Have a listen to the audio file about creating the best two-minute intervention that will only take a minute!

Freestyling

When working with a pupil referral unit in London, the staff were intrigued by the idea of scripted interventions. They created their set of scripts and worked doggedly to use them whenever possible (their students don't always stick around long enough for a sentence to end). 

As I reflected on the progress with the head of school, he said, "I love the scripts, they stop people from freestyling". I love that. He nailed it. Many of us have dreamed of spinning improvised lyrics over some dirty grime track (no?) but shouldn't be allowed to. It is not going to end well. There are few genuinely gifted freestylers. Most of us shouldn't be allowed near microphones. If you can't do it well then it would be better for everyone if you just learned the lyrics. 

As you walk around your workplace tomorrow, just listen out for how many conversations around behaviour are improvised. The adult may have a clear idea of what to say first, but after that anything could happen. What values, rules and expectations are these conversations based on? Is there any real consistency, or are these opportunities to reinforce agreed standards being wasted? Now imagine each of them with a microphone in the middle of a train wreck performance of Juicy' (Biggie), N.Y, State of Mind' (Nas), or even 'Wham Rap!' (Wham!). (If you need to ask, you weren't there, man!) 

Some will resort to complicated parallels with their own lives: 'When I was a young girl I would never have spoken to a teacher in that manner. My mother would have ..' Others will make even more complicated parallels with the student's home life: Would your mother let you just get up from your chair, grab a Twix, eat half of it and up poke Ellie on the way back?' Errr... When all else fails, some will default to simply ignoring students, walking away and filling out detention or referral documents. The resentment that builds up as a result of this ripples through every lesson and into tutor/form/mentoring time, often exploding with a "What! He never even...." as individuals suddenly realise they have been punished without notice, warning or explanation. 

Sometimes it is easy to improvise your way through difficult conversations about behaviour. Early in the week we are sharp, quick-witted and almost enjoy the battle of words. By the end of the week the wit has been blunted by tiredness. Silence in a darkened room becomes more attractive than the banter. I have lost too many weekends worrying about how I mismanaged some of the trickiest children on a Friday afternoon. When my improvisation skills are impaired, I need a fall-back plan. One that limits the damage that weary improvisation risks. 

There is a way of performing that works really well. We should not be nervous about universal responses when they are created with kindness, empathy and understanding. You don't need aggression to hold boundaries. You need the consistency that comes through in every tricky conversation.

Plan your two-minute intervention in a few bullet points. You can use the structure that I outlined in the audio clip or choose your own. Try to note down examples of the language that you feel comfortable using.

Now rehearse on your own, with your partner or own child! Get it fluent so you don't fluff it. You will need to be flexible as you cannot predict the reaction of every child but be as practiced as you can be.

Now start using your structure and language on children who aren't going to test you too much. Don't launch straight in with the trickiest customers. Build up to it. Be sure of your response style first.

Gwrandewch ar y ffeil sain am greu’r ymyrraeth dwy funud gorau a fydd yn cymryd munud yn unig!

Dull Rhydd

Tra’n gweithio gydag uned trosglwyddo disgyblion yn Llundain, roedd y staff yn chwilfrydig gyda’r syniad o sgriptio ymyriadau. Fe wnaethon nhw greu eu set o sgriptiau gan ymdrechu eu defnyddio pryd bynnag roedd modd (yn aml, dydy eu myfyrwyr ddim yn aros yn ddigon hir am frawddeg i orffen).

Wrth i mi fyfyrio ar y cynnydd gyda’r prifathro, dywedodd, “Rydw i’n caru’r sgriptiau, maent yn atal pobl rhag defnyddio dulliau rhydd.” Rydw i’n caru hynny. Tarodd yr hoelen ar ei phen. Mae llawer ohonom wedi breuddwydio troellu geiriau byrfyfyr dros rhyw drac budreddi brwnt (na?) ond ni ddylid caniatau hynny. Dydy hi ddim am orffen yn dda. Ychydig iawn o freestylers dawnus sydd yn  bodoli. Ni ddylai’r mwyafrif ohonom fynd yn agos at feicroffôn. Os na allwch ei wneud yn dda, byddai’n well i bawb petai chi’n dysgu’r geiriau yn unig.

