Let’s kick things off with a summary of how to effectively solve behaviour management problems in any classroom, then we’ll look at the specific scenarios of learners being persistently late and learners disengaging from the learning.

Five Steps for Solving Behaviour Management Problems

• To deal effectively with any behaviour issue you must be proactive and decisive.
• Base your decisions on an analysis of what is happening and why you believe it is happening.
• Be aware that multiple solutions can be found to most problems and that part of becoming better at behaviour management involves trying things out, seeing what works and what doesn’t, and then using this information to make improved decisions in the future.
• When you act, remain positive and assertive, remind learners of your expectations and give them a choice.
• Do not expect all problems to disappear straightaway. On many occasions you will need to keep applying your solution over time to habituate learners into a new way of acting. Be persistent!

Scenario 1: Persistent Lateness

Explanation

One or more learners are persistently late to your class.

Solution 1

Explain to the whole class why lateness is a problem and what sanctions you will apply to learners who are late.

Make clear what your expectations are and indicate what circumstances represent an acceptable reason for not meeting these (being held back by another teacher, transport problems on the way to school).

Enforce your sanctions rigorously over the coming weeks – to those who are persistently late and to those who are late as a one-off.

This usually has a marked impact on punctuality.

Solution 2

Arguably, lateness is a whole-school issue as well as an issue for individual teachers.

This does not mean we should disown responsibility for dealing with it, but that we might consider invoking the support of wider school structures.

If a learner is late, ask them why.

If no good reason is forthcoming, indicate the sanction that will apply and contact the member of the pastoral team responsible for their welfare.

Ask them to join you in applying a sanction and communicating high expectations to the learner in question.

Ensure all sanctions are followed up and accompanied by a clear explanation of why lateness is unacceptable.

Ensure the learner knows that support is available for them if there is an underlying issue causing their lateness.

In my experience, this is sometimes the case.

Offering support means you can draw out these situations while also signalling to other learners that you being concerned with their lateness doesn’t stop you from having their best interests at heart.

Solution 3

Some learners struggle to be punctual.

These learners may be persistently late, not because they are being deliberately tardy, but because they do not have the skills and strategies to keep to time.

In these situations, you should teach learners how to avoid lateness.

Basic strategies such as aiming to arrive before the lesson starts rather than when it starts, wearing a watch, and planning what time to leave the playground can all be a new experience for underprepared learners.

Checking to see whether latecomers lack such tools will give you the chance to pass on these approaches as and when appropriate.

Scenario 2: Disengagement

Explanation

A learner disengages from the lesson.

This usually takes the form of passivity and/or apathy and tends to see the learner withdrawing physically and psychologically from the learning.

Solution 1

Take the learner aside and ask them why they are disengaged.

Use probing questions to find out if they have specific issues with the subject, topic, or learning environment.

Sometimes these can be dealt with, sometimes the learner will have to learn to put up with them.

Acting in this way gives you access to information you can use to help re-engage the learner.

It also demonstrates that you are interested in their thoughts and that you want to help them.

This is always a good way to build rapport.

And, if we have rapport with learners, it goes a long way towards driving engagement.

In fact, sometimes this is actually what disengaged behaviour is really about.

Learners subconsciously using it to gain a little of the teacher’s attention.

Solution 2

Pair the learner with a supportive or enthusiastic peer.

This could involve an alteration to your seating plan or the inclusion of paired tasks in which you provide guidance on every pairing in the class (subtly including this one on the list!).

While the disengaged learner is working with their peer, observe them to see if the decision has had an effect.

If it has, leave things be.

If it has not, intervene to encourage the learner to work positively with their peer.

This sees you invoking the underlying expectations of social interaction and using these to alter the disengaged learner’s behaviour.

Solution 3

Stress to the learner in question that your expectations include learners retaining focus through the course of the entire lesson.

Tie this to the wider aims of your teaching – to promote learning and maximise progress.

If possible, connect this to the learner’s goals as well.

Offer an opportunity for them to explain why they are choosing to disengage.

If nothing is forthcoming, direct their attention back to your expectations and the task in hand.

If they do indicate a cause, address this with them, and then re-direct them to the task.