{"version":"1.0.0","segments":[{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":87.50999999999999,"endTime":97.28999999999999,"body":"Working with a class or an individual student who's bringing behaviour challenges and the whole situation's making you, as a teacher, feel stressed and drained."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":97.75,"endTime":101.109,"body":"Like, there's just nothing that works to improve things."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":101.109,"endTime":107.82499999999999,"body":"Like, the kids are getting away from you, and you're not sure what to do next, you're stuck, then keep listening because in"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":107.82499999999999,"endTime":116.80499999999999,"body":"this week's School Behaviour Secrets, I'm gonna give you one important change to get you unstuck and making progress with your students again."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":117.56,"endTime":122.09,"body":"Welcome to the School Behaviour Secrets podcast. I'm your host, Simon Currigan."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":122.19999999999999,"endTime":128.92,"body":"My cohost is Emma Shackleton, and we're obsessed with helping teachers, school leaders, parents, and, of course, students"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":128.92,"endTime":131.82,"body":"when classroom behaviour gets in the way of success."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":131.95999999999998,"endTime":138.185,"body":"We're gonna share the tried and tested secrets to classroom management, behavioural special needs, whole school strategy, and"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":138.185,"endTime":142.285,"body":"more, all with the aim of helping your students reach their true potential."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":142.505,"endTime":148.19,"body":"Plus, we'll be letting you eavesdrop on our conversations with thought leaders from around the world."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":148.43,"endTime":153.07,"body":"So you'll get to hear the latest evidence based strategies before anyone else."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":153.07,"endTime":157.79,"body":"This is the School Behaviour Secrets Podcast. Hi there."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":157.79,"endTime":162.19,"body":"My name's Simon Currigan, and welcome to this week's School Behaviour Secrets."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":162.19,"endTime":164.165,"body":"It's a Quick fire episode this week."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":164.64499999999998,"endTime":170.96499999999997,"body":"That's where because it's half term where we're teaching, it's my chance really to share something new or something different"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":170.96499999999997,"endTime":176.745,"body":"that I think is important to think about before we come back next week with a regular episode."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":177.53,"endTime":184.889,"body":"And this week, I'm gonna give you one important change to make if you're currently stuck with a difficult class or perhaps"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":184.889,"endTime":192.905,"body":"as a child bringing a challenging behaviour into the room when you're struggling to make those connections with them and move things forward in a positive direction."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":192.905,"endTime":194.905,"body":"So make sure you keep listening for that."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":194.905,"endTime":200.20499999999998,"body":"If you're finding these episodes helpful or useful, definitely like and subscribe to the podcast."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":200.265,"endTime":207.78,"body":"When you do that, it prompts the algorithm to let other teachers, school leaders, and parents just like you know about the"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":207.78,"endTime":209.95999999999998,"body":"information we're sharing on School Behaviour Secrets."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":210.33999999999997,"endTime":215.78,"body":"If you find this episode helpful as well, we've also got a free resource that complements it really, really well."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":215.78,"endTime":222.795,"body":"It's called the Classroom Management Score sheet, and it's a checklist of things that you're doing or not doing in the classroom"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":222.795,"endTime":225.695,"body":"that all have an impact on classroom behaviour."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":226.155,"endTime":232.335,"body":"So it might be things about the environment or the lesson structure or the way you're using your voice and the way you present"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":233.01999999999998,"endTime":241.42,"body":"They all come together to have an impact on the way that the whole class behave and react. It's a completely free download."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":241.42,"endTime":242.85999999999999,"body":"You can get it from our website."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":242.85999999999999,"endTime":245.9,"body":"I'll put a direct link in the show notes."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":245.9,"endTime":250.165,"body":"All you have to do is click on this episode in your podcast player and click right through."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":250.165,"endTime":258.66499999999996,"body":"It's completely free, and I've seen it used over and over in schools to have a real impact on those tricky classes."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":259.044,"endTime":265.669,"body":"So if you're struggling to reach a class or an individual student, it's really really hard."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":265.669,"endTime":267.53,"body":"I can tell you I've been there."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":267.75,"endTime":270.78999999999996,"body":"It can feel like you're sort of spiraling downwards."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":270.78999999999996,"endTime":276.25,"body":"You can feel the stress building because you wanna be successful for the kids and you want the kids to be successful."