The American Kodaly Music teacher and blogger, Susan Gonsalves, has a blog here;

http://herdingcatsgeorge.blogspot.co.uk/

which I have quoted from before in Issue 26

She has recently posted a useful article on classroom behaviour management using the “Timeout” principle. I know nothing about the book she quotes from, 123 Magic by Thomas Phelan, and I am equally in the dark about the training course Responsive Classroom but the content of her post is well worth a read. To quote:

”reviewing the concepts I already know really helped my teaching this week.”   

It is all too easy to get into a kind of a rut once the term is well underway, and find that the children’s behaviour is just getting a little ragged around the edges. Because I teach in so many different schools throughout the week, I have found that I need to establish my own regime and rules, and create the learning environment that I want.

In the end, everyone benefits from a lesson where the boundaries are clearly understood and everyone (and everything) is treated with respect. It is well worth the effort in getting the behaviour issues – expectations and consequences – sorted out at the beginning, and maybe revisiting the rules from time to time throughout the year, preferably before you reach meltdown!