I am investing time connecting with others via LinkedIn, learning and thinking hard.
This professional learning edventure started with a Team Teach webinar with Dr Alec Clark and Jonathan Newport (Chief Learning Officer and Global Director of Team Teach.) It was followed up by some wider reading, a conversation with a Special School Headteacher and Special Education advisor. Connections and learning via LinkedIn demonstrating the commitment of individuals, communities and social impact charities.
How can we foster the behaviours we want to see from the children and young people we find in our setting?
The first learning point – question that well used and commonly articulated phrase that “all behaviour is communication.” It is a phrase I am sure teachers and educator hear frequently. Interesting, Dr Alec Clark challenged it – offering an derivative / alterative and I would be interested in your opinion.
Communication, and all forms of communication, are a form of behaviour.
Dr Alec Clark
The conversation moves on to the ‘how,’ part of the question. With over 40 years experience, their advice:
Have few, simple expectations (more values driven than binary rules). Model, teach, coach these behaviours. Lastly, “relationship,” policies over “behaviour,” policies. In practice, use behavioural, developmental plans as opposed to risk management plans.
How can we develop a consistency of approach to behaviour within our staff teams?
Retain and recruiting the right staff – this is clearly a significant undertaking, put forward in a short and simple statement.
Dr Clark highlighted the need for 80+% in consistency of approach for an organisation to be successful.
Jonathan highlighted the importance of coherence and collective understanding. Dr Clark signposts utilising the experience of senior staff, the “Rolls Royce’s” with the less experienced staff – the Mondeo’s.
Listening intently, opportunity sometimes knocks quietly
Two planned and extended conversations with experienced educators working at the coalface of Special Education were invaluable. It is difficult to summarise what I learnt from each of these conversations separately, however, I have a growing sense that modelling behaviours and self-awareness are a critical ingredient for successful relationship building in Special school settings.
Lastly, I benefitted from two unplanned, and unexpected, parent conversations at our 2024 Speech Day. The first signposting the work or Dr Ross Greene, Lives in the balance and “Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS)” – an evidence-based, trauma-informed, neurodiversity affirming model of care that helps caregivers focus on identifying the problems that are causing concerning behaviours in kids and solving those problems collaboratively and proactively.
Children do well if they can.
Dr Ross Greene
As a summary of Collaborative & Proactive Solution – the phrase “Lose an Enemy and Gain a Problem-Solving Partner,” does a good job.
Let me extend that, to better capture Dr Greene’s point. And I paraphrase, “Children do well if they can, given the skills they have, and if they are struggling, we need to help them develop their skills.” At three minutes Dr Ross Greene’s tone and stance shifts ever so slightly when he poses a point for us to reflect upon. .
If you’re busy making a kid wanna, and he [they] already does wanna, you run the risk of making things worse.
Dr Ross Greene
Behaviorally challenging kids are challenging because they’re lacking the skills to not be challenging.
The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children
The second conversation opened up a professional connection with Papyrus – a charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people.
Lastly – here is something that might perk your interest. Back in July, 2017 I learnt that as humans, we are sensitive to being turned down when asking for help. Second, that we underestimate our chances of securing help (in fact we underestimate by about half). Armed with this knowledge, I am regularly seeking the help of experts, or simply people that know more about a topic than I do. Recently, I have been connecting with professional on LinkedIn.
Here is a note of thanks and professional recognition to Danielle Phillip who wrote so eloquently on behalf of The Jordan Legacy CIC.
This weeks professional learning, has been less of a learning curve, more a steep line. It is reassuring to know you have professionals you can call upon – should you need to.