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":276.845,"endTime":283.885,"body":"So what we have to do is we have to think about our mindset because when you're in that downward spiral it's hard to see a way forward."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":283.885,"endTime":289.265,"body":"So I want to introduce you to a concept called the locus of control."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":289.65999999999997,"endTime":297.1,"body":"So there are 2 locuses of control or loci of control, you can have an external locus of control, and that's where you feel"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":297.1,"endTime":300.24,"body":"like control of events is external, it's outside."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":300.69899999999996,"endTime":310.225,"body":"So you feel like things are happening to you and then the opposite obviously of an external locus of control is an internal locus of control."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":310.525,"endTime":317.03,"body":"And that's where you feel like you are making decisions, you are making change, you are having an impact."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":317.03,"endTime":323.85,"body":"So let's think about how that applies to a situation where we might be working with a tricky class or a student who's bringing"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":324.07,"endTime":329.369,"body":"significant SEMH needs into the classroom and it's it's hard to find the right approach to support them."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":329.515,"endTime":338.075,"body":"Well, if you have an external locus of control, if you think control the situation is outside of you, then it's very easy"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":338.075,"endTime":345.68999999999994,"body":"to quickly start feeling victim, like things are being done to you, like the class is in control."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":345.68999999999994,"endTime":349.53,"body":"And when you're in there, it can feel like there's there's no way out."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":349.53,"endTime":358.485,"body":"And the result of that is you might feel depressed, you might feel helpless, or you might feel low, like the situation is"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":358.485,"endTime":365.625,"body":"just sliding away out of your control, events are happening to you, and you're not having the impact that you want."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":365.845,"endTime":371.60900000000004,"body":"On the other hand, if you've got an internal locus of control and you're struggling with a tricky class then you will feel"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":371.60900000000004,"endTime":373.28999999999996,"body":"like you still can have an impact."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":373.28999999999996,"endTime":380.42999999999995,"body":"You'll be looking at the things that are within your control and you'll be feeling like you can still make meaningful changes"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":380.57000000000005,"endTime":383.94899999999996,"body":"that can get that class moving in the right direction."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":385.025,"endTime":393.82500000000005,"body":"So the important thing is if you're struggling to reach a class or an individual student, what we have to do is make an intentional gear shift."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":393.82500000000005,"endTime":401.80999999999995,"body":"We have to make the change, the intentional change to make sure we are thinking about having an internal locus of control."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":402.03,"endTime":410.35,"body":"We are recognizing the changes that we can make that will have a meaningful impact on the progress and the success of our class."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":410.35,"endTime":417.03499999999997,"body":"Now that's easy to say, but it's harder to do especially, you know, when you've been battling with a class for maybe weeks"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":417.03499999999997,"endTime":419.67499999999995,"body":"or months and you just feel like you're not getting anywhere."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":419.67499999999995,"endTime":427.29999999999995,"body":"But making that mindset shift is the first step to actually having the impact that you're looking for."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":427.43999999999994,"endTime":431.52,"body":"And there are always things that you can change that will have an impact."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":431.52,"endTime":440.005,"body":"So let's imagine you've got a really difficult class, they find it really hard to sit still, they don't gel, they find it"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":440.005,"endTime":447.385,"body":"hard to focus for even 20 minutes on a task before they're off task and talking to each other, and then you get silly low level behaviours happening."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":447.44500000000005,"endTime":454.345,"body":"Once we've made that decision to switch to having an internal locus of control, we're gonna focus on the things that we can change."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":455.019,"endTime":458.47900000000004,"body":"We're not going to focus on the things that are beyond our control."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":458.69899999999996,"endTime":463.84000000000003,"body":"So we've got a bunch of kids here who just don't get on socially, they just don't gel."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":464.139,"endTime":470.23900000000003,"body":"Well, there's probably not a lot we can do in the short term about their social skills."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":470.514,"endTime":474.855,"body":"Perhaps you're in secondary and they're late to class, you know, otherwise 3 or 4 minutes late."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":475.07500000000005,"endTime":480.995,"body":"The impact you can have there as an individual teacher is going to be fairly limited."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":480.995,"endTime":485.95000000000005,"body":"You might think about their upbringing the way they were parented perhaps you think they should be more respectful."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":485.95000000000005,"endTime":487.97,"body":"Well, there's not a lot you can do about that."