Teaching Gifted Children with Special Educational Needs by Diane Montgomery

Author:Diane Montgomery [Diane Montgomery]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781317494584
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Behaviour Contract

This was one of the first areas that schools moved into. The problem behaviour is discussed with the pupil and the teacher may say, e.g. ‘If you spent more time sitting at your desk your work would improve. Remember the rule is – “Sit at your desk. Then I will help you.”’ When the pupil sits at the desk for any reason the teacher immediately attends or praises and acknowledges the fact.

In secondary schools persistently disruptive pupils are frequently put on report and carry around a card or paper that the teachers must sign if no disruptive behaviour occurred. The contract is discussed and ‘good’ behaviour defined; the weekly results are examined with the pupil and often the parents. Exclusion may follow if the contract is broken. If it is kept for several weeks it is discontinued. In the keeping it gives a chance for teacher attitudes to the pupil to become more positive and support the procedure.

One of the reasons why Behaviour Contract has been found to work is because during the daily report stage there is an opportunity for a pupil to receive interest and attention from an adult. If the adult is concerned and fair then the relationship develops so that the pupil wants to try to behave for the adult and may begin to see his or her behaviour from the perspective of others. The improved behaviour when it occurs gives an opportunity for learning to take place and it is important to target this particularly during the report stage.

Social Services often draw up a semi-legal document with adolescents beyond control of their parents that causes all the participants to negotiate the issues and define their roles and actions. These are written into the contract and held to be binding; the document is signed by each participant.

Case example – Joe, a sporting talent

Joe is the middle son of three. He is 13-years-old and currently in Year 9. His academic performance is weak and he underachieves across the board except in sport. He has recently joined the under 15s rugby team at a well-known club.

In class his behaviour record is poor and he is frequently in conflict with both peers and staff and he has been suspended three times since Year 7. A number of staff have refused to teach him. His mother is in absolute despair about his lack of success at school and her inability to control him at home. Staff in the school regard him as a ‘bad lot’ and the sooner he is permanently excluded the better. Joe has difficulties sustaining attention, often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly, does not follow through on instructions and fails to complete schoolwork or chores, and he often interrupts or intrudes on others’ games or conversations.

When he was observed in a lesson there was conflict from the outset. He refused to complete tasks and exhibited threatening and antisocial behaviour to the teacher and had to be withdrawn from the room, giving her a barrage of abuse.

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