There are only 2 directions children can follow when they haven’t a clue what’s going on in class. They can’t read properly, so their chance of surviving in class is severely curtailed. The direction they follow is to become an increasingly troublesome behaviour problem. Their intelligence is used in a destructive way. These kids are clever, but grossly under-educated. They can’t use their brains to extend their knowledge because they haven’t got sufficient foundations to build on. They don’t have confidence in their abilities because their abilities have never been explored. It’s just assumed that because they fall behind in their work there must be something wrong with their level of intelligence.

I’ve just had one of this category of kid started in my group. His behaviour in school is appalling. He’s violent, confrontational, verbally abusive. He’s also judged by school to be ‘bright’… So why then can’t he do basic arithmetic? He’s 10 years old for heavens sake… He only knows his 2 times tables by using his fingers to count up… He can’t do basic 2 digit calculations… He’s got a reading age nearly 2 years behind his chronological age…. Yet school consider him ‘bright’.

How? And why aren’t they asking themselves, ‘If this child’s bright but underachieving to such an appalling level, what on earth are we doing wrong?’

But that doesn’t enter their heads… It’s far easier, because of the boy’s increasingly bad behaviour, to make that the reason for his under achievement. Can’t possibly be something they’re doing (or not doing!), can it? Actually, he isn’t without academic ability, but the school’s results certainly aren’t indicating that…

Another example, this time a little girl who falls into the category of ‘can’t do it but not making a fuss’…

This child was year 3 and working on a maths computer game. She had to colour a shape using fractions indicated by the computer program. She obviously hadn’t a clue what to do and was quietly clicking colours on and off randomly. I asked her if she wanted some help and she was close to tears – poor little tot to be so upset…

As I talked to her it became clear she didn’t even know what a fraction was. Within a couple of minutes she was understanding and happily colouring in her flags – she was very quick to catch on! But without this bit of help her confidence would have been in free fall – but there’s nothing wrong with her level of intelligence. But she wouldn’t have made a fuss, just slipped further and further behind, dreading being asked anything by the teacher… poor kid…

What’s the point of the mountains of statistics collected during assessment processes if the information isn’t used to enhance children’s learning? To help them achieve their potential and extend their knowledge?

Just quickly that reminds me of a major behaviour problem of a few years ago. A tiny little guy – about 5 or 6 years old with seriously deteriorating behaviour. I was called into the school and just on the off chance I asked him if he’d read to me. He was delighted and brought a book. His reading was remarkable – unbelievable for such a little guy. I asked the school what age his reading assessment indicated. They hadn’t done one – but when they did the assessment he had a reading age of a 10 year old! Incredible. An infant with upper junior ability… cater for that and problem solved! Hardly rocket science is it?

Ask yourself ‘why?’ if you’re facing problem behaviour. It may be due to lack of behaviour management skills, but also ineffective teaching. A lack of differentiation in lessons can lead to problem behaviour. Practise differentiation and meet children’s learning needs – you’ll save yourself from a lot of stressful situations!

Liz Marsden is a successful children’s behaviour management specialist who uses her expertise in her own classes and also to train teachers, trainee teachers, teaching assistants and parents to manage children’s behaviour confidently. Visit Liz’s website where you can access her down to earth behaviour management advice which you can easily put in to practise and see immediate results.