Ken Johnston
Lesson Study
Barbara Priestman Academy
Preparing for the Learning Journey
I am currently employed at Barbara Priestman Academy which is a National Autistic
Society (NAS) accredited provision that educates our 110 students, 95%+ of whom
have Autistic Spectrum Disorders and complex learning needs, from the age of 11 to
19 years; the majority of our students join us in year 7 and stay until the end of year
14. The Academy delivers a wide and responsive curriculum that ranges from P
levels and GCSEs to A Levels; we also offer support to students from mainstream
schools. The Academy is part of the Ascent Trust academy group in Sunderland.
I have been teaching for 32 years and have been at Barbara Priestman as Head of
Design Technology for three years; I teach students in key stages 3, 4 and 5.
All teachers at our school were involved in a programme of lesson studies that
aimed to identify areas of teaching and learning that could be enhanced or
developed and to study these areas through a series of strategically planned lesson
observations. Analysis and feedback of each lesson was focussed on the success of
particular strategies used within it; we hope to share our findings with the school as a
whole in order that we might form a more effective and uniform approach to our
teaching learning.
My mentor for this process is a member of the academy’s senior leadership team
who has responsibility for leading Key stage 3; we have an excellent working
relationship and I am able to draw upon her extensive knowledge of teaching
students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and upon her understanding of the
application of assertive discipline techniques. There are two further members of our
study group; we meet regularly to decide upon and develop the focus of our lesson
study, to plan lessons, make observations and participate in feedback sessions.
We identified students who exhibited behaviour that inhibited their ability, and that
of their peers, to learn. This behaviour occurred in many areas of the school and the
curriculum and whilst under the direction of many members of staff. Most of the
behaviour was low level but constant; corrective strategies used by staff had had
differing success rates with some students’ behaviour escalating to severely
disruptive or dangerous levels. We decided to focus on one of the students whose
behaviour tended to fall into this last category and to assess the effectiveness of
assertive discipline techniques on changing his behaviour patterns in classroom
situations. We chose this area specifically to determine whether changing this
student’s behaviour would enable him and his peers to enjoy undisrupted learning
experiences and if it would lessen the probability of him going into a crisis situation
which in his case often manifested itself as an extremely loud, verbally abusive and
violent outburst that was very emotionally upsetting for him and all that witnessed it.
What we hoped to achieve was to establish whether or not the use of assertive
discipline could be successful in altering the behaviour of this student so that it was
acceptable at all times and that he was able to monitor and adjust his own
actions/behaviour.
Ethical considerations included consistency of approach and fairness within the
group; ensuring that the focus student was not treated differently to his peers
because he was the focus. Confidentiality and anonymity of information had to be
assured as did the physical and emotional safety of all the students. The capture
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Ken Johnston
Lesson Study
Barbara Priestman Academy
and use of all recorded visual evidence had to be consented to, and stored
securely.
All the students in the observed lessons had a statement of special needs to which
all staff involved were sympathetic.
Actions
Introduction to
Lesson Study
Timescales/
Key dates
September
2012
Resources/
People inc. Sources
of support and
challenge
Success Criteria
PowerPoint
Presentation
Head teacher
Introduction to
lesson study and
allocation of
groups
Gather research from
the internet as well as
key educational
journals and speak to
colleagues across
the Academy.
Research and
information
accessed. An
understanding of
lesson study and
how It can be
used to enhance
teaching
Agreement of
focus for lesson
study
1day
Begin reading
and research
lesson study
September
2012
1 month
Initial meeting
of Lesson Study
group
24th October
2012
Lesson study group
Assertive
Discipline
training for
whole school
26th October
2012
Assertive Discipline
training manual.
Thinking maps and
hats
All staff
Analysis of
Behaviour
Watch
26th October
Behaviour watch
Behaviour support
manager
Lesson
planning
meeting
First lesson
observation
7th November
2012
Lesson study group
Planning pro-forma
1 hour
19th
November
2012
Lesson study group
Observation proforma
Lesson
19th
Lesson study group
1 day
All staff trained in
Assertive
Discipline.
Assertive
Discipline evident
in all aspects of
school life
Knowledge of
students who are
causing disruption
to learning
Lesson 1 jointly
planned
Assertive
Discipline used
throughout the
lesson
Range of
questions used to
encourage higher
order thinking.
Feedback given
Comments/
amendments to
plan
Group to meet and
decide a focus
Group discussion on
questioning in the
classroom and
assertive discipline;
decided assertive
discipline was to be
the focus.
Decision to focus on
both questioning in
the classroom and
Assertive Discipline.
Decision to follow a
year 7 tutor group and
focus on one specific
student.
Everyone in the group
after a discussion on
questioning in the
classroom and
assertive discipline
decided assertive
discipline was to be
the focus.
Decided to focus on
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Ken Johnston
Lesson Study
observation
feedback
Support
meeting
November
2012
20th
November
2012
Lesson
planning
meeting
Second lesson
observation
Barbara Priestman Academy
by all observers.
Head teacher
Lesson study group
Clarity of focus
established
28th
November
2012
1 hour
