My name's Patrice Honnef
and I am, particularly this year, a senior English teacher.
I teach, actually, all grades of English.
My approach to behaviour management
is something that I've really thought long and hard about.
The truth is that I really like students to not only behave for me,
but I want them to behave and be respectful towards each other
because I think that if we don't have that area of commonality
we're not going to get anywhere.
I've moved to Gordonvale State High School
'cause I've been expelled from my previous schools.
I feel that it's better than the other schools
because every other school I've been to
there's been very violent, disruptive classrooms,
and there's no work being done and no-one respects anyone.
This year I have had a good year in English
compared to all my other years.
The difference now is Miss Honnef.
She helps me a lot.
Tell me something positive, minus and interesting.
Do that. That's the next thing.
Harry, you're looking so relaxed. What's going on?
-CHILD: What? -Where are your notes?
CHILD: What do you mean?
What do I mean? Have you earned your CCEs?
Have you put your learning intentions down?
Have you done number one and number two?
CHILD: I did the learning intention. I did number one.
Number two. I want the PMI. Come on.
-I'm listening to you. -Oh, you're good. Number three.
I really think that every time you walk into a class
there are students who can present challenging behaviour
and who certainly have presented challenging behaviour
in previous lessons,
and the truth is according to how their day's going
something could be a trigger.
So what I really try to do...
I'm a very... I like my lessons to be well-paced.
So I do try to keep the kids moving
and I teach...well, I try to teach explicitly and ask them,
"Do you understand that? What don't you understand? Is this achievable?"
Yeah, that's excellent. And then how it's related to...
-So... -This one here.
Yeah. Did this remind you of anything, people as outsiders?
So generally we've got a group of outsiders.
(BOY SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)
Yeah, so people who are already outsiders, but then...
-Jews. -Yes.
I think that if they know that I'm guiding them every step of the way
that they can see light at the end of the tunnel.
Miss Honnef's class is very comfortable to be in
and it's a good environment to learn.
She works with everyone independently
and she makes sure everyone does their work,
and she just respects everyone and gives everyone extra help.
Miss Honnef tells us what she expects before we do the assignment,
and then if we haven't reached that standard,
well, then she'll take us through it and help us.
So when do you think he would have been born? If the war was in 1942...
-So 18... -Yeah.
-Make it 1896. Yeah. -..96.
There's been such a change in one of the students, particularly,
who at the end of last year
was just so embittered and unmotivated,
and, you know, this morning he greeted me with,
"Oh, Miss, I've done 200 words last night on my short story,"
and that's a positive.
It's helped me by having a friendly environment
and meeting someone I can talk to about anything,
and she's always supportive about everything
and she'll help you as much as you need.
The key thing that I think has turned him around
is just that constant modelling and raising or setting the bar,
and explaining my expectations,
but also explaining, more than anything, that it's achievable.
It's not insurmountable.
And the truth is, I think, for any of us,
if things are just too big you just feel like giving up,
and perhaps that was the problem previously.
But by being given a little bit of flexibility
and, you know, just a little bit of extra attention,
it's worked really well.
Miss Honnef's class isn't about rules.
It's about how she treats people and it's just how you do your work,
and she just cares about everyone passing.
School is more enjoyable. I look forward to every day.