IMPORTANT TOP TIPS FOR TEACHING IN A PRU

Having spent 18 years in Secondary schools I have decided to venture into the world of PRU teaching (pupil referral unit). These students have found school life to be extremely difficult for several reasons. I teach Science to students between the ages of 14-16, for two days a week as well as manage a Brighton based teaching agency, Teachers today

So, you may be thinking why put yourself through that?

As the director of Teachers today, I believe that it is essential to have an in-depth knowledge of education provision. If I am placing staff in a school I need to know how the systems and processes work. How can you advise a staff member if you have had no prior experience yourself? Would the candidate take you and your company seriously? I don’t think so!

Having developed my understanding of PRU education so far this year, what have I learnt?

Be organised, however don’t be rigid. Complete prep work beforehand, even though you never really know what might come your way from the students. Deviate from the plan if and when required to keep students engaged. Organisation allows you to plan for each student’s needs. Working with small classes I understand what motivates each student, levels of engagement and what may disrupt the class! (The most important one!!)

So what do I mean from deviating away from the plan?

You can gauge the mood of a students as soon as they walk through the door. You may have to adapt your plan to meet the needs of the student/s. They may need structure to be led, work 1 to 1 with a TA, group work with a supportive friend, or even just a discussion around the topic, this can be just as good as writing in my book!

It is important to have clear boundaries within the class. Some teachers may think because of the complex issues students may possess, boundaries should be more lenient. This is not the case, draw your line in the sand for the students. Keep it simple, a maximum of three rules (for me it must be around the use of respectful language)

I am not preaching that I have alleviated swearing from the world and my classes are sitting like angels discussing topics, far from it!! I am consistent and use positive behavioural techniques to reinforce my expectation.

Visibly, it is important to show the group that you are not happy with a type of language, discuss it with the student 1 to 1, when calmness has descended. Relating the incident to real life enables the students to take a different perspective on your thoughts i.e. talking to a bouncer on the door of a night club, is s/he going to let you in? Or risking your position at work?

In secondary education, I would normally challenge students ‘front on’ however in a PRU environment you must ‘address them sideways’. Confronting a student publicly will only lead to confrontation. Sitting next to a student calmly, having a quiet word or writing a note for them to acknowledge is a good technique. One strategy Is that I change the subject completely, taking them away from the frustration of learning into a world which they may know. Having this type of discussion is enjoyable and allows me to get them back on track.

It is important you manage your TA positively within the classroom. A good TA can be a great addition by supporting you and of course the students. Get to know your TA, find time to speak with them, you may find they have plenty of experience in particular subject areas. What makes them tick? What do they enjoy about their work? This then allows me to plan which TA may work best with a student

Not every lesson will be like the ‘Dead poets Society’. You probably imagine yourself standing on a table while students look on in admiration following your every word!
There will be times when students are anti-work, may swear or even worse completely ignore you! It’s about how you react as a person, that makes a great teacher in this environment. Don’t take things personally. Hold your nerve, do not show that you may be upset and remain calm. Students in PRU settings may only be use to negative feedback and aggression when dealing with incidents. It’s very important you model positive behaviour back to the student so they can observe how situations need to be handled. Your ‘Dead Poets Society’ moment may be as small as showing positive behaviour in the face of adversity, for me that is as important as inspiring an ‘A’ level students to go onto on to University or a student gaining 8 GCSE’s at A*.
​
This is only a short Blog, but one I have enjoyed writing. I have admiration and high regard for all teachers working with children. However, the staff that work in PRU settings have opened my eyes to a new-found respect.