When the Adults Change, Everything Changes: Seismic shifts in school behaviour

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Yet, most impactfully, the book concludes with a handy 30-day magic challenge for schools to strive towards in focusing on creating a positive behaviour culture - drawn from ideas shared in the book. Fundamentally, expecting a change overnight is unrealistic, but changing ideas, cultures and expectations over a 30-day period offers everyone within the community to practice some of the changes without any dire consequence, but keeping a record of current problems and reflecting upon starting points will help show how progress is being made during the period of change. In chapter 10, and also throughout the book, Dix criticises the behaviour policies practiced at many schools. In essence, he argues that as well as being ineffective, teachers are ‘run ragged trying to chase and impose detentions.’ This is particularly referring to what is commonly referred to as the consequence system i.e. C1 warning, C2 warning, C3 30 minute detention, C4 isolation, and other similar versions. Dix is adamantly against the use of internal exclusion rooms and alludes to them being similar to prison cells. Children have responded extremely positively to the new rules we've introduced: ready, respectful, safe. They're enjoying thinking about how any old “rules” we had, which were hardly written down or formalised, can be incorporated into these three words. They talk about their own behaviour and the effect it has on others in these terms. Children and staff have a shared language. Reading this book changed my practice overnight, and I've been teaching for 28 years. I knew it was just what we needed, so I've become something of an evangelist. Now staff are reading it and we've based training and practice around what we truly believe to be the way forward. Support staff feel they have the language to deal with misbehaviour and that they are part of a consistent approach. There is a noticeable calmness about all the staff and they can't wait to come into the staffroom and tell everyone else how “the script” has worked! Some are even using it on their own children at home.

The Adults Change: Achievable behaviour nirvana : Paul After The Adults Change: Achievable behaviour nirvana : Paul

We are still very much at the beginning of our journey, but everything we have implemented thus far has come straight from what we have learned directly from reading Paul Dix's book; consequently, there have been no costs involved but the results we have seen have been transformational and have demonstrated high impact. We understand that the culture in our school is set by the way the adults behave. We will continue on our journey using Paul Dix's highly commended book to ensure that we are continue to develop positive behaviour practice. Hannah is known for her inspirational & charismatic training, combining her warmth as a person, passion for school improvement, served with a large portion of ‘realness’ and lived experience. As an Adviser and Coach Hannah is a valued and sought-after critical friend and para-professional. Her empathetic approach, delivered with honesty, underpinned with expertise & knowledge means she has supported many educational settings in whole school change as well as individual progression. full day behaviour training to share the five pillars of the approach with staff, so that we are consistent in our attitudes to students and they are consistent with us.What did you learn from reading the book? What ideas/approaches/practice will you change or adopt as a result of reading this book? Each unit includes exclusive new videos from Paul and the When the Adults Change trainers. There are audio clips, practical tasks, additional reading recommendations, a focus on systems thinking and ideas for discussions that explore the nuances of great relational practice. This is the best relational classroom management programme with Paul’s celebrated approach: inclusive, relational and highly practical. scripted interventions and approaches which have been tried and tested in a range of contexts, from the most challenging urban comprehensives to the most privileged international schools, behaviour training expert and When the Adults Change director Paul Dix advocates an inclusive approach that is practical, transformative and rippling with respect for staff and learners. An approach in which behavioural expectations and boundaries are exemplified by people, not by a thousand rules that nobody can recall. I found myself nodding so much in agreement at Paul Dix’s notion of “deliberate botheredness” that I almost gave myself whiplash. It is not enough for you to know that you care; you have to show it. Even when faced by silence, blank faces, or eye-rolls, we need to go out of our way to show our young people that we care about them and their success and wellbeing.

Paul Dix’s Behaviour Change Online Course - When the Adults Paul Dix’s Behaviour Change Online Course - When the Adults

I pride myself on being somebody with a decent level of emotional intelligence, but this book made me cringe thinking of some of my own behaviours and patterns. It forced me to reflect on things that I do and things that I don’t do. In the short time since reading this book, it has already made me a better principal, and in the process, a better human. Restorative conversations aim to rebuild the relationship between the teacher and pupil following a misbehaviour incident. Dix provides a list of possible questions to ask the pupil, (What happened? What were you thinking at the time? and others) ultimately to get them to consider the effect of their actions on others and behave appropriately in future. Dix also suggests the teacher give the pupil a glass of water during the conversation. Again, he gives a couple of examples of restorative conversations having been effective at schools he has been called into. One main approach that works across many schools is a sense of consistency, with pupils and teachers knowing what is expected, along with visible kindness and respect among every within a school community. In his book “When the adults change, everything changes” Paul Dix explores some approaches in cultivating a school culture where visible consistency creates rapid seismic improvements in behaviour, even where the elusive magic behaviour solution is never quite within reach.He is a volunteer mentor for vulnerable teenagers in his local authority and has been a public advocate for the awareness of men’s mental health. He was formerly National Coordinator for the Scottish Association for the Teaching of English (SATE). In this audiobook version of his bestselling title, Paul Dix talks you through how teachers and school leaders can move beyond the behaviour management revolution and maintain a school culture rooted in relational practice. Hannah is an associate of Optimus Education as an Adviser & Verifier for the SEND & Inclusion Award & Leading Parent Partnership Award. She also delivers training & consultancy for AC Education on Attachment, Trauma & therapeutic provision.

