This book draws from the real-life experiences and perceptions of teachers in secondary and primary schools, and documents their ideas on how they define their job, the difficulties they face in the classroom and the support they need. Different approaches to teacher support are considered and the book includes an in-depth case study of a school that tried to implement some of these approaches. Key issues covered include: the motivations and needs of teachers and pupils the gaps between theory and practice in the professional role and performance of the teacher the behaviour of pupils and their views on the classroom working with support staff the assertive discipline system. Drawing on her own experience and the experiences of others, Diana Fox Wilson recommends that teachers are supported by a classroom environment that fosters insight and understanding between pupils and teachers, and urges a culture of change that recognises teachers as a crucial influence on young people's lives. Supporting Teachers Supporting Pupils is packed with helpful and practical advice for all teachers. It will be a reassuring read for any teacher finding themselves feeling stranded in the classroom.
Author(s): D. Fox Wilson
Edition: 1
Year: 2004
Language: English
Pages: 184
Book Cover......Page 1
Half-Title......Page 2
Title......Page 3
Copyright......Page 4
Dedication......Page 5
Contents......Page 6
Acknowledgements......Page 9
Introduction......Page 10
Teaching—a humanistic endeavour......Page 12
The origin of the book......Page 13
An emotional odyssey......Page 14
The concept of teacher support......Page 15
Eastbank School—a pen portrait......Page 16
The structure of the book......Page 18
Part I What are we here for?......Page 20
Posing the right questions......Page 22
The teacher I want to be—the love triangle......Page 25
The teacher as subject communicator......Page 27
The teacher as tutor......Page 29
Stress, insecurity and isolation......Page 31
The wish for security......Page 33
Feelings of isolation......Page 35
Entertainers, gurus and mentors......Page 36
The teacher as guru......Page 37
The teacher as mentor......Page 38
Teaching—an emotional profession......Page 39
Inappropriate curricular requirements......Page 41
Lack of emotional space......Page 42
Inadequate communication......Page 43
Summary......Page 44
2 From where I sit......Page 46
Pupils’ behaviour......Page 48
How do pupils become aware of appropriate classroom behaviour?......Page 50
How are pupils made aware that they are behaving appropriately?......Page 51
What happens if pupils are not behaving appropriately?......Page 52
Relationships rule OK, but rules are necessary too......Page 54
Supporting relationships......Page 59
Part II Support—prop or validation?......Page 62
3 A system with a human face......Page 64
Whole school approaches to classroom behaviour......Page 66
Lee Canter’s Assertive Discipline......Page 68
The operation of the ADS......Page 70
A common system of rules, rewards and sanctions......Page 72
Collaborative working and collective decision-making......Page 73
A centralized detention system......Page 74
The instant access remove system......Page 75
The rota of on-call senior staff......Page 76
The empowerment of teachers......Page 77
The ‘problem’ of consistency......Page 78
The need for ‘a system with a human face’......Page 80
The reward system......Page 82
Pupils’ perceptions of the ADS......Page 83
Discussion......Page 84
Celebrating relationships......Page 86
Reviewing discipline procedures......Page 87
On-site behavioural units......Page 88
4 A second pair of eyes......Page 90
To teach or not to teach—the role of classroom assistants......Page 91
Teacher’s aides and child support assistants......Page 92
The need for flexibility......Page 96
Support teachers......Page 97
Personal experience of support teaching and support teachers......Page 100
Technical and administrative support......Page 102
Teachers’ traditional attitudes......Page 104
Discussion points......Page 105
Peer support in the literature......Page 108
‘Supportive interdependence’—a selective review of the literature on peer support......Page 109
Eastbank School’s self-help group......Page 119
From, negative to positive—dealing with differences of opinion......Page 120
The function of the group task......Page 121
Issues raised......Page 122
Collaborative initiatives......Page 124
Dropped stitches—lessons from a failed collaboration......Page 125
Summary and conclusion......Page 126
Discussion points......Page 127
Opening the can of worms......Page 130
The staff tutor......Page 131
A difficult balancing act......Page 133
In-service training and professional development activities......Page 134
Self-directed professional development......Page 135
Further examples of collaboration as professional development......Page 136
Building on strengths......Page 137
Mentoring systems......Page 138
Co-mentoring......Page 139
Discussion points......Page 140
Conclusion to Parts I and II......Page 141
Part III The talking school......Page 144
7 A supportive school......Page 146
Facilitative support......Page 147
Preventative support......Page 148
Restitutive support......Page 149
Personal and professional support......Page 150
Supporting the emotions of teaching......Page 151
Personal and professional counselling for teachers......Page 152
The talking school......Page 153
People, time and emotional space......Page 154
Time to talk......Page 155
The conflict model of schools......Page 156
Two models of discipline......Page 158
Reason and emotion......Page 159
Conflict or collaboration?......Page 160
The collaborative classroom......Page 161
The talking school......Page 164
Education—a humanistic endeavour?......Page 165
Education and training—implications for teachers and support staff......Page 166
Conclusion......Page 167
The structure of Eastbank School’s Assertive Discipline System......Page 170
References and additional reading......Page 172
Index......Page 174
