The key to controlling behaviour

It begins with the realization that it is impossible to control an individual’s behaviour! The only thing we can do is influence behaviour and it is this that we should set out to do. Another thing that came to me was derived from the simple analogy of a peripheral device connected to a computer. Perhaps I am stating the blatantly obvious, but it is impossible to ‘influence’ or ‘talk to’ something that you are not connected to. The computer would not be able to communicate with the peripheral device (like a printer, or scanner) unless it was physically connected via cables (coaxial, or even better –fibre optic –yes I’m an ICT teacher!). In much the same way, it is impossible to communicate (in a way that would be beneficial) with someone who you are disconnected from. Or, to put it another way, you have to be connected to something or someone in order to control it in anyway.

The relationship between teachers and children is comparable. We try to influence or control the behaviour of X without knowing a thing about X or indeed even being sure of his name! The sort of positive communication that we desire as teachers is often only achieved as the result of a well established connection. How, you may ask, do we make a connection with a pupil? (Particularly with one we want to make anything but a connection with!). The key is finding some common ground, something to laugh about, something personal and human, something real, something unconnected to how well they are (or are not, as the case may be) achieving.