Wrth i chi gerdded o gwmpas eich gweithle yfory, gwrandewch am sawl sgwrs am ymddygiad sydd wedi digwydd ar hap. Efallai bod gan yr oedolyn syniad clir o beth i ddweud i gychwyn, ond ar ôl hynny gall unrhywbeth ddigwydd. Ar sail pa werthoedd, rheolau a disgwyliadau ydy’r sgyrsiau yma? Oes cysondeb, neu ydy’r cyfleoedd yma i atgyfnerthu cytundeb o safonnau yn cael eu gwastraffu? Nawr dychmygwch bob un ohonynt gyda meicroffôn yng nghanol llongddrylliad trên yn perfformio Juicy’ (Biggie), N.Y., State of Mind (Nas), neu hyd yn oed ‘Wham Rap!’. (Os oes rhaid gofyn, doeddech chi ddim yno, man!)

Bydd rhai yn ymostwng i gyffelabiaethau cymhleth gyda’u bywydau eu hunain: ‘Pan oeddwn i’n ferch fach, baswn i byth wedi siarad gydag athro yn y fath ffordd. Basai fy mam wedi….’ Bydd eraill yn gwneud cyffelybiaethau cymhlethach gyda bywyd cartref y myfyriwr: Fyddai dy fam yn gadael i ti godi, cydio mewn Twix, bwyta hanner ohono a brocio Elin ar y ffordd nôl?’ Errr….Pan fydd popeth arall yn methu, bydd rhai yn ymostwng i anwybyddu’r myfyriwr, gan gerdded i ffwrdd a llenwi taflen detention neu trosglwyddiad ymddygiad. Mae’r drwgdeimlad sy’n codi o ganlyniad i hwn yn crychu trwy bob gwers ac mewn i amser tiwtor/ dosbarth/ mentora, ac yn aml yn ffrwydro gyda “Beth! Wnaeth e hyd yn oed ddim….”fel mae unigolion yn sylweddoli’n sydyn eu bod nhw wedi cael eu cosbi heb rybudd neu esboniad.

Weithiau mae’n hawdd i fyrfyfyrio’ch ffordd trwy sgwrs anodd am ymddygiad. Yn gynnar yn yr wythnos rydyn ni ar flaen y gâd, yn ffraeth, a bron yn mwynhau’r frwydr o eiriau. Erbyn diwedd yr wythnos, mae’r ffraethrwydd wedi cael ei dileu gan flinder. Mae tawelwch mewn ystafell dywyll yn ymddangos yn fwy deniadol na’r cellweirio. Rydw i wedi colli gormod o benwythnosau yn poeni am sut roeddwn wedi camreoli rhai o’r plant mwyaf lletchwith ar brynhawn Dydd Gwener. Pan mae nam ar fy sgiliau byrfyfyrio, rydw i angen cynllun wrth gefn. Un sydd yn cyfyngu’r risgiau byrfyfyrio blinedig. 

Mae yna ffordd o berfformio sy’n gweithio’n dda. Dylen ni ddim fod yn nerfus am ymatebion cyffredinol pan maent yn cael eu creu gan garedigrwydd, empathi a dealltwriaeth. Does dim angen ymosodedd arnoch i ddal ffiniau. Rydych chi angen y cysondeb sy’n ymddangos ym mhob sgwrs lletchwith.

Cynlluniwch eich sgwrs ymyrraeth dwy funud mewn ychydig o bwyntiau bwled. Gallwch ddefnyddio’r strwythur ag amlinellais yn y clip sain neu dewiswch un eich hunan. Ceisiwch nodi enghreifftiau o’r iaith rydych chi’n gyfforddus yn ei defnyddio.

Nawr ymarferwch ar eich pen eich hunan, neu gyda phartner neu’ch plentyn eich hun! Triwch ei gael yn rhugl fel nad ydych yn gwneud camgymeriadau. Bydd rhaid fod yn hyblyg am nad ydych chi’n gallu rhagfarnu adwaith pob plentyn ond gallwch chi wedi ymarfer cymaint a gallwch.

Nawr dechreuwch ddefnyddio eich strwythur ac iaith ar blant sydd ddim yn mynd i’ch profi’n ormodol. Peidiwch ddechrau gyda’r cwsmer mwyaf lletchwith. Cynyddwch yn raddol. Byddwch yn sicr o’ch dull ymateb yn gyntaf.