Behaviour Management in the Classroom

A Transactional Analysis Approach

Sandra Newell, David Jeffery

• Publisher: David Fulton Publishers
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781853468261
• eBook ISBN: 9781136612909
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Ask any trainee teacher, or indeed experienced teacher, which aspect of teaching concerns them most and they will probably say "getting pupils to behave."

This book looks at the relationships between teachers and pupils in the classroom. It explores ways of using the ideas in Transactional Analysis to create win-win situations in the classroom, making a more pleasant and productive atmosphere for all concerned. It offers teachers practical examples of how to model behavior, structure time, use contracts and praise pupils in order to avoid or resolve conflict quickly and fairly so that everyone feels OK and learning is put at the forefront.

The authors both have extensive experience of teaching and managing behavior and have much to offer in terms of guidance for managing your classes successfully. The book provides a simple introduction to and explanations of aspects of the theory; lots of practical examples, strategies and suggestions; reflections and activities; and bullet-pointed summaries at the end of each chapter.

Part 1

What is Transactional Analysis?

Chapter 1

Introduction to Transactional Analysis

‘Transactional Analysis is a theory of personality and a systematic psychotherapy for personal growth and change.’ This is the definition used by the International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA). The term Transactional Analysis (TA) was first coined in 1958. Its originator was Eric Berne (1910–70). He worked in psychiatry and psychoanalysis in post War America and began writing at the end of 1956. His ideas form the basic framework of TA. His school of TA is referred to as ‘Classical TA’. In the early 1950s, Berne held regular clinical seminars in San Francisco and he and his colleagues formed the ITAA.

Since then, many other writers have expanded on his original theories. There are, however, two other main schools of TA: Jacqui Schiff developed Passivity Theory, which is known as the ‘Cathexis’ school; and Robert and Mary Goulding developed the ‘Redecision’ school of TA. TA has proved to be successful in a wide variety of applications. It is used in the treatment of all types of psychological disorders, from everyday problems (such as in the classroom!) to severe psychosis.

It has four main areas of application: Counselling, Psychotherapy, Educational, Organisational. The basic theory used is the same, but there is a difference in emphasis and in techniques. In this book, we do not intend to go into depth about the theory, but rather to take the basic concepts used in TA and apply them to the classroom situation.

TA offers

• a theory of personality (using a three-part model known as the ‘ego-state model’)
• a theory of communication or interpersonal behaviour (using the ideas of transactions)
• a theory of child development (using the idea of a life script).

The key ideas in TA which we shall discuss in the chapters of this book are:

• Life Positions
• Strokes
• Contracts
• Ego States
• Transactions
• Life Scripts
• Games
• Discounting.

If you are interested in learning more about TA, please refer to the Bibliography and Further Reading List at the end of the book.

Chapter 2

Philosophical Assumptions in TA

The following three philosophical assumptions underlie the theory of TA:

• People are OK.
• Everyone has the capacity to think.
• People decide their own destiny and these decisions can be changed.

These are optimistic assumptions and empower the individual. Let’s take each one and see how it applies to the classroom.

ASSUMPTION 1: PEOPLE ARE OK

What does being ‘OK’ mean in terms of the pupil? It is often easier to define what is not OK behaviour in the classroom. Pupils who behave badly are often not OK with themselves and do not get on with other pupils. They may be the pupils who are:

• bullies or name callers
• aggressive
• hyperactive
• unable to work with other pupils or share materials
• passive or victims
• withdrawing loners who find it difficult to get on with other pupils
• fearful, stressful pupils
• painfully self-conscious.

This creates a picture of a pupil who is not OK: a pupil who disrupts the lesson, shouts out, irritates other pupils and does not get on with their work, or is too fearful to perform well. In this case, their behaviour is not OK, but Berne would argue that the essence of the pupil is OK. This is when it is powerful to say to a pupil, ‘I like you, but I am not happy with the way you are behaving.’ It may sound like a cliché, but it separates the pupil from their behaviour and leaves them with some self-esteem. They can change their behaviour, but they cannot change who they are. These types of behaviour may not necessarily stop other pupils from working, but they do have a limiting effect on the pupils’ own progress. Behaviour which is not OK stops learning and does not resolve conflict fairly.

Pupils who feel OK about themselves often

• have a healthy respect for themselves and others
• are aware of their behaviour and have a sense of fairness
• are aware of the needs of others and will accept other pupils’ ideas, share materials and apologise when necessary
• have an ability to encourage, praise and help other pupils
• have the confidence to try out new things
• show a desire to do their best
• are assertive, rather than aggressive.

Pupils who display these types of behaviour are likely to develop well both as learners and as people. OK behaviour helps to provide learning opportunities and experiences. It promotes collaboration.

What does being ‘OK’ mean in terms of the teacher? A piece of informal research undertaken by Sandra with some pupils as part of the RAISE project brought together characteristics which pupils look for in a good teacher. These were as follows:

• firm but fair
• not biased
• respects pupils
• is a good role model
• works hard
• gets involved
• takes an interest in the pupils as individuals
• is patient and calm
• is willing to listen
• understands and cares
• has a good personality
• is enthusiastic
• has a good sense of humour
• treats pupils as human beings
• is never sarcastic
• never puts you down.