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":488.35,"endTime":497.23,"body":"You might worry about their current academic ability or you might focus on their inability to pay attention and do their best work."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":497.23,"endTime":507.18499999999995,"body":"These are all things that we can do very little about in the short term and worrying about those actually keeps pushing us into this external locus of control."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":507.885,"endTime":515.09,"body":"So we could do that and feel bad about the situation and feel like a victim or we could focus on the things that we can change. Okay?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":515.09,"endTime":518.71,"body":"So here are some examples of things that we could change for this class."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":518.769,"endTime":523.51,"body":"You could ask yourself, how do I show up in the first five minutes?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":523.97,"endTime":525.965,"body":"Do I turn up with a positive attitude?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":525.965,"endTime":527.885,"body":"Am I there making connections with the class?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":527.885,"endTime":531.185,"body":"Am I welcoming them into the room? Am I being proactive?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":532.125,"endTime":536.385,"body":"Am I starting conversations, or am I reminding them of what they need to do?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":536.525,"endTime":542.05,"body":"How I show up in the first five minutes could make a huge difference, or am I being negative?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":542.11,"endTime":545.73,"body":"Am I complaining to them as they walk through the door?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":545.87,"endTime":547.55,"body":"Am I saying you shouldn't be late?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":547.55,"endTime":550.29,"body":"Am I complaining about the fact that they didn't do their homework?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":551.07,"endTime":560.285,"body":"Those first five minutes really set the tone for what's going to happen for the rest of the hour, and these are all things that we can change."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":560.905,"endTime":562.905,"body":"Am I prepared to hit the ground running?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":562.905,"endTime":564.665,"body":"Have I done all my lesson prep?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":564.665,"endTime":569.75,"body":"When the children come through the door, am I ready to engage with them and all the resources are ready?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":569.81,"endTime":575.59,"body":"Or am I sort of faffing about with a pile of photocopying at the back of the room with my back turned to them?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":575.73,"endTime":578.95,"body":"These are things that we can change. We can change the environment."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":579.414,"endTime":587.095,"body":"Here's just a few examples when the children walk in maybe you're playing calming music, some calming classical music."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":587.095,"endTime":594.555,"body":"You're looking at music that doesn't have a drumbeat, doesn't have vocals to it, just some calming traditional classical music."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":594.919,"endTime":599.58,"body":"It makes everyone just take a deep breath and feel like this is a productive learning environment."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":600.119,"endTime":601.72,"body":"Have I got a task out ready for them?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":601.72,"endTime":610.0450000000001,"body":"Are they walking into the room to nothing or is there a task out with instructions on the board sending the message that this"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":610.0450000000001,"endTime":615.585,"body":"classroom is a workplace and there's expectations for you to start working from the minute you walk through the door?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":615.725,"endTime":619.825,"body":"You can look at your seating plan and think, am I using that really effectively?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":620.3000000000001,"endTime":624.8000000000001,"body":"Have I been really intentional about the combinations of kids that I put together?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":624.94,"endTime":629.1800000000001,"body":"Have I been intentional about kids that have a line of sight to each other?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":629.1800000000001,"endTime":634.775,"body":"Because often children will make nonverbal signals during the lesson maybe if they can catch each other's eye they'll make"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":634.775,"endTime":637.995,"body":"each other laugh or make each other smile and throw each other off task."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":638.215,"endTime":642.855,"body":"Have I sat them by their surname which is essentially a random seating plan?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":642.855,"endTime":650.73,"body":"Or have I sat them by ability which on paper might sound like a good thing but in practice these kids are not getting on,"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":650.73,"endTime":653.21,"body":"they're talking, they're throwing throwing themselves off tasks."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":653.21,"endTime":658.11,"body":"So if we've tried that approach and it hasn't worked, then it's time to change things up."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":658.1700000000001,"endTime":660.57,"body":"We can focus on things like lesson structure."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":660.57,"endTime":668.5450000000001,"body":"If this is a class that finds it difficult to focus on a task for 25 minutes then we can experiment with chunking where we"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":668.5450000000001,"endTime":675.4250000000001,"body":"break the task up so we might do a little bit of whole class input and then set them to a task for say 10 or 15 minutes and"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":675.4250000000001,"endTime":681.53,"body":"then we bring them back together and do some whole class talk and then we chunk it in the next part of the task?