Behavioural Guidance Plan

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION

ASSERTIVE DISCIPLINE

APPLIED BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS (ABA)

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THEORY (CBT)

NEO-ADLERIAN

HUMANIST

SOLUTION FOCUSED APPROACH (SFA)

10

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHICAL BELIEFS

11

REFERENCES

11

Introduction
In every classroom, with every student and every teacher there is
behavioural guidance happening. There are many differing theories
that allow a teacher to develop their own personal plan, and equip
them to manage their classroom. Understanding the theoretical
approaches to classroom management is imperative for a classroom
teacher, and pre-service teachers to be successful. For pre-service
teachers this is particularly important, as having a developed
behaviour management plan may allow them to better enter their
placements feeling confident and prepared.
There are six major classroom management theories which teachers
can draw from in creating their behavioural guidance plan. These
theories are Assertive Discipline, Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA),
Cognitive Behaviour Theory (CBT), Neo-Adlerian, Solution Focused
Approach (SFA) and Humanism. (McDonald, 2010, p. 99) These
theories can be separated into three main groups, Psychoeducational theories, Cognitive Behavioural theories and
EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162
1

Assessment Item

Behavioural theories. Psycho-education theories suggest that

students have needs and that their behaviour is an attempt to meet
their needs. These theories state that teachers need to try and
create a learning environment that can meet these needs. Cognitive
Behavioural theories promote thoughtful, and proactive involvement
of students in negotiating improved behaviour. These theories
combine both cognitive and behavioural techniques to alter the way
students think and feel, and therefore behave. Behavioural theories
are highly rigid, and follow strong procedures and practices. They
focus on modifying observable behaviours. (Lyons, Ford, & ArthurKelly, 2011, p. 6)
The groups of theories can be placed on a continuum, with
Authoritarianism at one end, and Egalitarianism at the other. The
two ends of the spectrum are completely contrasting, and differ
highly from one another. The Authoritarianism method promotes the
teacher has high authority in their classroom, and the students have
little to no say regarding their learning conditions. Moving towards
the other end of the continuum, there is a middle ground where the
teacher input decreases and student input increases, and reaching
the Equalitarianism method finds definitive equality between
teachers and students.
Figure 1 demonstrates the behavioural management continuum,
and shows the flow of power and where each theory sits within the
three groups.
Behavioural Management Theory Continuum
Behavioural
Cognitive
Psycho-Educational
Assertiv
Applied
Cognitive
NeoHumani
Solution
e
Behaviour Behaviour Adleria
st
Focused
Disciplin
Analysis
Theory
n
Approach
e
(ABA)
(CBT)
(SFA)
Teacher Has All Power -------------------------------------------------Shared Power
Punishment
Equalitarian
Applied Power
Shared Power
Figure 1

EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162

1

Assessment Item

Assertive Discipline
Assertive Discipline is the furthest theory to the Authoritarianism
end of the spectrum. The theory was developed by Lee and Marlene
Canter and involved establishing a clear discipline plan and
maintaining order in the classroom. The idea of facilitating best
teaching and learning by using limits and rules, which are set and
taught by the teacher. (Lyons, Ford, & Arthur-Kelly, 2011)
The teaching style is assertive, but the teacher should remain
approachable and be supportive of their students. Compliance with
the limits and rules is rewarded with formal recognition and
incentives. Students who are disruptive or disobedient would be
corrected with a hierarchy of sanctions.
Students may individually negotiate their behaviour management
plans with their school executives and parents, but only outside of
class time.
The principles of the Assertive Discipline theory are very clear, and
are clearly influenced by behavioural theories. Within an Assertive
Discipline plan children need clear behavioural limits and adults
should exercise control over them. These plans are based on explicit
classroom discipline, which is supported by the school executive,
but does not necessarily reflect the whole school discipline plan.
Within an assertive discipline classroom students are expected to
abide by rules and be compliant with their teachers expectations,
there is not wide flexibility in the classroom. The reliance on
students compliance in the classroom does allow for students to
receive quality curriculum and pedagogy, and provides
psychological safety for both students and teachers.
There are many positive practices aligned with the Assertive
Discipline theory including establishing an ordered and productive
teaching and learning environment. The theory allows for teachers
to be very prepared in their classrooms, with a comprehensive
discipline plan, the structure and rules allow for positive and
EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162
1

Assessment Item

negative consequences to be enforced clearly and fairly. It may also

allow the teacher to better know their students, and promotes the
teacher greeting their students daily by name and spending quality
time with them. The focus is on facilitating students academic
success, and it is expected that the teacher remain calm and
systematic in the classroom.
Teachers who work within an Assertive Discipline guided classroom
are able to intervene with more challenging students by clearly
identifying disruptive behaviour. When rules and expectations are
reiterated publicly, students can comply with them easily, and
understand the consequences that apply if they dont. Teachers are
able to engage closely with the students who misbehave and place
them back on track, though often counselling outside of class time is
required.
Some criticisms of the Assertive Discipline theory are for the
rigorous theory that it is based on. It can be said that this theory
does not allow for a wide school and community culture, as each
classroom has very specific and often differentiated behaviour
management plans. It may become constrictive for both teachers
and students, as the theory focuses on controlling students
behaviour but does not work to change the occurrences and reasons
for misbehaviour.