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Yet, “what if we played with the cards we were dealt” and exclusion wasn't an option? Dix offers alternative approaches that mainly stem from building solid relationships with students. He argues that once relationships are strong, these hard-core students are often more than happy to do anything for you. Dix argues that these hard-core students have often experienced severe trauma in their lives at some point, leading to a large distrust in adults. As a result, they will not listen or respect you until you have first shown them how much you care about them.

I think the reason that I oppose the key ideas is because my approach to teaching (and writing about teaching) is rooted in pragmatism, whereas I feel Dix’s work is rooted in ideology. For example, Dix criticises the high rate of incarceration in the UK, whereas I don’t view this as something I, (as part of my role as a teacher) am obliged to be concerned with. Nor do I feel it necessary to compare school sanctions to prison sanctions, however similar they may be, as Dix points out! Whatever your setting, and whatever stage of the journey to getting off the punishment road you are on, you will find this book really helpful in maintaining the -˜drip, drip, drip' of consistency and kindness. I've been inspired to launch -˜legendary line-ups' in the staff briefing this morning-¦ and I may even get a goat! Tara has 20 years of teaching experience working with a wide range of students from inner-city to international private schools. During that time she has led thriving departments as a Head of Department and Head of Faculty. Whilst teaching Tara created programmes to improve boy’s achievement and support successful transitions from primary to secondary school. She has led on Behaviour teams and Teaching and Learning teams. As well as mainstream achievements Tara has worked closely with Pupil Referral Units to develop student-centred Behaviour Management Strategies. The main reason I took issue with this suggestion, however, was actually not the suggestion itself. It was more because I was right in my prediction that some not-so-good SLTs, particularly at struggling schools, will clutch to this and other ideas potentially to the detriment of their teachers. I know of a secondary school in Birmingham which has made ‘handshakes period 1’ a . . . wait for it . . . ‘non-negotiable.’ It would be an insult to the reader -as you’re probably a fellow educator- for me to list all the reasons why this is entirely unacceptable, so I won’t bother. While Dix does not advocate the former, I do believe that it is in the profession’s best interest for such suggestions to be expressed as exactly that: suggestions or ideas. Not saving graces. I can see how the idea would appeal -those videos can be pretty heart-warming- but I think the advice exists for a reason and it’s probably in the best interests of both parties if a teacher does not put their hand out with the expectation that it will be shook by a child. Just last week I asked my pupils how they would feel if all us teachers decided to do this. The feeling was unanimous: weird. Having said this, when a child initiates a fist-bump or a handshake with me I’m happy to reciprocate, but I believe there is a distinct difference between this and when the teacher is the initiator.

WHEN THE ADULTS CHANGE, EVERYTHING CHANGES

Regardless of your own working environment and the behaviour challenges you face, I'd really recommend this book. As the head teacher quoted on the front cover states -˜Paul Dix gets it. After reading this book, you will too'. I completely agree. Five stars. Raymond began his career in education in the 1970s as a teenage flute tutor before becoming an English teacher. He was a head of department in three secondary schools and a Deputy Head Teacher before becoming a lecturer on one of Europe’s largest postgraduate teacher education programmes. For the last twenty years, he has worked on behaviour and ethos with thousands of student teachers and a host of schools from Shetland to Watford, and since leaving the university sector in 2017 he has been an independent consultant as well as a trainer with Pivotal Education. He also teaches part-time at a fantastic school in Glasgow. After completing an exhausting academic year in July 2017, due to dealing with the extremely challenging behaviours pupils across our school were presenting with on a daily basis it was abundantly clear that our approach to managing behaviour wasn't working and something needed to change. With this in mind, I read Paul Dix's book over the summer holidays which completely transformed my thinking and enabled me to establish a clear action plan around a whole school approach to managing children's behaviour. As the title suggests -˜When the Adults Change, everything Changes', it was obvious that a change of culture and mind set was needed - we needed to change. You're a trainee or NQT who has seen a number of behaviour policies and just aren't sure about any of them."Charlotte has developed clinical programmes which have helped children affected by fatal road accidents, murders, natural disasters and suicide. Her training consistently focuses on teaching adults how to respond. She has developed practical frameworks that have been researched and utilised by both Kings College and the NHS in the treatment of alcohol and drug abuse and acute trauma. Rewards are not the answer, either.This was interesting for me, as a teacher who used to give out house points and merits with no real thought. Dix argues again for consistency and suggests that no teacher can use rewards consistently and therefore their use becomes meaningless. He makes some useful observations and suggestions about the way in which these might be used or indeed phased out. The beauty of this book is that it is not full of theory and examples of how to -˜get your students to behave', it's a manual for how your school culture can evolve to one where positivity and botherdness about students can be at the core of your practise. It is about a sustainable model for school improvement where students are truly at the heart of your vision. Tony’s last role was as Headteacher of a PRU in the South-West of England. This was an extremely exciting opportunity to design a new school steeped in relational and Trauma Informed practice, from the furniture to the policies and practices. OFSTED described it as a “safe haven for its pupils”.