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":681.83,"endTime":689.2900000000001,"body":"Am I using visual teaching methods instead of just giving them spoken instructions because they find it difficult to process a verbal?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":689.9150000000001,"endTime":698.635,"body":"Am I actually harnessing their need to talk by using social groups and using social learning activities, using games to sort"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":698.635,"endTime":701.455,"body":"of engage and work with their enthusiasm?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":702.07,"endTime":708.1700000000001,"body":"The other things we can look at are things like am I actively forming relationships with kids in that room?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":708.23,"endTime":711.37,"body":"When they walk through the door do I ask them how they're doing?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":711.4300000000001,"endTime":713.77,"body":"Do I look like I'm interested in their lives?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":713.91,"endTime":720.575,"body":"Or do I give the impression as they walk through the door that they're just units of work to me and I'm here to deliver subject"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":720.575,"endTime":723.395,"body":"knowledge rather than to get to know them as human beings?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":723.695,"endTime":728.434,"body":"Forming relationships is an incredibly powerful thing that's completely within our control."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":728.734,"endTime":729.86,"body":"Am I using enough recognition and praise when the kids walk through the room or when they're on task and when they're focused?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":729.94,"endTime":734.464,"body":"Recognition and praise when the kids walk through the room or when they're on task and when they're focused?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":734.464,"endTime":735.004,"body":"Am I giving them recognition for that?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":735.004,"endTime":735.94,"body":"Or am I just letting it slide and go unnoticed?"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":735.94,"endTime":741.24,"body":"Because the quantity of recognition, the quantity of praise that you use are always directly"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":746.075,"endTime":750.1750000000001,"body":"related to the quality of focus and attention and behavior in the room."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":750.554,"endTime":756.475,"body":"Those are just some things off the top of my head that are completely within our control that we can improve on and change"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":756.475,"endTime":760.809,"body":"and work on that will all have an impact on the behaviour of the class."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":760.809,"endTime":768.57,"body":"Now none of these things by themselves are going to be a silver bullet or it's incredibly unlikely that these things are gonna be a silver bullet."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":768.57,"endTime":776.145,"body":"But what you'll often find is that when you start using say 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 changes instead of having one silver bullet, what"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":776.145,"endTime":779.0450000000001,"body":"you find is the answer is a 100 b b palettes."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":779.265,"endTime":785.285,"body":"It's 7, 8, 9, 10 little changes that embedded over time have a real real impact."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":785.985,"endTime":792.33,"body":"So if you're working with a tricky class or you're having difficulties reaching and connecting with a child who's got their"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":792.33,"endTime":800.51,"body":"own SEMH needs and that's resulting in kind of overwhelmed explosive behaviour, first off, don't take their behaviour personally,"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":801.0500000000001,"endTime":808.395,"body":"then make the decision to have an internal locus of control, focus on the things you can change, and then sit down with a"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":808.395,"endTime":816.635,"body":"piece of paper and start making a checklist right now of all the things that are within your control and then start tackling"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":816.635,"endTime":821.84,"body":"them one change at a time in a manageable sustainable way."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":821.98,"endTime":827.0400000000001,"body":"It's kind of like the old joke what's the best way to eat an elephant? It's 1 bite at a time."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":827.34,"endTime":833.315,"body":"What's the best way to tackle a really complex problem? It's one strategy at a time."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":833.315,"endTime":838.835,"body":"And before you know it you're making changes and you'll find that you are having an impact on the situation again."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":838.835,"endTime":841.575,"body":"You find that there will be changes that are positive."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":841.7950000000001,"endTime":849.97,"body":"You'll feel back in the driver's seat and you'll feel better about your teaching and managing your class. And you know what? They'll thank you for it."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":849.97,"endTime":852.39,"body":"That's all I've got for you today. I hope you found that useful."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":852.53,"endTime":857.51,"body":"I hope if you're on half term at the moment, you're kicking back maybe enjoying a cocktail and going out in the sunshine."},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":857.885,"endTime":864.684,"body":"If you're not on holiday this week, my sympathies, but I hope you have a brilliant productive week with your students, and"},{"speaker":"Simon Currigan","startTime":864.684,"endTime":867.985,"body":"I look forward to seeing you next week on School Behaviour Secrets."}]}