De leerkracht als sleutel tot gedrag in de klas #504

Classroom behavior rarely arises out of nowhere. What at first glance appears to be deliberately refusing something, disrupting behavior, or escalating a situation often has a lead-up: a frictiony transition, a task that is too difficult, tension from home, insecurity, or a student who does not yet know how to handle emotions well. That is precisely why the key lies not only in correcting behavior, but in learning to look at what precedes it. I discuss the question of how the teacher is the key to classroom behavior with Tessa de Bok, a special primary education teacher, a member of the JSW editorial board, and the author of the activity book on loss and grief. And Ruchama Brunsveld, an educational psychologist and teacher in special education. She is currently the quality coordinator at Aventurijn primary school in Houten. Both contributed to the theme section of JSW on classroom behavior! In this conversation, the role of the teacher takes center stage: as the one who provides structure, responds predictably, maintains relationships, and simultaneously safeguards the safety of the entire group. This requires pedagogical tact. Sometimes proximity helps, sometimes clear consequences, sometimes a moment of calm, and sometimes extra observation or expertise is needed. An important principle is that positive behavior does not arise automatically by primarily stating what is not allowed. Students benefit from concrete expectations, calm routines, and adults who identify what does help. This prevents behavior from being simplified into an individual problem, but rather views it as something that arises in the interaction between student, teacher, group, and context. Key points from the discussion 🔑 The teacher has a significant influence on behavior through structure, predictability, and clear expectations. This does not mean that all behavior disappears, but it does mean that much unrest can be prevented. 👀 Escalation often begins before the moment when behavior becomes visibly problematic. Careful observation helps to recognize signals such as fidgeting, making jokes, sighing, or seeking arguments in a timely manner. 🧩 The ABC model helps to view behavior not as an isolated incident, but to look at the trigger, behavior, and consequence. This makes it clearer when and why certain behavior keeps recurring. 🤝 A strong relationship between teacher and student has a de-escalating effect. Recovery is particularly important after a conflict or a moment of calm, so that a student feels they can start over. 🌱 Positive reinforcement requires specifically naming what is going well. Not just saying “well done,” but precisely indicating which behavior helps makes expectations visible to the entire group. Quotes from the conversation: “I think that as a teacher, you can subtly eliminate a lot of behavior. Not that the behavior will never be there again, but that you can prevent a lot of behavior as a teacher.” “The teacher simply has a major influence on the climate, on safety in the classroom, and on the interactions in the classroom.” “Giving good instruction or good classroom management is very visible. But building a strong or good bond is not always immediately visible.” Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction of the theme 00:45 – Introducing guests 03:27 – Teacher behavior 05:09 – Professional space 05:45 – Emotional predictability 07:51 – Preventing escalation 10:15 – Observing together 11:26 – Addressing individuals 12:08 – ABC model 13:32 – Recognizing trauma 16:27 – Safe landing spot 18:43 – Structure of consequences 20:12 – Practicing resilience 21:57 – Positive reinforcement 28:38 – Group or individual