‘When the Adults Change Everything Changes – Seismic Shifts in School Behaviour’, written by Paul Dix and published by Independent Thinking Press (2017) is a real page-turner and recommended read, for anyone interested in shifting children’s behaviour within a school. Easy to read and full of sound advice that really makes sense when you read it and makes you  wonder why you haven’t heard this before.

My favourite quote from the book is:

“It seems that the behaviour of a few leaders is pivotal to the success of such initiatives. Many would argue that their behaviour is pivotal to the success of the school. Without visible consistency from the top, collaborative agreements are just discarded sticky notes at the end of an INSET day.”

What a powerful paragraph! I absolutely fell in love with it, whilst imagining the myriad of discarded “sticky note” suggestions that had been dismissed, not because of lack of thought or effort, but because of lack of consistency amongst those who came up with the ideas. Of course there needs to be visible consistency from the top, not just from the teachers to see a change in the pupils behaviour,  but also from the headteacher and leaders for teachers’ behaviour to change. No behaviour shift can be made without consistency, whether that is as simple as keeping your word, or following guidelines and rules without exceptions for teachers, leaders or head teachers. It’s really simple, yet can be amazingly effective; I can only imagine the possibilities!

The book has many case studies from a variety of schools, ranging from the most challenging urban schools to the most privileged schools in the world. It is written with immense respect for both staff and learners and examines effective practice with easy to follow advice, as well as suggestions and ideas for all school settings. Definitely worth a read! Have you read it? Leave a comment below, what did you think? 💭💭

Till next time…