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Creating a Positive Atmosphere!Creating a Positive Atmosphere!

Reaching, Relating to Reaching, Relating to

and Rejoicing in and Rejoicing in

Those “Terrible” TeensThose “Terrible” TeensBobbie Henley, BCI&VS Jo-Anne LaForty, OISE/UT Bobbie Henley, BCI&VS Jo-Anne LaForty, OISE/UT

roberta.henley@granderie.caroberta.henley@granderie.ca jlaforty@utoronto.cajlaforty@utoronto.ca

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AgendaAgenda

Who are Our Who are Our Learners/Users/Clients?Learners/Users/Clients?

Preventative PracticesPreventative Practices

Positive ResponsesPositive Responses

Final SummaryFinal Summary

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God created teenagers to punish us so we would know what it felt like to

have someone created in our own image that denied

our existence!

- Comedian Jeff Allen

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Behaviours that annoyBehaviours that annoy

Think about teenage Think about teenage behaviours that get under your behaviours that get under your skin. skin.

Share these with your Share these with your neighbourneighbour

Be prepared to share with the Be prepared to share with the whole groupwhole group

Think, Pair, Share

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Possible reasons for adolescent Possible reasons for adolescent behavioursbehaviours

Brains are still developingBrains are still developing Hormones are ragingHormones are raging Bodies are growingBodies are growing Constantly hungryConstantly hungry Often sleep deprivedOften sleep deprived Attention seeking (showing off/love Attention seeking (showing off/love

interest)interest) Having a bad day/week/lifeHaving a bad day/week/life

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The reality of our Libraries: The reality of our Libraries: learning commonslearning commons

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Creating a Positive Creating a Positive Learning Atmosphere!Learning Atmosphere!

Visible

Proactive

Reactive

All people will break some of the rules some of the time.

All people should follow the rules all of the time.

Invisible

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Managing the Managing the AtmosphereAtmosphere

Prevention Prevention & &

ResponsResponsee

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A Voice from the Field…A Voice from the Field…

What preventative strategies are What preventative strategies are provided?provided?

How is a warm and welcoming How is a warm and welcoming environment created?environment created?

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Being Preventative...Being Preventative...

Be open and approachable

•Show an interest in students

•Greet at the door & get to know their names

•Be polite

•Smile

Set Expectations and Routines Early

•Be consistent

•Anticipate problems

•Involve teens in all aspects of program

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Being Preventative...Being Preventative...Be pro-active

•Orient new students to the facilities

•Go out to the local schools (elementary or high schools) and talk to potential library users

Understand the culture of youth

•Be with it

•Use ‘hip’, friendly language for signage

•Hear the students’ voices

•Be technologically savvy

Adjust your attitude

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ManagingManaging thethe AtmosphereAtmosphere

Prevention Prevention & &

ResponsResponsee

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The Less Effective The Less Effective PersonPerson

Why you did not Why you did not respect that respect that person?person?

no consistencyno consistency no follow throughno follow through lacked sense of lacked sense of

humourhumour did not really like did not really like

being therebeing there rude, rude,

condescendingcondescending unfair, played unfair, played

favouritesfavourites disorganized…disorganized…

How he/she How he/she responded to responded to misbehaving students misbehaving students

didn’t respond, didn’t respond, ignoredignored

yelled yelled made disparaging made disparaging

comments comments always asked person always asked person

to leave to leave not consistent in not consistent in

responseresponse painted everyone with painted everyone with

the same brush…the same brush…

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The More Effective The More Effective PersonPerson

Why you did Why you did respect that respect that person?person?

sense of humoursense of humour enthusiasticenthusiastic cared about cared about

othersothers polite, fairpolite, fair warm, welcomingwarm, welcoming seen to be humanseen to be human

How did he/she How did he/she respond to respond to misbehaving students?misbehaving students?

appropriate intensityappropriate intensity proximity, the look, proximity, the look,

gave choices, talked gave choices, talked privately, made privately, made alternative alternative suggestionssuggestions

very politevery polite consistent in approachconsistent in approach

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Managing the Managing the AtmosphereAtmosphere

Escalation of behaviour Escalation of behaviour

is usually is usually

the choice of the student’s the choice of the student’s

but…but…

You can either add You can either add

waterwater oror gasoline gasoline

to an explosive situation.to an explosive situation.

