Robert White: Durham University

1
Robert White Durham University

• Building Schools of Character Toward a unified
  theory of social, emotional and cognitive
  education

2
Moving Forward through Research

• The Setting
• Lack of Direction
• School Climate
• The Challenge
• The Programme Staff Training

3
Understanding the impact of Character Education

• Findings are from an on-going case study which
  began in December 2006
• Quantitative Data Collected
• Non-Participant Observation
• Surveys
• Archival
• Baseline information collected and behaviour
  tracked
• Qualitative Data Collected
• Participant Observation
• Semi-structured Interviews
• Questionnaires

4
The Findings Quantitative

• On the Play Ground
• Disrespectful/Irresponsible Behaviour (e.g.
  fighting, verbal abuse, unsanctioned 'play',
  'ganging')
• Acts of Good Character (e.g. supporting,
  organizing, informing)
• In the Classroom
• Off-task / Disruptive Behaviour (e.g. chatting,
  out of seat, refusing to complete task, not
  following re-direction etc..)
• Around the School
• Office Referrals (e.g. Pupils sent to senior
  staff)
• Exclusions (e.g. Fixed Term, Permanent,
  Un-official)

5
Quantitative Findings by the numbersFrom
introducing the BSC programme to the end of the
school year

• On the Play Ground
• 87 Decrease of Inappropriate behaviour
• 63 Increase in Acts of Good Character
• In the Classroom
• 94 Decrease of Off-Task/Disruptive Behaviour
• Around the School
• Decrease in office referrals (from an average of
  5/day to 3 / week)
• Exclusions ( 1 fixed term, 0 Permanent, 0
  Unofficial)
• Previous 6 months 7 fixed term, 1 permanent, 5
  on-going unofficial

6
From the Pupils Perspective

• 77 of pupils felt their behaviour has improved
  with 46 reporting significant improvement
• 96 of pupils felt that the atmosphere in the
  classroom has improved
• 85 of pupils felt that The Building Schools of
  Character Programme had made a difference to
  their learning with 58 saying this difference
  was significant

7
The Findings Qualitative

• Semi-Structured Interviews and Questionnaires
  conducted (before implementation and then again
  after 6 months) to obtain
• Administration Perspective
• Teacher/Support Staff Perspective
• Pupil Perspectives

8
Administration Perspective on School Climate and
Pupil Behaviour

• Before The reward ignore system led to a
  climate of chaos
• Noisy, Shouting, Pushing, Angry, Appalling
  Language, Absolute Disrespect, No Laughter
• Staff/Pupils Totally Demoralized
• A crisis atmosphere of stress and anxiety
• After A climate of respect with calm
  Staff/Pupils Moral Sky Rocketed, , pupils
  smiling, happy and laughter has returned, Parents
  are more confident in the schools ability to
  teach and children to learn, Every aspect of
  school is better, Lunch time, Play Time, Class
  Time, Assembly

9
Teacher/ Support Staff Perspective School Climate
and Pupil Behaviour

• Before
• Pupils not responding to current behaviour
  strategy(i.e. reward/sanctions)
• Classroom is often disrupted by several specific
  children
• Staff are often tense with all pupils not just
  the disruptive ones
• Sometimes I just do not want to come to work
• The Classroom/ School is often uneasy, tense,
  noisy, not relaxed

10
Teacher/ Support Staff Perspective School Climate
and Pupil Behaviour

• After
• The Programme has made a tremendous improvement
  in classroom and school climate
• It is easier to teach and change pace of learning
  and styles
• Children are so much more confident to
  participate in learning
• The School is much more relaxed, No aggressive
  atmosphere
• Can cover more of the curriculum, pupils listen
• Foul language around the school has 'STOPPED'

11
Pupil Perspective on School Climate Pupil
Behaviour

• Before
• Focus on the bad kids
• Bad kids get to do the good stuff
• We never do the fun stuff
• Fights everyday during play time
• Lessons are boring
• Always someone messing about during lessons

12
Pupil Perspective on School Climate /Pupil
Behaviour

• After
• Less Fighting during play time
• More focus on the good kids
• Less messing around Teacher more relaxed
• Learning is more fun
• More focus on learning
• Less noise and disruption during lessons
• Easier to make friends
• A lot less bullying

13
Non-Participant Observation Findings

• Before
• Inconsistent response to inappropriate
  behaviour(i.e. some staff permissive, some staff
  authoritarian, few staff authoritative)
• On average 67 of teacher 'talk' focused on
  behaviour management during lessons, 5 on
  relationship building, 28 on content
• Disruptive behaviour consisted of Chatting,
  Throwing Things, Back Talking, going on a 'walk
  about', leaving the classroom, leaving the school

14
Non-Participant Observation Findings

• After
• Consistent Authoritative Approach to Behaviour
  Management
• Consistent approach to the use of Character
  Education Language for Classroom/Behaviour
  Management
• 24 of teacher 'talk' focused on behaviour
  management during lessons, 17 on relationship
  building, 59 on content