Behaviour is a curriculum. We need to treat it as such.

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Our staff PLD programme this term has been focused on strengthening classroom practices, which followed on from a group of staff attending the Doug Lemov workshop in Wellington in January. Here, we are implementing strategies informed by the Science of Learning.

Another focus for us this year is to create an environment where student behaviour reflects the school values. To support this, Dr Mark Dowley will visit us on Wednesday next week to facilitate a session for our staff on classroom management. Mark is the co-author of the successful and popular book, The Classroom Management Handbook: A practical blueprint for engagement and behaviour in your classroom and beyond.

Mark argues that the biggest factor influencing teacher wellbeing and student learning is whether students are calm, focused, and attentive in the classroom. His main premise is that behaviour is a curriculum, and that teachers need to treat it as such. I have worked with Mark in the past, and I'm excited he can spend time with us in Dunedin. He is based at the Crowther Institute in Melbourne and teaches at Brighton Grammar School.

To make the most of his time with staff, students have a later start on Wednesday, 25 March. We won't hold our usual assembly to give more time to the session with Mark. Students are to arrive at school for the start of period 1 at 9.30 am.