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)

The Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Theory was developed by Paul
Aberto & Anne Troutman, and is based on the work of B. F. Skinner.
This theory suggests that the environment a person has
experienced controls behaviour and the consequences they face.
Meaning that when positive consequences are reinforced, they
increase the behaviours that are desired, and negative
consequences decrease the behaviours that are undesirable. Many
basic classroom management principles align with Applied
Behaviour. When intervening with a problematic behaviour a teacher
EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162
1

Assessment Item

should define, observe and record the focus behaviour, in the

context of their conditions and consequences. The teacher is then
able to change the conditions, and reinforce appropriate
consequences to attain the desired behaviour from students. The
ABA theory is the most highly influenced of behaviourist theory.
(Lyons, Ford, & Arthur-Kelly, 2011)
The ABA theory maintains a very strict authoritarian approach to
behaviour management, and advises that all behaviour is voluntary,
and can be modified by a teacher enforcing conditions and
consequences. The theory states that childrens actions and
influences by the same factors as adults actions, children learn
their behaviour through rewards and punishments. The theory
promotes the idea that behaviours are able to be observed and have
a function and purpose, that is to achieve a reward or avoid a
negative consequence or punishment. ABA theory prefers that the
classroom environment promote positive reinforcement in order to
change childrens behaviour. Negative consequences may be used,
by the must be in the least intrusive and restrictive way. A key
process of ABA theory is that consequences are closely monitored,
and that they only occur when the behaviour occurs.
There are many positive practices in ABA theory, and the
development of positive learning environments lies at the forefront.
There is a strong focus on increasing desired behaviour and learning
skills, to best enable students to be successful at learning. As ABA
theory promotes using the least intrusive and restrictive
consequences, while still maintaining structure, students are able to
continue learning, and improve their skills and behaviour
simultaneously.
The ABA theory promotes teachers conducting a standard
assessment, in order to define where a student sits behaviourally
and academically. Teachers who align with ABA theory need to be
organised, and have sufficient support and resources in order to
implement any consequences, as well as recording and evaluating
EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162
1

Assessment Item

progress in order to value the consequences. Teachers should

chance the conditions within their classroom in order to manipulate
target behaviours. This means reinforcing consequences, from least
to most intrusive, in accordance with an appropriate or
inappropriate behaviour. Punishments are used as a last resort and
should be appropriate to the behaviour.
Some criticisms of ABA theory are that it may oversimplify
classroom behaviour and observation of target behaviour may be
difficult and time consuming. The effective use of punishments
requires considerable training and skills from the teacher. There is
little evidence to support long term and sustained behavioural
change in children.

Cognitive Behaviour Theory (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Theory (CBT) was developed by Jane Caplan
and Joseph Carter and seeks to create a self-managed classroom,
where students are behaviourally independent. The idea of students
developing self-management skills allows them to become self
motivated, and comply with instructions, allowing them to improve
their metacognitive skills. CBT theory is often used for students with
highly challenging behaviours, especially those with low selfesteem, and underachievement. Though it can also be used in
assisting regular academic students, through student self-talk.
CBT theory is one which is strongly influenced by both psychoeducational and behaviourist theories.
CBT theory advocates that individuals have the capacity to make
good or bad behaviour choices, and that they are self-directed.
Feedback is a large contributor to behavioural choices, according to
CBT theory, and can be both managerial and educational. This
theory suggests that motivation is one of the key factors to success
for students.
CBT theory is focused on students developing independent skills
that will allow them to manage their own behaviour problems,
EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162
1

