Behaviour Management Tips For Reception Please!

[Guest]

Would really appreciate some tips please from anyone on behaviour management. I have a large class (31) and generally they are a lovely group. However, I have about 6 or 7 who can be quite noisy/disruptive on the carpet and will not do what I ask first time. Nearly all of them do, but their compliance is almost lost among those who are noisy/chatty etc. It often takes those 6/7 quite alot of me saying I am waiting etc for them to give me their full attention ( they do in the end but not instantly). Ideally, I would like them all to be silent as soon as I ask them to be – what strategies do you use that work well?

 

As an NQT, I feel (especially) like I am being judged and want to get it right. Held it together all day at school ( stayed smiling etc) but I have come home crying and very upset tonight feeling like the day wasn’t a success (when most of it was) and wondering whether I am good enough for the job!

 

Please offer me some words of wisdom or reassurance as right now I am wondering why I spend so many years training!!

 

Thanks so much

Yellowdaisies x

[Gezabel]

Hi

I am not a teacher and sure someone who is will be along shortly with first hand advice.

 

However, I work in a preschool and at the start of term would not expect our 'older' (ie just 4yrs) to be instantly silent when asked at circle time. New term, excited children etc etc

 

I am really sorry that you have come home crying and doubting yourself. I imagine your first day as an NQT is, in genreal terms, a big day for you and it sounds to me as though you did just fine

 

It is great to be self critical but perhaps you have been too harsh on yourself? Most of the day was a success and a few children not being immediately silent when asked isn't the end of the world in my book and certainly doesn't reflect badly on you

 

Beleive in yourself, smile again and have a great day tomorrow

[Guest]

It's never easy when you have a 'bubbly' lot. Use any adult support you have to sit by certain individuals (I had one boy who always' kept the TA's feet warm' when he was being fidgety). I would keep the whole class carpet sessions very short at this stage in the year and do rhymes / stories / games that keep their attention. I would teach other adult directed things in small groups for short activities.

 

Try stickers for those sitting as you want or doing the right thing, overly praise 2 and then speak to the one who isn't managing to sit properly- it often helps to praise others around the fidgety ones, 'well done, for taking no notice of ... next to you'.

 

Try to find activities that will really entice the fidgety/noisy ones and when you ahve their attention, really praise them- then you can refer back to when they sat well. Maybe even take a photo showing them showing good sitting.

 

To get their attemtion I have used 'follow me' games iwht hand actions, or singing a song that means the noisy ones can;t be noisy because there is singing next to them!

 

Keep trying different things- you'll get there in the end!

[Guest]

I really feel for you, I had my class in for the first time today and although it was generally OK you really forget how much the children change over a year and how different they are at the start and end of Reception. It will take a while to 'train' them and as already said lots of praise is the way to go! Last year I had a very lively class and so we gave them all carpet spaces where they sat every time, meaning you can split children where necessary! This also stops fussing about who is sitting where every time you sit down. Good luck, I'm sure you're doing fine.

[Guest]

*hugs* yellowdaisies. Don't feel like a failure and don't think everyone is expecting you to have them all instantly quiet the minute you ask them too - quite honestly that would be a remarkable achievement for anyone in the first few days (whether they are Nursery or Year 6). People are already giving you great ideas for things to try, I have used clapping a pattern for the children to repeat works quite well in entertaining those that are waiting quietly and engaging those that are not. Try out a few things and see what you like and what works for you but remember Rome wasn't built in a day..and children take a while to get used to you

[Froglet]

Oh goodness, please don't be hard on yourself over this - especially in your first few days. I still had children who wouldn't stop first time at the end of the year (and one of them was a Y1 who was lovely but just had very selective hearing)!

 

Don't give up on them though, patience and praise will pay off in time. Giving them places to sit if necessary. If you are lucky enough to have a TA for any time at all during the carpet time ask them to sit near the 'noisy' ones so they can quietly reinforce your messages and reminders about behaviour. It helps to stop you doing that think when you never finish a sentence because there's always someone else who needs a reminder.

