Restorative Practicesfor the Classroom

NSW INSTITUTE OF TEACHERS

Nine Behavioural Interventions

New Scheme Teachers’ Conference

September 2011

Continuum of Restorative Strategies for School Communities

Affective Questions

Affective Statements

Collaborative Problem Solving

Circles

Restorative Meeting Key Stakeholders

Conferencing

Language of Choice

RJ Student Workshop

RJ Parent Workshop

Nine Behavioural

Interventions

Informal Formal

Mediation

“The quality of teacher-student relationship is the keystone for all other aspects of classroom management”

Mazano, Mazano & Picketing 2003 Research Digest ACER 2008/1

The teacher I respected most at school was…..

Summer Heights DVD

Nine Behavioural Interventions for De-escalating Behaviour

1. Managing the Environment

2. Prompting3. Caring Gesture4. Hurdle Help5. Redirection

6. Proximity7. Planned Ignoring &

Positive Attention8. Directive Statements9. Time Away

Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (2001)Family Life Development CenterNew York

The following 9 interventions: Ref. “Managing Students with Challenging Behaviours or How to Love the Hard to Love Child” Lyn Harrison, MYC Restorative Justice Newsletter June 2006

Negotiated Rules (5): positively stated and displayedAppropriate consequencesRoutinesSeatingTransitions

1. Managing the Environment

2. PromptingA verbal or non verbal signal to the student to either begin a desired behaviour or stop and inappropriate behaviour Non critical eg “It’s time to pack up the

equipment.”Given only once or twice or may become naggingCan be a ‘secret sign previously negotiated with

the student

3. Caring GestureSincere display of concern or affection for the studentRelationship buildingVerbal or non verbal eg encouraging comment, thumbs upCan defuse or redirect escalating behaviour

4. Hurdle Help

Assisting students with difficult tasks to prevent frustration and increase motivationeg breaking tasks into steps, using graphic organisers, study buddies

5.Redirection

Diverting the student’s attention to a substitute appropriate activityHelps calm and return to normaleg send on a message, hand out materials, work on the computer for 10 minutes

6. ProximityFor minor disruption, move quietly near to the

student in a non threatening mannerFor defiant behaviour it is better to place the

student next to positive peer (nominated by the student)

Oppositional students may escalate when the teacher is ‘hovering’ around (Hewitt 1999)

If a student is agitated, approach from the side not the front (less confrontational)

7. Planned Ignoring & Positive Attention Ignore attention seeking behaviour if possible(consider if the behaviour is harmful to the

student or others)Requires a conscious effort by the teacherGive positive attention to the desired

behaviour “Catch them being good”

8. Directive Statements 

When the student’s behaviour escalates, their rational thinking diminishes.

Direct statements should be clear and specificStated calmly in an authoritative rather than

authoritarian manner“Broken Record” approach calmly repeats a

request several times without being drawn into an argument (Lillica 2005)

9.Time AwayA student may need to be removed from the

class/learning environmentTime away offers the student an alternative place

with the clear understanding that when they are calm and able to cooperate with the class, then they can return

Can be a place in the classroom, office or time at home.

A positive re-entry is essential to the success of this strategy

Activity:

Match the strategies with the 9 Interventions

Suggested AnswersA 1B 4C 2D 8E 6F 9G 8H 1I 3

J 4K 5L 9M 9N 1O 2P 4Q 1R 3

S 3T 7U 6V 5W 7X 6Y 8Z 5

Remember……It’s okay not to have

the answers

It’s okay to make mistakes

It’s okay to ask for help

Workshops available

Restorative Practices and strategies for:

Teachers

Executive

Student Leaders

Parents

NSW INSTITUTE OF TEACHERS