5th December
Lesson study group
Lesson 2 jointly
planned
Lesson study group
Lesson
observation
feedback
Mentor
Meeting
5th December
Lesson study group
Observation
objectives
recorded
Feedback given
by all observers
7th December
Progress
meeting
19th
December
Mentor
discussion/update on
progress
Lesson study group
Support
meeting
8th January
Lesson study group
TLA school leader
TLA submission (work in
progress)
Lesson
planning
meeting
Third lesson
observation
9th January
2013
Lesson study group
Lesson 3 jointly
planned
23rd January
Lesson study group
Lesson
observation
feedback
23rd January
Lesson study group
Observation
objectives
recorded
Feedback given
by all observers
Lesson
planning
meeting
Fourth lesson
observation
6th March
Lesson study group
Lesson 4 jointly
planned
8th March 2013
Lesson study group
Lesson
observation
feedback
Mentor
meeting
8th March 2013
Lesson study group
Observation
objectives
recorded
Feedback given
by all observers
9th March 2013
Clarity of purpose
reinforced and
support given
Lesson
planning
meeting
Fifth lesson
observation
1st May 2013
Mentor
discussion/update on
progress. Advice on
written submission
Lesson study group
8th May 2013
Lesson study group
Observation
objectives
recorded
Clarity of purpose
reinforced and
support given
Focus refreshed,
timings planned
and diarised
Group
guided/directed
and supported.
one area rather than
two.
Changed focus to just
Assertive Discipline &
lesson observation
pro-forma as the one
we used was not
suitable for what we
wanted to record.
Using observed techniques
in daily teaching schedule,
with pleasing results.
Better understanding of
applications of AD
techniques and their
designations.
Lesson 5 jointly
planned
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Ken Johnston
Lesson Study
Barbara Priestman Academy
Lesson
observation
feedback
8th May 2013
Lesson study group
Feedback given
by all observers
Mentor
meeting
Feedback of
findings to
whole group
14th May 2013
Mentor, further
submission advice
TLA submission
disseminated to
lesson study group.
Written submission
progressing
July 2013
My teaching enhanced by
new applications
Student’s behaviour altered
and more often
acceptable
The Learning Journey
What I hoped to learn was whether or not the use of assertive discipline could be
successful in altering the behaviour of a student, so that it was acceptable in the
classroom, and whether the use of assertive discipline could enable him to adjust his
own actions.
At the beginning of this part of the process I reviewed and revisited previously
gained knowledge such as the research that I had undertaken whilst studying for my
ASD NVQ. I also read Lee Canter’s Assertive Discipline, positive behaviour
management for today’s classroom and researched on line, amongst others,
Swinson, J. and Cording, M. (2002), Focus on Practice: Assertive Discipline in a school
for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Some ASD students, due to their Triad of impairment find the transfer of skills and
learning strategies, from one area of the curriculum to another, quite difficult to
achieve and would therefore benefit from a more consistent approach to
managing their learning and behaviour; with this in mind Ascent Academies trust
undertook to provide CPD for all our staff on “Establishing and Maintaining Control in
your Classroom”. This training was delivered over three two-hour sessions and gave
me the opportunity to interact and discuss assertive discipline with colleagues from
outside of my focus group who nevertheless had first-hand experience of the
student upon whom my group was focussed; this provided a wider range of
informed opinions and views than was available from within my focus group alone.
During the lesson observation stage of the process I found that focussing my
attention on one student only, rather than on the teacher and the whole class,
enabled me to concentrate on trying to recognise the effects that the teacher’s
strategies were having on the student’s behaviour in real time; this also enabled me
to discover how long each effect lasted. During the feedback discussions and the
video reviews I was able to enhance my understanding of what I had witnessed by
listening to the views and opinions of my mentor and the other observer and by
noting facets of my own practice that I would not usually be aware of whilst actually
teaching.
The time lapse between observation and feedback was, we found, critical in
determining the quality of the feedback; the longer the time lapse the poorer the
feedback became as memories faded. The positioning of the observers within the
classroom seemed to have an effect on the focus student; if any observers were in
his view he tended to look to them for reassurance or at them as a distraction. We
amended our practice accordingly.
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Ken Johnston
Lesson Study
Barbara Priestman Academy
In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies being used in each lesson we
looked at the changes in the focus student’s behaviour; were the outcomes
different than those we would usually expect? Did he behave in a manner that
would suggest that he was making decisions about his own behaviour that he would
not normally make?
The student seems generally more settled in lessons where the teacher uses assertive
discipline and I am now more aware of how assertive my teaching style is than I was
previously.
Whilst reviewing each observation, the members of our focus group shared what we
had learned with each other and we will have future opportunities as a whole staff
to feedback on our collective learning.
All the members of the focus group addressed the ethical and equal opportunity
issues that arose from this study in the following ways:
The student’s statement of educational needs was made available to all staff
involved, the focus student was not unfairly treated in any way, all the students
present were safe, physically and emotionally and any recorded images were
stored securely in school.
Impact on my practice/learning

