sponsored British Institute of Learning Disabilities working party on managing challenging behaviour and has recently been consulted by the Department for Education and Employment on their most recent draft guidelines for working with violent and aggressive pupils.

Studio III does not provide “self defence” or control and restraint training. Much of our work actually challenges existing “self defence,” breakaway, or control and restraint approaches to managing threatening situations most of which are totally inappropriate for mainstream schools or care settings.

Given that staff stress, discontentment and resentment may stem from how confrontational incidents are dealt with, Studio III can, as part of the training programme, also work with your school to develop or refine existing policies to ensure optimum levels of support for staff involved in such incidents.

COSTS

The cost per day is based on the number of delegates on the course. Please contact our office to discuss your needs as we will be able to give you a better idea of the course costs.

PRE-COURSE RESEARCH

As levels of aggression and violence encountered within schools can be very different, we sometimes need to undertake an in-service research study prior to submitting a proposal to meet a specific training requirement. Costs of the research report are included within the course costs, but you will be billed separately should you decide not to continue with the training.

OUR TRAINERS

Our courses for teachers are normally led by qualified teachers with many years experience of classroom teaching. They are supported by psychologists and behavioural support advisers. Our mainstream education courses are led by Tim Smith and Pauline Lewis. Both are qualified teachers with significant experience of mainstream and special education. Until 2000 Tim Smith was deputy head of a school for years 7 - 11 based in Wiltshire. Pauline Lewis is a behavioural support adviser working in Wales with responsibility for developing whole school approaches to challenging behaviour.

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

We have also developed other courses and workshops addressing the management of challenging behaviour which are specifically designed to help Special Educational Needs staff who work with the following groups:

· Young people with a learning disability

· Young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties

· Young people who are labelled within the autistic spectrum


COMPANY - CLINICAL - TRAINING - RESEARCH - MEMBERS & EVENTS - CONTACT
		MANAGING DIFFICULT AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM Training courses for: Governors Headteachers and Deputy Headteachers Teachers Administration and Reception Staff School Nurses Classroom Assistants *Flexible training programmes to help mainstream and special school staff work with difficult and aggressive pupils.* *INTRODUCTION* Managing disruptive behaviour in the classroom has been a key issue in education today. All too often teachers find themselves in crisis management rather than classroom management situations resulting in teaching and learning processes being compromised. Studio III Training Systems is one of the UK’s leading training providers on the management of challenging behaviour in the classroom. Our courses are designed to help staff deal with challenging behaviour in a practical and ethical way. Over the last 7 years in partnership with schools, unions and behavioural support services we have developed a proactive classroom tested approach to dealing with challenging behaviours. Our approach ensures a minimal breakdown in trust between pupil and teachers while allowing staff to manage difficult behaviours effectively and safely. Staff are taught a range of skills focusing on early intervention and low arousal approaches in order to defuse challenging situations. We believe that the use of physical intervention to manage challenging behaviours is an absolute “last resort.” As a consequence we work with schools to ensure that when physical interventions are necessary they are carried out in a manner acceptable to both staff and pupil. *BENEFITS OF STUDIO III TRAINING* · Teachers no longer unwittingly reward trouble makers · Teachers learn problem solving opposed to confrontational approaches to managing challenging behaviours. · Reduce arbitrary responses to reward breakers. · Reinforces the pupil’s responsibility to learn. · Develop whole-school approaches to managing challenging behaviours. · Moving from reactive to proactive management strategies. · Reduces physical confrontation *AIMS* To develop a whole school approach to managing challenging behaviours whilst also creating a proactive strategy to managing violence and aggression. One study on managing violence and aggression in the classroom concluded… “the action teachers take in response to a “discipline problem” has no consistent relationship with their managerial success in the classroom. However, what teachers do before misbehaviour occurs is shown to be crucial in achieving success.” THE COURSES 1. MANAGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM For staff working in mainstream education. Key stages 1 - 4. COURSE OUTLINE The course: “Managing Challenging Behaviour in the Classroom”, developed in conjunction with a major teaching union, aims to provide governors, teaching and non-teaching staff with a better understanding of how to cope with violence and aggression in mainstream education. The course is available in two modules. Module one considers challenging behaviour in schools from a number of contrasting perspectives. Participants will compare and contrast a number of different management strategies including school policy based approaches, behaviour management rather than behaviour change, the non-physical management of threatening situations presented by both groups and individuals, moving pupils round school out of the classroom and dealing with incidents of attack on teachers. Module two considers the practical implications of low arousal and early intervention strategies in the management of challenging behaviours through the use of practical interventions, participant feedback and role play. Participants are also introduced to the physical implications of section 550a of the 1997 Education Act and learn a number of low key physical breakaway and intervention skills appropriate to the pupils they teach. The second module can only be attended by participants who have completed module one. Studio III’s philosophy is based on early intervention and a low arousal approach to dealing with threats and aggression. Research shows that early low key interventions are highly successful in reducing the chance of confrontational situations escalating into violence and aggression. Within a school, a low arousal approach would commit us to managing challenging behaviours with a minimal breakdown in trust between staff and pupils, whilst ensuring that staff facing challenging behaviours maintain high levels of personal safety, yet still operate completely within the law and the policies of their own school. COURSE CONTENTS Although modules are geared to the specific needs of the participants, courses will generally cover the following areas. MODULE ONE: The Golden Rules · Developing positive relationships between teachers and pupils. · The theoretical difference between effective classroom, behaviour and crisis management. · Redefining effective teaching and teamwork · The important differences between managing and changing behaviour Systemic approaches to challenging behaviour · The responsibilities of the Government, LEAs, Head Teachers and Governors. Protecting the teacher, protecting the pupil · A review and explanation of current legislation · Legislation in practice and a teachers duty of care · Health and Safety implications and risk assessments · Developing whole school policies, reactive plans and individual education plans Understanding difficult and aggressive behaviour in the classroom · Review of current information on classroom violence · The pupil as a victim · Past history, causes, cues and triggers - theories of classroom violence · The National Curriculum - Educational Attainment or essential learning skills? · Fuelling the fire - ineffective teaching skills · Recognising and responding to stress - the teacher as victim Early intervention and low-arousal approaches to challenging behaviour · Theory and practical implication · The history of crisis intervention in the classroom · Defining and monitoring successful outcomes · Management of groups who present challenging behaviour · Management of individuals who present challenging behaviour · Understanding styles of learning · A low arousal approach in practice - the value of practice and feedback MODULE TWO: Many NQT’s contend that they are not actually taught to manage difficult pupils. As many teachers will acknowledge there is often a great difference between teaching theory and teaching practice. Nowhere is this more true than when working with pupils with difficult and aggressive behaviour that continues to escalate. Module two allows teachers to explore the practical implications of the early intervention and low arousal approach presented in the first module. Course tutors will create situations in which teachers can discuss and evaluate early intervention and low arousal approaches in a range of settings. Whilst Studio III would prefer that physical skills were never used and do not and should not be part of a teacher’s core skills we do appreciate that in some very exceptional circumstances they may be necessary. Whilst we would wish to avoid physical contact at all costs, should either physical avoidance or restraint be needed, we believe our approach ensures a minimum level of breakdown in the relationship between the teacher and pupil. As with module one, courses are geared to the participants specific needs but will generally cover the following areas; · Recap of module one · Non-physical de-escalation skills in practice · Creating a safe environment in the classroom · Combining low arousal approaches with non-violent physical skills · The low arousal approach in action - recognising problems and moving on · Calling for help - the role of the police · The worst case scenario · Role-plays - Defusing difficult and threatening situations using the low arousal approach BACKGROUND ON STUDIO III Studio III Training Systems is a specialist research and training organisation, founded in 1989, specialising in the management of challenging behaviour within the education, caring and counselling professions. We are one of the largest organisations of our kind in the UK and currently work with over 450 clients in the UK and Ireland. Studio III provides a unique fusion of skills between academic researchers, teachers, specialist movement skills trainers, applied clinicians, doctors, lawyers and clinical and educational psychologists. Studio III tutors are experienced professionals, some of them teachers, with many years experience of work in a diverse range of areas including learning difficulties, mental health, education, residential and non residential youth work, substance misuse and geriatrics. Seven years ago Studio III was approached by a group of mainstream teachers requesting training in the management of challenging behaviour in the classroom. We did not wish to offer the teachers a generic training course and set out to devise a training course specifically for teachers, based on the academically proven early intervention and low arousal approach. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers offered to pilot the initial training course and we have worked in partnership with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers and the Behavioural Support Service of the City of Swansea LEA for the last four years to continually improve and develop our work with teachers. Studio III is a member of the Department of Health sponsored British Institute of Learning Disabilities working party on managing challenging behaviour and has recently been consulted by the Department for Education and Employment on their most recent draft guidelines for working with violent and aggressive pupils. Studio III does not provide “self defence” or control and restraint training. Much of our work actually challenges existing “self defence,” breakaway, or control and restraint approaches to managing threatening situations most of which are totally inappropriate for mainstream schools or care settings. Given that staff stress, discontentment and resentment may stem from how confrontational incidents are dealt with, Studio III can, as part of the training programme, also work with your school to develop or refine existing policies to ensure optimum levels of support for staff involved in such incidents. COSTS The cost per day is based on the number of delegates on the course. Please contact our office to discuss your needs as we will be able to give you a better idea of the course costs. PRE-COURSE RESEARCH As levels of aggression and violence encountered within schools can be very different, we sometimes need to undertake an in-service research study prior to submitting a proposal to meet a specific training requirement. Costs of the research report are included within the course costs, but you will be billed separately should you decide not to continue with the training. OUR TRAINERS Our courses for teachers are normally led by qualified teachers with many years experience of classroom teaching. They are supported by psychologists and behavioural support advisers. Our mainstream education courses are led by Tim Smith and Pauline Lewis. Both are qualified teachers with significant experience of mainstream and special education. Until 2000 Tim Smith was deputy head of a school for years 7 - 11 based in Wiltshire. Pauline Lewis is a behavioural support adviser working in Wales with responsibility for developing whole school approaches to challenging behaviour. ADDITIONAL TRAINING We have also developed other courses and workshops addressing the management of challenging behaviour which are specifically designed to help Special Educational Needs staff who work with the following groups: · Young people with a learning disability · Young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties · Young people who are labelled within the autistic spectrum