 

Keep your eyes on the noisy ones and the instant one of them does what you need them to sing their praises.

 

You might find certain phrases work - I will refer to someone as being a really 'good example' for other people (this is mainly because it fits in with the behaviour policy we have at school) but my children do tend to like being a good example. I will sometimes ask someone to come and sit at the front because they are being such a good example that I want everyone else to be able to see them so they know what to do. The reality is that they will have done something good but also that they've been messing about for ages and I want them near me for a little discrete one to one management!

[Guest]

Hey don't panic - I work in a lively catchment area and had the same scenario this morning (and I've been teaching for donkeys years). Tomorrow will give 3 specific chdn one of those coloured pe spots to sit on in the circle, have the loudest one next to me and then give lots of praise and stickers. Considering asking loudest child ( who feels they know me very well) to go and sit on a chair at a table so they don't miss learning but understand they can't join the group if they cant be well behaved.

Please don't be hard on yourself nobody is perfect straight away and good on you for asking for help.

Good luck tomorrow. I dont expect I'll solve things by tomorrow, I think I'm in for the long haul!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Thank you sooo much everyone, you have made me feel so much better!! Will go in with a smile on my face and have a good, successful day!

[Guest]

hi 'yellow daisies'

Just as has been said - lots of praise for the good behaviour, ignore what you don't want as much as you can and praise them when they get anywhere near your desired behaviour. It really is a drip drip drip effect, but gets there in the end. keep on behaving as if you expect them to want to conform and lease you, and they will - in the end!

Above all keep smiling!

We have a system of spending a few minutes at the end of each day sharing 'golden moments' - those things that have gone well, or just made us smile - it's really good to keep focussing on the positive.

Good luck

Mary

[Guest]

Lots of people have already said it but I just wanted to say it again. Please don't worry! I know that feeling you mean of being judged, I'm not in my first year of teaching anymore, but I just started at a new school with a rather lively bunch of year ones and I come home every day with that exact same feeling as if I've failed and my TAs are wondering what on earth I'm doing! Then I feel bad because I think I must be being really mean to the children as well keep going on and on about good sitting and being quiet etc. Sometimes when they're particularly bad I have to raise my voice to a yell just to be heard over them, even when I'm going "well done x for sitting for beautifully!'

 

I just have to keep reminding myself that it was exactly the same last year and that they did eventually calm down and learn to sit down and be quiet first time they were asked, but it took till after half term to get it pretty much spot on. This year I have some pretty severe SEN with mild behavioural/concentration problems linked in so I think it's going to be an even longer and harder slog.

 

When it gets on top of you just remember that you aren't the only one feeling like that and it will eventually all come together!

[Guest]

Think like an actress/playschool presenter!

 

Keep changing your tone of voice and moving your eyes around so you're looking at each of them in the eye.

Surprises, pulling things slowly out of a bag, 'I've got something behind my back (a puppet) bit shy won't come out if anyone's talking... I'm looking at Gordon because I know he's a really good listener, ohhhhhh....just look at the way he's sitting so still and facing the right way....."

 

Lot of gimmicks: sprinkling 'lovely listeners' magic dust on them, waving a wand that makes them do what you say- do a few moving around silly things and then end with quiet sitting and as soon as you have that move straight into your learning objective.

 

Build up a group community " Well I know you'll be able to do it because you're the best class in the school, I am the luckiest teacher, you're just all so good at listening and crossing your legs...ohhhh, I'm looking around...look at Joe ... and clare...brilliant. If you've got anyone next to you who's being silly we'll just take no notice of them because we are too busy learning....

 

Etc. Build in little privileges " Now I'm looking for a really sensible person to hold my pen, turn the pages of the book, find me an 'a',

I'm putting on my special looking glasses, getting out my brilliant people telescope.

 

Good luck!

[Guest]

Thanks for more tips! They were 100 times better today! Strategies I introduced yesterday are not brand new to them and are working, so smiles all round. Will keep all these in mind and refer back to this topic when I need a boost!