Page 35 - Course Handbook 2023

Unit 10: Getting Brain Clear
What should I practise now?
Working with children to agree high expectations

SKILLS TO PRACTISE / STRENGTHEN RAG

1 Teach what pro-learning & pro-social behaviours look like (don’t assume children know) - keeping expectations
high because nobody rises to low expectations.

2 Agree expectations with children – don’t just set rules (or pretend to collaborate). This will mean proper buy-in
by children.

3 Agree expectations focusing on 3 goals so children see the purpose & expectations are meaningful:
➢ To a) feel safe b) feel content c) able to be at our best.
➢ To have the skills to be a great friend, partner, neighbour and work colleague in the future.

4 Acknowledge that some children will find it difficult to keep to these expectations – use our ‘Shaping the Brain’
unit to explain why.

5 Prep4Best: give children the opportunity to think about a) what they might find difficult (Predict to Prevent) and

b) what might help them to keep to the expectations agreed (Plan to Succeed).

6 Focus on the natural consequences of non pro-social and non-learning behaviours e.g. If you keep interrupting,

people will become frustrated and will not want to discuss things with you.

7 Make sure children know you will follow-up every time they don’t meet expectations because it is vital to unpick

issues and work out how to manage better next time. Give the message they deserve the support to do better.

8 Make sure follow-up is about helping children work out stressors and develop skills, strategies and scaffolds to

do better next time.