Not a load of balls!

On the 22^nd April I attended a one days seminar entitled ‘ Needs-Focused Classroom Management’ run by Rob Plevin of www.behaviourneeds.com.

Rather than comment on the day itself  I’d like people to see this course ‘in context’. By that I mean the course PLUS the materials PLUS the follow-up PLUS the website.

This was a day made up of a collection of attention grabbers – bingo card, dingbats, ‘Shhh!’ caps, balls in a bag - and some very serious points about the problems that teachers face in class – and how to deal with them. The highly original attention grabbers were not just to get OUR attention – but part of an overall strategy for teachers to use when lessons become a bit stale, it’s a Friday afternoon, it’s near the end of term …etc.

The serious stuff dealt with prevention of trouble, ‘catch it before it starts’, satisfying needs in school, the conflict cycle, building good relationships with challenging pupils and building a feeling of community in school. It is true that you can read about this sort of thing in behavioural management books, but nothing beats the 'real thing' and Rob is real - he's been there and lived it!.

It is different when someone actually shares strategies by relating them to his ow n experience. This is where Rob Plevin has the edge. Rob was a teacher for 15 years - 12 of which were in behaviour units, special schools, PRUs, residential settings as well as inner city comps. This is where his skills in behavioural management were honed - at the chalkface with pupils very much 'in his face'.

Rob has the experience – and that is what is required on seminars such as these. He cannot quote you studies, surveys, PhD theses giving you the best way of dealing with troublesome classes. (Well, he probably could but instead chooses not to.) What he can do though is say, ‘I’ve been there, this worked for me – why not give it a try?’

For me, this counts for far more than any learned journal article written by someone who was last in a classroom when the cane was widely used.

As part of the day there were a series of role plays and ‘games’. Role plays involved telling someone to sit down (careful over the tone!) praising others, communicating without speaking and also drawing a car. There was also what I thought was going to be 'Buzzword Bingo' but it had an unusual and very effective twist to it - but you'll have to attend the course to find out!

The audience – teachers from primary and also secondary schools – submitted key questions for discussion. This in itself shows Rob's expertise because literally any question at all could have come up. 'How do I deal with a knife-wielding 16 year old' might be expected but what about  'a kid screams at me in defiance, the walls are paper-thin - what do I do?' Background chatter has its own problems but what I really wanted to know is what to do when pupils are one step away from running amok. (Yes, I did find out...but you'll have to enrol if you also want the answer!)

The theme throughout the day was one of involvement. Rob involved the group wherever he could – after all if we wanted just to have someone tell us ‘100 best ways of dealing with yobs’ then we could just read a book! (Actually, with a different title, it probably is one of Rob’s books!)

What did I taken away from the day?

Apart from the obvious - and extensive - resources (file, CD, DVD, a couple of sweets...) I left ith a positive feeling about tomorrow's horrors, sorry, class. I feel that I am armed with strategies - yes, I haven't tried them but I now have the encouragement to experiment and see which seems most suitable both for me, my school (and the policy) and the pupils.

As I wrote in the beginning one should not see the course in isolation. Participants were also encouraged to take advantage of the behaviour management mini-course – it’s free at www.behaviourneeds.com. In addition I am reasonably certain that if anyone had any follow-up questions then an email to Rob would elicit a quick response.

All in all this was a worthwhile course with an experienced practitioner. Would I go again? Oddly, 'yes' because no two courses are the same. No two audiences are the same. With an emphasis on participation you can guarantee that though the questions may be similar the discussions will not. That's perhaps the overall strength, Rob doesn't preach. He encourages, elicits ideas, gives support but in no way was this 'from on high'. Here was someone who wanted to share what he had learned through experience to enable us to be better teachers.

I for one, will thank him for that.

The ‘balls’ in the title? Well it’s less behavioural management and more Derren Brown – and that’s all I can say without being hauled before the GTC!

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