Warm/Strict

Warm/Strict: applying Reminder - Warning - BIR

What and why

What

Warm/Strict:

  • Having high behaviour standards and to establish those standards consistently and to communicate those standards with warmth and affection.
  • Making decisions not on popularity but based on long term commitment to students' growth.
  • An example: I am enforcing this rule because I care about you.
Why
  • Understanding consequences to broken rules is an important part of growing up.
  • Applying our rules consistently is the fair thing to do by our students.
  • Applying our rules consistently supports our colleagues across the school.
  • Be a good teacher first; relationships will follow. It is an iterative process.
  • ‘Teaching well is relationship building’

 

When radical candour meets warm/strict

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We can draw parallels between Lemov’s Warm Strict and Radical Candour as defined by Kim Scott: in both cases, if the first essential element can be boiled down to sincere human consideration, the second: challenging directly and holding high expectations must represent the feedback offered to make this happen.

Warm Strict is the optimal quadrant, where unconditional positive regard meets high expectations.

 

Imprecise praise might illustrate a situation in class where praise relates to person/personality and not actions or gives effusive or meaningless affirmations that offer little in the way of deliberate guidance.

  • This might lead to a young person feeling inaccurately defined, labelled or constrained.
  • This could be intentional, meant as a way to build relationships and trust, or it could be unintentional: as a result of a lack of deliberate planning and thought.
  • We might very well care deeply but if the actions we take to demonstrate this are not linked to clear expectations it means that potential learning and relationships are built on shifting sands.

Invisible expectations might see us holding a pupil to account for something that is poorly or barely explained either in terms of behaviour or learning.

  • This lack of transparency implicitly relates a lack of connection and creates unnecessary trap doors for pupils, and ultimately, for teachers.
  • In the long term this will not only lead to poor relationships but learning is likely to be less effective as low or no expectations conspire with an absence of human consideration.

Unrelenting inflexibility tells a story, rich in expectations and clarity, but locked into the rigid stare of the long and unbending “my way” ahead.

  • In this quadrant the paths to learning and behaviours are writ large on a single arrow.
  • Learning might be strong but relationships will take time and may not flourish, some resulting barriers may lead to inattentiveness and rejection, leaving room to care more about the people that one might be keen to hold to account in a class.
Warm/strict is a technique geared towards creating an environment where a student understands that you care (warm), but you are in charge (strict).

 

6 Steps to implement warm/strict

1. Front load your expectations

I expect you to remain in SLANT… I expect you to track the speaker…

2. Apply antecedents to give students the best possible chance of success

Swivel, Proximity, Be seen looking, positive framing etc.

3. When you spot an issue: give a reminder to a student for the expectation they haven’t met

Bobby, this is your reminder, I asked all students to remain in SLANT

4. Move on quickly

Continue with the phase of the lesson and avoid getting into confrontation with the student

5. Record the reminder or warning on the board so that is is visual

This acts as an antecedent for all and ensure your are able to effectively track the R,W, BIR system

6. Consequences are temporary

Smile or interact with the student naturally as soon as possible following a R or W. Carry out a restorative conversation following a BIR

 

High Frequency Errors

1. Teacher doesn’t front load the expectations

Split attention. Low level conversation

2. Doesn’t apply antecedents

Sat down at teacher desk. Students don’t feel your presence in the room

3. Doesn’t apply the R,W, BIR system first time, everytime

Corrects behaviour without using the system. Doesn’t correct the behaviour

4. Doesn’t move on immediately after the R or W

Gets into confrontation with the student. Frames the R or W as a judgement on the person and not the action.

5. Forgets to record the R or W on the board

No follow through. Students don’t take it seriously.

6. Consequences are temporary

Avoids the student after the R or W. Student thinks its personal. Student doesn’t think you care

 

 

What A Good One Looks Like

Warm/Strict Criteria
  • Consistency in applying sanction eg. 'reminder'
  • Say why they received the sanction
  • Quickly move on
  • Keep learning the focus.

 

Key takeaways

  1. Front load expectations and apply antecedents
  2. Apply R/W/BIR consistently
  3. Move on quickly

 

Take the quiz to complete module 3!

Warm/Strict: Applying Reminder - Warning - BIR

 

Key reading