It is interesting to note that not one of these is about the work done in the classroom. They are all about the way the teacher treats the pupils.

ASSUMPTION 2: EVERYONE HAS THE CAPACITY TO THINK

TA believes that everybody (except people with severe brain damage) has the ability to think. In the classroom, pupils have the capacity to think about their behaviour and take responsibility for it. In some cases they need to be encouraged to think about what they are doing or have done. Likewise, the teacher has the capacity to reflect on the situation or position in which they find themselves in the classroom or with a particular group.

ASSUMPTION 3: PEOPLE DECIDE THEIR OWN DESTINY AND THESE DECISIONS CAN BE CHANGED

Whenever a pupil or teacher makes a decision, that decision can always be changed. People can change. If pupils and teachers think about their actions and take responsibility for them, they can then move towards actively changing them. Teachers can facilitate these changes by encouraging pupils to think about their behaviour, offering pupils choices and making them aware of the consequences of the various choices.

Chapter 3

Life Positions

… one’s basic beliefs about self and others, which are used to justify decisions and behaviour.

(Steiner, 1974)

Berne believed that a child ‘has certain convictions about himself and the people around him’. In other words, from early childhood, pupils develop fixed ideas about themselves and other people, as a result of the way that they have been treated in their family. TA calls these ideas or convictions ‘Life Positions’. There are four Life Positions:

1. I’m OK, you’re OK
   This is the position that is most healthy and the one teachers should aim to promote because this Life Position will help to create a relationship of mutual respect. Conflict is also less likely. Pupils who adopt this position consider themselves valued and respect other people.
2. I’m OK, you’re not OK
   Teachers who adopt this position will not show respect for pupils. Conflict is likely to develop because pupils will be aware of this. The teacher may blame the pupils for everything that goes wrong in the classroom and be unprepared to change their own behaviour in order to improve the situation. Pupils who adopt this position will be over-critical and may accuse the teacher of picking on them.
3. I’m not OK, you’re OK
   Teachers adopting this position are likely to be highly self-critical and convinced that they are not doing a good job. They may underestimate their own ability, while promoting that of other colleagues. Pupils adopting this position are likely to be withdrawn, consider themselves stupid or useless and put themselves down all the time. They may also experience shame and in this ‘down’ position, they are unlikely to learn.
4. I’m not OK, you’re not OK
   This is the most negative Life Position, both for teachers and for pupils. Teachers are self-critical and are negative towards pupils. Pupils put themselves down and blame teachers for their lack of success.

The ideal position in the classroom is to move towards a position where the teacher is OK and the pupils are OK. This will create a good working environment which promotes self-esteem for all people concerned. The teacher needs to use strategies that will help pupils to develop improved self-esteem. It will be difficult to develop positive relationships with pupils unless the teacher can move troublesome pupils towards the ‘I’m OK, you’re OK’ Life Position.

ACTIVITY

Look at these examples. What Life Positions have these pupils chosen?

Brian:‘I am hopeless at Maths. I will never be able to work this out unless you [the teacher] help me.

Jane:I can’t do this and you [the teacher] never help me.

Paula:Mr Jones showed me how to do this. I did well in his class. He was a good teacher. I understood him; all you do is confuse me.

Patrick:I enjoy this subject because you make it interesting.

ACTIVITY

Think about the last time that you lost an argument. How did you feel? How did you feel the last time that you were criticised? Which Life Position did you choose? How easy was it to continue to have a relationship with the person who upset you?

It is important that the teacher deals with situations fairly and respectfully and does not use humour or sarcasm to belittle or humiliate students. Teachers must aim to put a full stop at the end of any problem as quickly as possible and move themselves into the healthy position of ‘I’ m OK’ as a teacher and help the pupils to get to the position of ‘we are OK’ as pupils.

One way of doing this is by being specific about the behaviour you do not like and refraining from criticising the pupil. ‘I do not like it when you write on my work sheets’ (This behaviour is not OK). ‘I think you are a nice person who knows that is wrong’ (You are still OK). Compare this to: ‘You must be a stupid idiot to write on my sheets.’ The teacher thus attacks the pupil and the behaviour. The pupil will forget about the writing on the sheets and start to defend himself and argue. ‘I’m not stupid. Your sheets are stupid and so is your work. It’s boring.’ As we will see in a later chapter, this approach has escalated the problem and leads to a ‘Game’. The pupil has m...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• About the Authors
• Acknowledgements
• List of Figures
• Introduction
• Part 1 What is Transactional Analysis?
• Part 2 Developing Relationships in the Classroom
• Part 3 Structuring the Lesson
• Part 4 Maintaining Relationships in the Classroom
• Part 5 Staying OK
• Appendix 1 Class Contract
• Appendix 2 Behaviour Contract
• Appendix 3 Certificates
• Appendix 4 Letter to Parents
• Glossary of TA Terminology
• Further Reading
• Bibliography