Assessment Item

teachers should support students to think systematically and

appraise their aims and goals. Students emotions, beliefs and
abilities all play a role in determining their social and academic
engagement, meaning that a problem with any of these factors
would impact their learning. The idea of developing constructive
thinking habits is designed to allow individuals to gain control over
their emotions and behaviours and reduce stress and improve
mental health. (Lyons, Ford, & Arthur-Kelly, 2011)
Some positive points for teachers who work within a CBT theory
guided classroom are that they are able to proactively teach
students, and help them to develop skills and habits that will benefit
them both in their present classroom and learning situation, and in
the future. By collaborating with students in creating goals, teachers
are able to guide their students towards better behaviour, without
using punishment or even high levels of consequences to achieve it.
Authority within a CBT classroom is gained through earned respect
and does not need to be coerced. Teachers develop a facilitative
classroom, where students are guided and encouraged to manage
their own learning, this allows students to be more self-motivated,
and appreciate their progress more than if they were facing
negative consequences for not progressing appropriately. Rewards
and punishments can be used when necessary, but are always
secondary to reinforcing ideas socially.
Students who need assistance in developing better social skills,
anger management skills and who may have attention deficits can
highly benefit from CBT theory based classrooms, as they are able
to receive intervention through support and social reinforcement,
rather than punishment (which may only lead to further problems).
Cognitive training is used widely, and in a classroom would usually
involve demonstration, rehearsal and then application. Intervention
of students would always involve activities that will enhance any
new skill development.

EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162

1

Assessment Item

Some difficulties that may be faced in CBT theory classrooms are

the differences between cognitive and behavioural theories, in
which the CBT theory is based. This may cause challenges for
teachers in finding the right balance between the opposing theories,
and knowing whether reinforcement or consequences are
appropriate. The use of rewards and punishments in CBT theory
classrooms may become a conflict of ethics, and teachers may find
this difficult to maintain. CBT theory may also be more suited to
older children and adolescents and therefore may not be
appropriate in an early childhood or primary school classroom.

Neo-Adlerian
The Neo-Adlerian classroom management design is named after
theorist Alfred Adler, and aims to increase students feelings of
belonging, hoping to achieve a democratic classroom. A NeoAdlerian classroom should be based on mutual respect and
cooperation, with high levels of positive reinforcement and
encouragement. (Gartrell, 2014) Neo-Adlerian theory suggests that
students who behave inappropriately are choosing this behaviour,
and are doing so as a way of meeting their needs of belonging and
feeling acceptance. Teachers in a Neo-Adlerian guided classroom
should aim to recognise the goals of students behaviour, meaning
that they should understand why students are behaving
disruptively, which will better allow them to support students in
modifying this behaviour. Teachers should analyse how students
respond to behaviour changes, and be flexible in modifying their
programs to get the best from their students. There is little
discipline in the teachers role in a Neo-Adlerian classroom; they
should encourage students while allowing them to take ownership of
their actions.
Adlerian psychology states that people have an instinctive drive to
belong to a group, this is because human beings are social in
nature, and have always lived in social setting, working as a
EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162
1

Assessment Item

community. Rudolf Dreuikurs was an associate of Adler, and formed

parts of the theory in union with him. Dreikurs viewed childrens
birth order, and advocated that this order should be the basis of
how children are taught. He believed that the oldest children can be
instable, as they have had their position as an only child removed,
and will often feel as though they need to fight to regain their status
in the family, middle children are older and therefore more a part of
this competition, with younger children usually not having to
compete. Dreikurs states that a childs position in their family will
affect how they view the classroom because they have spent their
entire life before schooling learning about structure from their home.
In a Neo-Adlerian classroom, a teacher should aim to understand
why children are acting a certain way, allowing them to better work
with their students to develop the desired behaviours. Students
should be allowed to have an input into the decisions that affect
them in the classroom, for example, the consequences for disruptive
behaviour or the topic they are learning. A teacher should be a
model for students, both of behaviour and in academic sense;
students should view their teacher as a role model, rather than an
authority, and strive to behave the same way.
Neo-Adlerian theory suggests that students misbehave in four ways,
attention seeking, power seeking, revenge seeking and making an
exhibition if they feel incompetent.
A Neo-Adlerian classroom would aim to prevent misbehaviour before
it occurs, rather than trying to correct it after it has occurred. By
using encouragement, instead of punishment, students receive
encouragement for good behaviour, and will continue to behave this
way and feel self-satisfied when they do what is expected of them.
Encouraging students in the classroom aims to stimulate
cooperation between teacher and students, and peers. Logical
consequences are necessary in a Neo-Adlerian classroom, and
should be associated with classroom and school rules. There should
be a relationship between behaviour, rules and consequences.
EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162
1

Assessment Item

Consequences differ from punishment, where consequences are

logically related to behaviour, punishment does not have a
connection and would fail to correct the behaviour.
Some difficulties may be faced in a Neo-Adlerian classroom where it
becomes incompatible with traditional teaching and behaviour
management methods. Traditionally teachers have used
authoritarian methods to deal with challenging behaviour, and some
teachers may worry that students will find them week if they do not
respond to a problem with punishment. The concept of a democratic
classroom is not always possible to enforce, as the teacher must
always take final responsibility in matters that need it. Therefore
students may have some responsibility in areas of their learning, but
other areas must be exclusively the right of the teacher.