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RESPONSESRESPONSES1. Low Key1. Low Key

2. Intensified low key2. Intensified low key

3. Repertoire of Responses3. Repertoire of Responses

4. Either/Or Choices4. Either/Or Choices

5. Deescalating5. Deescalating

Based on the work of Barrie BennettBased on the work of Barrie Bennett

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1.“LOW KEY”1.“LOW KEY” RESPONSESRESPONSES

ProximityProximity

Facial Facial expressionsexpressions

Minimal-Minimal-verbalverbal

Eye ContactEye Contact

GesturesGestures

SignalsSignals

IgnoreIgnore

Why are these considered low key responses ?Think/Pair/Share:

Think/Pair/Share:

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““LOW KEY” LOW KEY” RESPONSESRESPONSES

Barely noticeable to Barely noticeable to othersothers

Intervention is shortIntervention is short Tone remains positiveTone remains positive

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2. “INTENSIFIED LOW 2. “INTENSIFIED LOW KEY” RESPONSESKEY” RESPONSES

Pause or stop Pause or stop Turn body Turn body Intensify eye contactIntensify eye contact Use minimal verbal Use minimal verbal

responseresponse Complete with ‘thank you’Complete with ‘thank you’

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3. A REPERTOIRE OF3. A REPERTOIRE OF RESPONSESRESPONSES

Make eye contactMake eye contact SmileSmile Avoid the word “you”Avoid the word “you” Focus on problem not personFocus on problem not person Explain why the behaviour is Explain why the behaviour is

problematicproblematic End with a thank youEnd with a thank you

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Know the Impact Know the Impact of ‘You’ Messagesof ‘You’ Messages

““You” You” Message Message

You people You people can’t sit can’t sit between the between the shelves. You shelves. You have to have to move.move.

““Not You” Not You” MessageMessage

It’s not a good It’s not a good idea to sit idea to sit between the between the shelves as it shelves as it blocks other blocks other students. Let’s students. Let’s find another find another spot. Thank you.spot. Thank you.

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Let’s Practice!Let’s Practice! Think of a library situation that Think of a library situation that

might create conflict.might create conflict. Use a “you” or confrontational Use a “you” or confrontational

statement to respond to the statement to respond to the situation situation on the paper provided.on the paper provided.

Scrunch your paper into a Scrunch your paper into a snowball snowball and throw it into the and throw it into the basketbasket

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Pick up one of the Pick up one of the snowballs from snowballs from the basket.the basket.

Rephrase the statement Rephrase the statement into an into an ‘I’ or positive ‘I’ or positive message and tell message and tell it to the it to the person beside you.person beside you.

Let’s share some before Let’s share some before and after and after statements.statements.

Snowball Activity

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EITHER/OREITHER/OR CHOICESCHOICESTask:Task: As a group, examine the list of As a group, examine the list of

choices choices on the sheet on the sheet provided.provided.

Follow the directions includedFollow the directions included Record the characteristics of Record the characteristics of

effective effective choices.choices. Be prepared to share with the Be prepared to share with the

large large group.group.Concept Attainment

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Critical Attributes of Critical Attributes of Effective ChoicesEffective Choices

The choice is:The choice is:

– related to the misbehavior.related to the misbehavior.

– not seen as a punishment.not seen as a punishment.

– given as immediately as possible.given as immediately as possible.

– not an ultimatum.not an ultimatum.

– done in a positive or neutral tone.done in a positive or neutral tone.

You can follow through on the choice.You can follow through on the choice.

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Escalation of behaviour Escalation of behaviour

is usually is usually

the choice of the student’s the choice of the student’s

but…but…

You can either add You can either add

waterwater oror gasolinegasoline

to an explosive situation.to an explosive situation.

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De-escalating the De-escalating the SituationSituationStudent: Student: refuses to put away food.refuses to put away food.

Response: “Aw, come on Bill, it’s no big Response: “Aw, come on Bill, it’s no big deal. All I’m asking you to do is put away deal. All I’m asking you to do is put away the food. Thank you.” And move on.the food. Thank you.” And move on.

Student: Student: “I don’t care what you do.”“I don’t care what you do.” Response: “ I care. We have a problem Response: “ I care. We have a problem

and I can’t leave until it’s resolved.”and I can’t leave until it’s resolved.”

Student: Student: “Other kids do it.”“Other kids do it.” Response: “ Some might, but right now Response: “ Some might, but right now

the problem is between us. So where do the problem is between us. So where do we go from here?”we go from here?”

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ConclusionConclusion I am every emotion times ten, I conform I am every emotion times ten, I conform

yet I'm rebellious, always obeying but yet I'm rebellious, always obeying but somehow still an outlaw, always talking somehow still an outlaw, always talking but never heard, I am a teenager.but never heard, I am a teenager.~Author Unknown ~Author Unknown

““Children today show no respect for their Children today show no respect for their elders and tyrannize over their parents.” elders and tyrannize over their parents.” ~ Socrates~ Socrates

There is nothing wrong with today's There is nothing wrong with today's teenager that twenty years won't cure.  teenager that twenty years won't cure.  ~Author Unknown~Author Unknown

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Selected ResourcesSelected Resources

Bennett, Barrie and Smilanich, Peter. (nd)Classroom management: A thinking & caring approach. Ajax, Ontario. Bookation.

Gallaway, Beth. (2005) Pain in the brain: Teen library behaviour 101. NMRLS Presentation.

Harden, Susan and Higgins, Melanie. (2004) Here comes trouble: A sure-fire approach that works with unruly teens. School Library Journal.

Nunley, Kathy. Brain.org: Practical classroom applications of current brain research. www.brain.org