A Teaching Assistant's Guide to Managing Behaviour in the Classroom

Challenging behavior amongst pupils is as much of a headache for teaching assistants as it is for teachers. This book, specifically written with teaching assistants in mind, looks at common behavior problems in the classroom, explains typical causes of misbehavior and shows what teaching assistants can do to tackle and tame disruptive students in their care. Using a range of case-studies, all of which are based on real-life situations and discussed exclusively from the perspective of a teaching assistant, Susan Bentham explores: The role of the teaching assistant in relation to School Behavior Policies When and how to reward good behavior Why we should understand the reason for bad behavior, in order to determine the most appropriate way of dealing with it How to implement the behavior strategies that really work Mirroring the course content of most Teaching Assistant GNVQ and Foundation degree qualifications, the author adopts a reflective approach to behaviormanagement. She effectively illustrates how practitioners can learn from their experiences and develop new skills and coping strategies, which will enable them to concentrate on the most important part of their job: supporting learning. This book is a must buy for any teaching assistant for whom bad behavior is proving their biggest everyday challenge.

Susan Bentham teaches Psychology at Bognor Regis Adult Education Centre, West Sussex.