Quirky Teacher: 'Has behaviour got worse?' - with some solutions

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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Quirky Teacher: 'Has behaviour got worse?' - with some solutions

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

https://thequirkyteacher.wordpress.com/ ... got-worse/
Has behaviour got worse?

I saw this question on twitter and thought I’d write something! The answer, which we all kind of agree on, is both yes and no. This is probably going to be another one of those posts that no one dares retweet, but which gets thousands of views and I’ll receive a flurry of private comments from front line staff who know exactly what I’m talking about.
...I don’t have much proof of this because no one’s been measuring over the years (sorry), but I do have a very valuable source: a plethora of teaching assistants I have met who have worked in schools for 20 or 30 odd years. They shake their heads and tell me that the way children (and parents) are has definitely changed.
...So, based on the above, what are my recommendations for improving behaviour?

*Make reading fluency the priority and that means increasing/diverting funding to reception year/Year 1 in primary schools, particularly schools in WWC disadvantaged areas where parents themselves are not fluent readers. This is because the process of becoming a fluent reader needs really intensive adult input until reading becomes a habit and children find it easy and enjoyable. One teacher and half a TA with thirty children is not enough to mitigate for 60 odd care-givers who have partially or wholly signed off on the whole rules n routines (including bedtime story) thing.

*Just as a headteacher needs to have a powerful vision that unites all teachers for a worthy cause and ensures that they are all working towards realising that vision as a team, we also really need some kind of national education leader that has a powerful vision that ensures all, INCLUDING PARENTS, are working towards realising that vision.
Do read the whole post - it's not long - and any readers' comments!
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