I am now more confident in the technique’s usefulness.

I use AD routinely

I am able to share strategies more capably
Impact on students

Students are more able to address their own behavioural issues

Students are more likely to change their own behaviour

Students are less likely to be afraid of the D&T workshop

Students learn more effectively in a safer environment

Students are more likely to express their opinions/ answer questions

Students are more active learners
Impact on lesson study group

Broader understanding of AD
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Ken Johnston
Lesson Study
Barbara Priestman Academy

Appreciation of informal support structure within school

Positive reinforcement of one’s own abilities/strengths
Learning Breakthrough
During the lesson study program my mentor was able to feedback to me some very
encouraging views after she observed me teaching the focus student and his
classmates in my workshop; she asked me how many different strands of assertive
discipline I thought I had used during the 50 minute lesson, to which I replied “one”
indicating that it had been my voice, my mentor informed me that I had used 8
different techniques and reeled off a list and the circumstances in which I had
employed each technique on that list.
Each technique had a name and an appropriate circumstance in which its use
would be beneficial to any teacher wishing to alter the behaviour of his or her
students in a positive manner. My mentor informed me that the techniques that I
employed had had the effect of modifying our focus student’s behaviour very
effectively and positively and that she was only disappointed that I had not known
the names of the particular techniques that I had used. The other students in the
class had benefitted as a result of the changed behaviour of the focus student; they
were less frequently startled by his loud outbursts or his sudden rapid movements
and appeared more relaxed and able to contribute to discussions having had their
anxiety about being ridiculed allayed by the focus student’s adjusted behaviour.
Having had the opportunity to watch three lessons, during which the same
techniques were employed consistently by each separate teacher, it was apparent
that the focus student was becoming accustomed to the techniques being
employed by the staff and that he was responding more positively and more rapidly
in each successive lesson. The focus student was changing his behaviour
accordingly in expectation of the praise that he was becoming used to receiving; it
appeared that he was consciously responding to the stimulus of praise in a way that
warranted more praise. The other students appeared to follow his lead or to at least
show signs of trying to emulate his new behaviour to such an extent that I was aware
that I was depleting my positive comment bank and was repeating some positive
responses so frequently that, to me, there was a risk that I might, to some of our more
able students, appear insincere in my praise. This was a most diverse and
challenging group of students whose general demeanour and behaviour patterns
seemed to have been positively influenced by the employment of some common
sense easily used techniques
I have learned that assertive discipline is a much broader approach that I initially
understood it to be and that when applied consistently it can have long term
positive behavioural effects on individual students, groups of students and whole
institutions.
I have taught in several schools over the last 32 years and some of those institutions
have had, at some stage, widespread problems with control in classrooms that
resulted in the systemic disruption of learning. I have never tolerated disruptive
behaviour in my classroom at any time in my career and have had to deal with
students who have arrived at the threshold of my classroom with the same frame of
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Ken Johnston
Lesson Study
Barbara Priestman Academy
mind with which they left their last lesson; if their last teacher was tolerant of
