Training teachers to focus their attention on positive conduct and to avoid jumping to correct minor disruption improves child behavior, concentration, and mental health.

A study led by the University of Exeter Medical School, published in Psychological Medicine, analyzed the success of a training program called the Incredible Years® Teacher Classroom Management Programme. Its core principles include building a strong social relationship between teachers and children and ignoring low-level bad behavior that often disrupts classrooms. Instead, teachers are encouraged to focus on relationship-building, age-appropriate motivation, proactive management of unwanted behavior, and acknowledging good behavior.

The Supporting Teachers and Children in Schools (STARS) study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South West Peninsula, and aimed to promote social and emotional well-being, against a backdrop of government figures that show 10% of children have a mental health condition. The commonest and most persistent mental health condition is severe behavior problems, and children with “conduct disorder” are at risk of all adult mental health conditions as well as poor educational and social outcomes.

Professor Tamsin Ford, of the University of Exeter Medical School, said: “Our findings suggest that this training potentially improves all children’s mental health, but it’s particularly exciting to see the larger benefit on the children who were initially struggling. These effects might be larger were this training offered to all teachers and teaching assistants. Let’s remember that training one teacher potentially benefits every child that they subsequently teach. Our study offers evidence that we should explore this training further as a whole-school approach.”

The project’s outcomes were measured via a combination of questionnaires filled in by teachers and parents and children to fill in themselves. Researchers also considered academic attainment and use of NHS and social services. Independent observers sat in on lessons in a quarter of schools who took part, without knowing whether the teachers had undertaken the training.

As well as the improvements in mental health, behavior, and concentration, teachers liked the training and thought it useful. Observations suggest that it changed their behavior and improved child compliance in the classroom.

Teacher Sam Scudder, at Withycombe Raleigh School in Exmouth, East Devon, undertook the training as part of the trial. He said, “I’ve found the training has made a real difference and it’s definitely improved my teaching practice. Praise is an essential aspect of the training and 'proximity praise' has been a really effective tool. By finding and describing the sort of behavior you desire, you can bring a change in those who are off-task while simultaneously ignoring them. Of course there are some behaviors you can’t ignore, but the focus is around really celebrating the kids who exhibit the behavior you want: those who are quietly listening, yet are often overlooked in classrooms. It has a ripple effect as more children copy that conduct.”

Teacher Kate Holden, at Ipplepen Primary School, also took part in the study, and said, “This training helped us to use techniques to raise the profile of positive behavior and diminish the emphasis placed on low-level disruptive behavior. Consistent, clear rewards and sanctions highlighted expectations in a manageable and positive framework and preserved the high-quality relationships, which underpin the whole ethos.”