ASPIRE: Better Behaviour - Better Learning

(Angus Supporting Positive Inclusive Relevant Education)

The incidence of disruptive behaviour in schools is causing increasing concern. A recent survey showed six out of ten headteachers in secondary schools thought discipline was a serious problem.

But is there a solution?

One small group of teachers in Angus is proving that there is more than one way to tackle this.

ASPIRE was formed as part of the Better Behaviour - Better Learning initiative, developed by Jack McConnell in 2001 when he was Education Minister. A review of this policy was reported in March 2005 by the Inspectorate of Education and found that while 'there is evidence of positive change . . . discipline is still an issue for staff, pupils and local authorities'. (BBC News, March 2005)

The team - Fiona, Barry and Sean - bring a wealth of experience from a range of secondary school settings. They are committed to a proactive approach and research, develop and disseminate an array of new strategies that help promote positive behaviour in pupils.

Working with all eight schools in their local authority, they support staff, pupils and parents.

Their main focus is in helping schools develop ways of managing behaviour. 'We believe that just as there is no single factor which has caused this growing problem, there is no simple, 'one size fits all' solution. Most require an individual approach.'

Ways to address issues are not developed in a vacuum but are tailored to the needs of the particular school, class or pupil. A team member might sit in on a class or shadow a pupil to observe what action is needed. The team may recommend one-to-one sessions, small group sessions, taking a whole class approach or perhaps some specialised training for the teacher. ASPIRE’s involvement can last a day, a month or a number of years, depending on the needs of the school.

A popular and successful range of programmes has been developed for individual class or year groups. These are run at a point in the term when they will have the biggest impact.

A perfect example is the 'Working Together' workshop for S1 pupils who are just beginning their secondary education as a group. Throughout the day the pupils take part in a number of different activities to develop team building, relationships and responsibilities. They practise listening skills and discuss self-esteem, confidence and bullying. They are also encouraged to support each other and, as a group, their goal is to become a successful class.

Each year’s workshop focuses on some of the important issues pupils will face at a particular stage of their schooling and demonstrates to them the skills they need to make good decisions.

The ASPIRE team offers pupils, classes and year groups the chance to develop useful skills, become motivated to work well together and to achieve success as an individual as well as in a group.

Pupils in S2 will make choices about the subjects they would like to study in the future, S3 pupils are beginning to work towards their first formal qualifications, while S4s can see a hectic examination schedule looming and are given a welcome 'confidence booster' prior to the exam term. Senior pupils talk about the influence they can have on the younger ones and just how important they are as role models. Becoming a prefect is always a valued position but it doesn’t come with a job description. These most senior pupils are given help with some of the issues that might arise when they take on the testing job of acting as a communications link between staff and pupils.

The ASPIRE team supports staff by offering a wide range of classroom management approaches: tried and tested examples of good practice gathered through research with schools and other sources.

Teachers are making good use of these programmes. Particularly in secondary schools, many feel that a lot of time is wasted exercising 'crowd control'. Low-level indiscipline can disturb those pupils who want to learn and can sometimes make it difficult for teachers to complete the work planned for a single lesson.

Dealing with this type of disruption on a daily basis requires a great deal of patience and a set of specialised skills. Many teachers welcome having a variety of proven techniques and strategies at their fingertips to keep pupils focused and motivated.

Parents are an important part of the process. There have been enormous changes in working habits and the structure of modern families, and these can sometimes bring difficulties for all concerned.

Families who need help to change behaviour are offered advice and support. For example, parents are shown how to follow up the work their child has done in school, how to set behaviour boundaries at home and how to diffuse potential problems. If everyone concerned with a child’s welfare is involved, there is a better chance of success.

The issue of class discipline and disruptive pupils looks likely to stay at the forefront of debate in education for some time to come.

The ASPIRE team’s success is an encouraging model showing what is being achieved. They are bringing about a positive change in attitude, behaviour and performance in Angus classrooms.