If teachers are trained to give more attention to the positives and avert from correcting each minor mistake, it will help improve child behaviour and mental health in their classrooms, according to a new study led by the University of Exeter Medical School.
The study was published recently in the journal Psychological Medicine and evaluated the success of a teacher training programme called the Incredible Years® Teacher Classroom Management Programme. The basic program structure involves building a healthy and powerful social relationship between teachers and students and encouraging teachers to ignore minor low-level disruptions in the classroom.
Under the program, teachers are told to focus on building a positive relationship, age appropriate motivation, and managing disruptive behaviour while acknowledging positive behavior at the same time. The study aims to promote social, mental, and emotional wellbeing in classrooms.
Government surveys have shown that severe behavioral problems are quite common and recurring in classrooms across the UK. Children who show signs of “conduct disorder” are more likely to suffer from mental health disorders.
Tamsin Ford, Professor at the University of Exeter Medical School, said, “Our findings suggest that this training potentially improves all children’s mental health but it’s particularly exciting to see the larger benefit on the children who were initially struggling.”
“These effects might be larger were this training offered to all teachers and teaching assistants. Let’s remember that training one teacher potentially benefits every child that they subsequently teach. Our study offers evidence that we should explore this training further as a whole school approach”, she added.
The outcomes of the training program were evaluated by a series of questionnaires. Teachers, children, and parents were then asked to fill in the questionnaires. The research team also took factors like academic attainment, and use of NHS and social services under consideration. Independent observers, who were not part of the study were also asked to be a part of lessons but weren’t told that the teachers had received training.
Teachers liked the training and thought it was useful for improving children’s behavior, mental health, and concentration since observations indicated that the program greatly affected child compliance and behaviour in the classroom.
Sam Scudder, teacher at the Withycombe Raleigh School in Exmouth, East Devon said, “I’ve found the training has made a real difference and it’s definitely improved my teaching practice. Praise is an essential aspect of the training and ‘proximity praise’ has been a really effective tool. By finding and describing the sort of behaviour you desire, you can bring a change in those who are off-task while simultaneously ignoring them.”
“Of course there are some behaviours you can’t ignore, but the focus is around really celebrating the kids who exhibit the behaviour you want: those who are quietly listening, yet are often overlooked in classrooms. It has a ripple-effect as more children copy that conduct”, added Scudder, who is one of the teachers who undertook the training.