Behaviour Scenarios

1. Behaviour Scenarios Resources to support Charlie Taylor’s Improving Teacher Training for Behaviour Scenario 11: Dealing with a late arrival to your class This Scenario has been developed for Initial Teacher Training (ITT) to enable trainees to demonstrate knowledge, skills and understanding of behaviour management

2. Introduction Behaviour2Learn has developed 17 Scenarios focusing on the 8 areas highlighted in the Teaching Agency's document Improving teacher training for behaviour. These are: • Personal Style • Self-management • Reflection • School Systems • Relationships • Classroom Management • More Challenging Behaviour • Theoretical Knowledge Improving teacher training for behaviour has been developed by Charlie Taylor, the Government’s expert adviser on behaviour, to complement the new Teachers’ Standards that all teachers have to demonstrate from September 2012.

3. Scenario 11 Dealing with a late arrival to your class You have just started the introduction to a lesson and a pupil arrives late without a note or any explanation for the lateness. How do you respond so that there is minimum interruption to the lesson?

4. Key Learning Outcomes • Practice in developing and teaching routines to pupils so that time is used efficiently • Recognition of the need not to let individuals disrupt the learning of the whole class. • Understanding of techniques to maintain the learning momentum in a class. • Knowledge of how to apply sanctions to improve behaviour in line with the school’s policy and procedures for attendance and lateness.

5. What do you do? Consider these responses and choose the best one(s): • Check that the pupil has followed school procedures for late arrival to school, open the register and mark the pupil as late to the lesson. • In front of the class, demand to know why the pupil is late. Remind the pupil that this is the fifth time this has happened and ask why he/she is never on time. • If you are talking to the class, acknowledge the pupil, point to his/her place and continue with the lesson. See the pupil when there is time. • Warn the class that you are fed up with interruptions and that you will punish severely the next pupil who is late. • Ignore the pupil, let him/her sit down and get on with the lesson. Refer the matter to the form tutor after the lesson. • Give the pupil an automatic detention and remind the class of the school rule about being on time for lessons.

6. What might be the best choice? 3. If you are talking to the class, acknowledge the pupil, point to his/her place and continue with the lesson. See the pupil when there is time. Late arrival will happen from time to time. You will need to develop a procedure which does not interrupt the learning of the class. Confronting the situation head-on may make clear your annoyance but will interrupt learning and distract you from teaching. • Check that the pupil has followed school procedures for late arrival to school, open the register and mark the pupil as late to the lesson. Lateness should always be followed up, but it is best dealt with at a time that does not interfere with learning. You may need to check with the school office / tutor or talk to parents before deciding on a course of action.

7. What might you do to prevent a recurrence? • Follow-up is essential. Pupils should: a) see you dealing with the pupil who is late when the class is working independently b) know that you will follow school procedures. Dealing with lateness in this way will also enable you to be sensitive to any serious problems which have contributed to it whilst retaining a measure of privacy for the pupil. • Reward punctuality, especially when pupils anticipate possible delays and allow for them. Don’t accept excuses for lateness that put the blame on delays that are avoidable. • Have the lesson objectives and materials visible and accessible so that a pupil who is late can get on with the work without further disruption. • Ensure you set high personal standards of punctuality and start the lesson quickly so that any pupils who are late will know that they will miss something of value to them.

8. Underlying Principles • It is reasonable for the teacher to expect pupils to be on time. They need to learn that punctuality is important. • Modelling by the teacher of required behaviour (including punctuality, courtesy and a clear focus on learning) will show pupils what is expected of them. • Consistency of approach, using the school’s routine systems, coupled with the certainty of follow-up will help to reduce lateness. • If the lessons are enjoyable, interesting and well organised, pupils will want to learn and to be there on time.. • Sometimes pupils are late for reasons that are beyond their control and they may need your understanding and help with this. • Pupils should learn to anticipate possible delays and plan to avoid them.

9. Rights and Responsibilities • Teachers and pupils have the right to expect a punctual start to lessons. • A record of lateness must be kept. • Teachers are responsible for conscientious follow-up and the implementation of school procedures. • Pupils should understand that latecomers disrupt the learning of others and should take responsibility for being punctual. • Parents are responsible for ensuring that their children attend school regularly and on time. If school processes do not solve the problem, then it will be necessary to involve the parents.

10. Activities to try • Consider your school’s policy and processes for ensuring good attendance and punctuality. How effective are they? Are they easy for you to implement without disrupting lessons? Discuss this with a colleague. • What would you do if several pupils arrived late for a lesson: a) together b) at different times? Decide on the most efficient strategies for dealing with these situations. • Hold a discussion with a class about what is acceptable and unacceptable lateness – in particular, discuss how pupils can anticipate and avoid delays.

11. Conclusions Lessons should start promptly. Pupils will not see the point of being on time if it means they then have to wait for latecomers. An established routine for settling down to work and an appropriately brisk pace at the beginning of a lesson will help to create a positive climate for learning that will deter late arrival. Pupils who arrive late must not be allowed to disturb the learning of others. It is important to engage them quickly in the lesson but also, at a suitable time, to find out why they were late and use the school’s system to deal with the situation. Sometimes pupils will be late for reasons beyond their control and the cause may have been upsetting for them. You need to be sensitive to this. However, you should not accept lateness which could have been avoided if the pupils had simply made more effort to anticipate and solve the problems that delayed them.

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