disruptive behaviour, and in some schools tolerant teachers can be the norm, then
some students would try to continue with their disruption in my lesson. I developed
strategies for dealing with this itinerant behaviour that were similar to those
highlighted in Lee Canter’s Assertive Discipline, positive behaviour management for
today’s classroom; these strategies were primarily formulated to enable students to
be safe in my classrooms which, due to the nature of my specialism, have usually
been D&T workshops and therefore demanding of extra caution due to the inherent
dangers associated with sharp tools, heavy machinery and loud noises. The fact that
I am able to state after 32 years of teaching, having helped thousands of students,
that I have never had to visit one of them in hospital due to an accident in my
classroom, is testament to the safe environments that I have managed to create
over those years.
There have been many reasons why schools that I have taught at may have had
control problems but the “tolerant of disruption” teacher is only one of them; other
causes have been newly appointed head teachers trying to establish their authority
by implementing new policies without consulting or training staff, perfectly viable
behaviour policies being ignored, perfectly unviable plans being rigidly adhered to,
several plans running at the same time, short term solutions being applied to long
term problems, incorrectly identified problem areas targeted at the expense of true
concerns.
My learning breakthrough was that students can be taught to manage their own
behaviour if taught the appropriate strategies and that if this approach is used
consistently across the whole school that it becomes routine for students to do so.
If I’d known this earlier in my career I would have encouraged others to adopt
assertive discipline as a whole school approach instead of using a similar sort of
system on my own and being content to benefit personally in the knowledge that at
least my students were safe and ready to learn.
Through my research I now have a clearer understanding of assertive discipline and
its benefits:
Assertive discipline is a structured, systematic approach designed to assist teachers
in running an organized, teacher-in-charge classroom environment; it is a common
sense, easy-to-learn approach to help teachers become the leaders in their
classrooms and positively influence their students' behaviour. (Canter and Canter
2001)
Students operating within an, effectively delivered, assertive discipline led
environment will feel supported by the system, see it as fair, feel safe, understand the
system and learn more efficiently. (Rylance 2013)
The key points of AD
The teacher should:
Catch students being "good“
Support students when they behave appropriately,
Inform students that you like what they are doing.
Rewarding appropriate behaviour
Ensuring that students understand the consequences of breaking rules
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Ken Johnston
Lesson Study
Barbara Priestman Academy
Not tolerate any student stopping him/her from teaching.
Not tolerate any student stopping another student from learning.
Not tolerate any behaviour that is not in the student's best interest
Be the leader in his/her classroom.
Have the confidence necessary to take charge in his/her classroom.
Understand that there is no biological, acceptable reason for misbehaviour
Decide which 4 rules you wish to implement in your classroom.
Agree negative consequences for inappropriate behaviour.
Agree positive consequences for appropriate behaviour.
Teach the rules along with the positive and negative consequences.
Implement the process as soon as possible
I intend to continue to use assertive discipline in my lessons and to learn the names
of each technique so that I can promote them more effectively to my colleagues at
Barbara Priestman Academy and so that I can converse with other practitioners in a
more informed manner. I also intend to share the benefits of AD with parents and
other teachers from within our academy trust.
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