| Teachers |
| urged to |
| shut up |
|
| IT is time for teachers who say |
| “Stop it” to stop it. And those |
| who try to keep order with the |
| command “Shut up” should shut |
| up, writes Judith Judd. |
| Classroom language, it seems, |
| does not always get the attention |
| it deserves. Teachers who use |
| attention-drawing demands such |
| as “Girls!”, “Sandra!” or just |
| “3C” should expect chaos to |
| continue, according to a booklet |
| issued today by the Association |
| of Teachers and Lecturers which |
| offers guidance on discipline. |
| A string of commands, threats |
| and demands is much less likely |
| to end disruption than a firm |
| signal that behaviour is |
| unwanted, with a reminder of |
| known rules. So a teacher should |
| say “Rulers aren’t for fighting |
| with” or should warn of the |
| consequences of bad behaviour - |
| “Someone will get hurt if this |
| equipment is lying there.” |
| Chris Watkins of London |
| University’s Institute of |
| Education, warns teachers not to |
| make derogatory personal |
| comments about their pupils. |
| “Timothy, stop being childish and |
| give Rosemary her ruler back,” is |
| counterproductive because it |
| builds up resentments. Instead, |
| the teacher might say: “Timothy |
| you’re quite able to get on with |
| your work, so return Rosemary’s |
| ruler and let her do the same.” |
| He also says teachers should |
| control their desire to react |
| angrily to aggression by counting |
| to 10 before responding. |
|
| ‘The Independent’, |
| February 13, 1998 |
