Transcript What are they for? - Using Support Groups to Improve Behaviour

Supporting Positive
Futures and Transitions
Dr Joan Mowat
Presentation for Parents [pupils
could also be invited along, if
desired]
Overview
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What are Support Groups?
Who are they for?
What are they for?
How are parents involved?
What do pupils do?
How is pupil progress assessed?
© Dr Joan Mowat
What are Support Groups?
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groups of 4 pupils meet weekly with a Support
Group Leader for around an hour a week
the group will be supported by other adults or senior
pupils
groups will meet for a minimum of 20 sessions
the activities are discussion-based and are designed
to promote thinking-skills
pupils are involved in individually negotiated targetsetting
© Dr Joan Mowat
Who are they for?
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Pupils who would benefit from additional
support to help them to achieve their potential
at school and/or to make a positive transition
to Secondary school
For some pupils, it is a preventative measure
For other pupils, it is because they may have
problems with their behaviour
© Dr Joan Mowat
What are they for?
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Support Groups aim to develop in pupils:
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Understanding of themselves
Understanding of others
Understanding of their relationships with others
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© Dr Joan Mowat
Understanding of Self and
Others
Beliefs
Values
Attitudes
Motivations
© Dr Joan Mowat
Feelings
What are they for?
To enable pupils to:
 be able to behave well and appropriately
 be able to form and keep good
relationships with pupils and adults
 develop in self-esteem and confidence
 have positive attitudes towards learning
and school and develop good learning
habits
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© Dr Joan Mowat
How are Parents involved?
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Parents are asked to take an interest in what their
child does in the group and talk to them about it
Parents are asked to talk to their son or daughter
about how they have done with target-setting and
sign the card (there is an opportunity to comment)
Parents should keep in regular contact with the
Support Group Leader and alert him or her to any
problems
Parents should receive a progress report at the end
of the intervention and will be asked to comment
upon it
© Dr Joan Mowat
What do pupils do?
Pupil
Diary
Individually
negotiated
target-setting
Activities designed
to promote
reflection &
understanding
© Dr Joan Mowat
Pupil Diary
Choose a situation in which you feel that you coped well or
one in which you feel that you coped badly.
Describe the situation
How did other people react to you at the time?
How did you feel at the time?
What happened as a result?
How did you feel after the event?
What have you learned from the experience?
Eg. of prompt
If the situation did not work out for you, what could you do
differently another time to lead to a better result?
© Dr Joan Mowat
Target setting
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Pupils choose targets once a week with help from
the Support Group Leader
Targets are monitored by class teachers
the Support Group Leader (or a nominated person)
should meet briefly each day with the pupil
Target booklets or cards are sent home daily or
weekly to be signed by parents (option to comment)
The school will try to ensure that the process is
managed in a sensitive way and will make its own
arrangements for this to happen
© Dr Joan Mowat
Target Setting
Showing Consideration
Put up my hand when I want to speak
Keep still in class - don’t fidgit
Keep quiet in class - don’t talk
Do what the teacher is asking me to
do
Developing Learning Habits
Bring the correct equipment to class
Do homework as well as I can
Try to concentrate upon my work
Listen carefully to the teacher
Ask for help if I get stuck
Developing good relationships
Listen to other people - don’t
interrupt
Avoid getting into arguments - walk
away or visualise traffic lights
Be polite to teachers
Treat others the way I want to be
treated
Developing self-responsibility
Try to be calm in class
Think before I act
Say sorry when I have done
something wrong
Keep calm if I get into trouble
Behave responsibly around the school
© Dr Joan Mowat
Exemplars of Pupil Activities
© Dr Joan Mowat
Not Certain
Disagree
Agree
Activity 1c
© Dr Joan Mowat
I don’t think that my
behaviour makes any
difference to how I learn
Activity 1c
© Dr Joan Mowat
The Fight or Flight Response
How people react to stress
 They tend to act in the same way each time
 They want to be seen to be the same as
everyone else in the group
 But, they can draw attention to themselves as
a way of establishing status in the group
 They try to establish territory - “my seat”
 They have difficulty thinking of new ideas
 They tend not to be self-motivated
 They rely on punishments and rewards
Information Sheet 9c
© Dr Joan Mowat
Setting Goals
Where I want to be
Step 3
Where I am
Step 1
Step 2
Activity 3d
© Dr Joan Mowat
Agony Kids
No contest!
…go to the
match
Promise that
you’ll put time
aside to study if
you can go to
the match
Stay at
Home to
Study
You’ve got an important test coming
up. Your Mum wants you to study but
you want©to
go to the match.
Dr Joan Mowat
Activity 4a
Assessing pupil progress
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The Support Group Leader will observe the child in
the group and see how he/she is behaving around
the school
Pupils complete a booklet about their progress in
the group
Pupils complete a short questionnaire (assisted by
their Support Group Leader) at the end of the
intervention
The teacher who nominated the pupil for support will
be asked to comment upon the child’s progress.
© Dr Joan Mowat