School Behaviour Focus Teams (BFT's)
Cost effective ongoing whole school behaviour
management & professional learning with colleague support
(All BME & Jenny Mackay
professional learning references the Victoria Institute of Teachers' Standards of Professional Practice
in the following elements: 1, 3, 4, 5, & 6 and the Principals of Effective
Professional Learning elements: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9. VIT credits
apply)
Rationale
During the current Parliament of Victoria Education and Training Committee's
inquiry into effective strategies for teacher professional learning, the
following repeatedly stressed elements are particularly applicable to BFT's.
-
Effective professional learning is strongly
linked with teachers who are continuously involved in their own professional
learning and who are "working with a cluster of other teachers" (Eg.,
Monday 6 August
2007, Melbourne (PDF 146KB)
Ms M. Meiers, senior research fellow, Australian Council for Educational
Research.
-
The most valued and cost effective
professional learning is that which produces permanent changes in teaching
practice together with improvement in learning outcomes as shown by
verifiable research.
-
Professional learning should be relevant and
linked to standards of professional learning.
Behaviour Focus Teams
The purpose of these is to provide an informal, relaxed and supportive
atmosphere in which current classroom and school behaviour issues and
difficulties can be shared and explored. Solutions and strategies are
discussed; what works and what doesn't, innovations planned, results reviewed
and new approaches considered.
15 Victorian schools are currently using behaviour focus teams.
The combined skill base of participants is made available to all and the
school's own approach to behaviour management, school ethos and philosophy form
the core values of behavioural interventions.
The efficacy and cost effectiveness of professional learning teams is now
established. For beginning and returning teachers, the sharing of ideas
and support are particularly valuable.
Additional skills and innovations are derived from optional BME workshops and
these cement a common approach to managing behaviour.
The meetings are informal voluntary groups and can be set-up by any member of
staff. A start can be made with just two people. Others will get curious and
want to get involved. The ideal group size is between five and seven and 30
minute meetings can occur weekly or even fortnightly as all teachers are hard
pressed for time.
There is no leader, only a convenor who simply facilitates and encourages
discussion. This responsibility rotates. The meeting input is in the form
of presenting 'case studies' without student names or gender being mentioned.
Records take the form of notes as to who presented what, when and which
strategies were suggested so that feedback can be given efficiently at the next
meeting. Care is taken not to allow the meeting do deteriorate into vague
discussion. The focus is held on the behaviour and never the person or the
class.
As Haim Ginott said, "Discipline, like surgery, requires precision - no random cuts, no rambling
comments."
Most schools that utilize professional learning teams have formalised them and
have allocated regular school time to them.
Enquiries: Please email or phone us on 03 9399 8491