Humanist
The Humanist approach to classroom management is based around
the idea that when a student is disruptive in class, the teacher
needs to change the way they are teaching the information,
because it is not meeting the students needs. (Porter, 2000) This
theory is the first in the psycho-educational theories, and does not
focus on using discipline, but rather the teacher differing their
teaching in order to gain the most from their students. Humanism
focuses on experiences rather than psychological factors. (Krause,
Bochner, & Duchesne, 2003)
The teacher uses a pro-active approach in order to focus on the
positive factors and experiences in the classroom. The teacher
would encourage all positive behaviour, in order to correct any
negative behaviour before it occurs. The teacher should take
responsibility for any disruptive or disinterest they face from their
students. When the teacher takes on this kind of responsibility they
may face a lot of pressure, as in every classroom there are going to
be students with many different needs and learning styles. A
criticism of the Humanist theory is the emphasis on personal and
EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162
1

Assessment Item

emotional skills; which may cause a loss of learning in many basis

areas including literacy and numeracy. As stated above, the teacher
may be under a lot of pressure in a Humanist based classroom, as
the teaching role is very time consuming, and the teacher needs to
have a very deep understanding of all of their students individual
needs and ways of learning.

Solution Focused Approach (SFA)

The Solution Focused Approach (SFA) to behaviour management is
based at finding the solution to the problem, rather than
understanding why a problem occurred. SFA aims to find the
interaction between individuals that may be a problem, and develop
a solution. Many other methods of behaviour management, even
those that do not focus on consequences work to fix problems
before they occur, whereas this approach does not begin contact on
a problem until after it has occurred. (Lyons, Ford, & Arthur-Kelly,
2011)
This theory suggests that continuing the same consequences or
actions are not the way to correct problems, as often they continue
to occur and it is approached as a student misbehaving, rather
than acknowledging that the approach is not working. SFA
recognises that often the individual who in closely involved with the
problem knows why it is occurring and may know the solution, but
simply needs help to instigate the actions to fix it.
There are many benefits to using SFA in classrooms, as students are
highly involved in working towards a solution to their own problems,
meaning less pressure and stress placed on the teacher, and a more
personalised and definitive solution. Another positive of SFA is the
focus on the future, not why the problem occurred, or that it
occurred, but simply how will it be fixed so that it does not happen
again.
Some difficulties may be faced in an SFA classroom where a problem
could have been avoided if it was decided beforehand that a simple
EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162
1

Assessment Item

action would have helped, whereas using SFA means that all
problems have to be faced to be fixed. It may also be largely time
consuming, as a teacher needs to know their students individually
and in depth. The teacher student relationship needs to be very
strong, which is a positive but may take a considerable amount of
time to implement any solutions.
SFA is an approach to classroom management that can be seen
working well in a secondary classroom, as it focuses on the future,
and would incorporate goals well. Students are able to strive to be
there best; with support from their teacher in fixing any problems
and behaviours they may not allow them to reach their potential.

Personal Philosophical Beliefs

Every child is unique, and deserves to learn in a classroom that is
secure, caring and stimulating. This type of classroom will allow
students to grow and mature, and develop the skills they need to be
successful in their future. As a teacher, I will strive to help all
students flourish, and I think that working in a classroom that takes
factors from Cognitive Behaviour Theory and Neo-Adlerian theory
would best allow this to happen. As above, all students are unique,
and some may need a lot more rigidity and structure than others. I
think the three most important elements of a successful classroom
are the teacher acting a facilitator of learning, the students having
freedom to learn in their own ways, and respect for all people,
places and things.
Something that I appreciated from the Humanist approach to
teaching was the high levels of responsibility taken on by the
teacher, though I did mention that I felt this left the teacher open to
a lot of pressure and stress, I think it is important that a teacher is
willing to change to meet their students need, rather than the other
way around.
In conclusion I hope that I can become a teacher who is respected,
and respectful of her students, and be flexible in my actions,
EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162
1

Assessment Item

allowing me to work with many students to the best of my ability

and facilitate them in reaching their potential.

References
Gartrell, D. (2014). A Guidance Approach for The Encouraging
Classroom. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
Krause, K., Bochner, S., & Duchesne, S. (2003). Education
Psychology for Learning and Teaching. South Bank: Thompson
Publishing.
Lyons, G., Ford, M., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (2011). Classroom
Management: Creating Positive Learning Environments. South
Melbourne: Cengage Learning.
McDonald, T. (2010). Classroom Management . South Melbourne:
Oxford University Press.
Porter, L. (2000). Student Behaviour: Theory & Practices for
Teachers. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.

EEA305 Heather CampbellIsabel Horton 11477162

1

Assessment Item