5.3 Practice Period

On this page

  1. Determining the length of the practice period
  2. Instructional video
  3. Introducing Friendly and Fair Teaching
    3.1 Preparation for lesson 1
    3.2 Introduction framework, triangle and ‘Future behaviour letter’ – Lesson 1
    3.3 Preparation for lesson 2
    3.4 Introduction ‘Tip’ – Lesson 2
    3.5 Preparation for lesson 3
    3.6 Introduction ‘Gestures’ – Lesson 3
    3.7 Preparation for lessons 4 to 8
    3.8 Lessons 4 to 8
  4. A intern or colleague takes over a class from a teacher.
  5. Interfaces between Practice Period 1 and existing educational practice
  6. Repeat methode of working of the ‘Practice period’
  7. Introducing the ‘Abacus’ in a next period
  8. Summary Practice Period
  9. Credits

Friendly and Fair Teaching (FFT) is a method for teachers that helps them to establish and maintain order in the classroom. Through a series of eight lessons, they create a positive learning environment.

I introduce Friendly and Fair Teaching to my students as a cohesive method during the ‘Practice Period‘, which consists of a series of eight lessons. Before each lesson in this period, I read the accompanying instructions.

Introduction video

For more information, please see our other introductory videos here.

Introduction

The three steps of Behaviour Management Strategies are: Non-verbal, Verbal, and Measure. FFT presents these steps as suggestions. Each step can be carried out in different ways. The following guide should therefore be seen as a framework, which you can adapt to your own practice.

Before starting with FFT, you already have an idea of how you want your lessons to run in future: friendly and Fair (Framework). You also have an idea of what you expect from pupils’ behaviour for each form of classroom activity (Triangle).

How do you reinforce positive behaviour with the FFTmethod? (Behaviour Management Strategies)

  1. Each pupil is given a margin for making mistakes or lapses during a series of eight lessons (a Period). Within that period you address a pupil’s behaviour or effort twice in ways that do not cost them time – using non-verbal ‘Gestures’ and verbal ‘Tips’.
  2. When you address that student for the third time about behaviour or effort, you ask that student to write a ‘Future Behaviour Letter‘ (Measure). This assignment is effective because writing a letter:
  • takes a student time.
  • makes the student thinks along in finding a solution.

Introduce three steps of ´Behaviour Management Strategies´ in three lessons

  1. Lesson one – introduce the Future Behaviour Letter
    In the first lesson you introduce the ‘Future Behaviour Letter’. With this letter you address a pupil’s behaviour or effort. You explain
    – under which circumstances you will ask a pupil to write such a letter,
    – when it has to be handed in,
    – and where it must be written – namely outside lesson time.

    Of the three steps, the letter is the most effective tool. Experience shows that pupils usually try to avoid receiving this task. If the first lesson goes smoothly, you will not need to hand out a letter at all. Only if really necessary, you hand out a letter in the first lesson.
    If in this first lesson you do need to address a pupil’s behaviour or effort, you immediately do so by requiring them to write a ‘Future Behaviour Letter’. The previously mentioned margin (two warnings before the letter) is skipped only in this first lesson.
    Why skip the margin in the first lesson?
    Only once pupils know about the ‘Future Behaviour Letter’ and want to avoid it do the non-verbal and verbal steps that precede the letter (‘Gestures’ and ‘Tips’) become effective.

  2. Lesson two – Introduce the ‘Tip’
    In the second lesson you introduce the ‘Tip’: a positive piece of advice. With a Tip you address a pupil’s behaviour or effort. You explain beforehand that if a pupil has received two Tips, the next step will be to write a Future Behaviour Letter. The advice is to give a maximum of one Tip per pupil per lesson.
    On this webpage you can read what to do if a pupil continues to disrupt after one Tip. If you restrict yourself to giving only one Tip per pupil per lesson, it will only be from lesson 4 onwards that a pupil may have to write a letter.
    Each Tip reduces the margin for that pupil – and you make this clear to them. A pupil can avoid writing a letter by improving their behaviour and effort. From lesson 2 onwards, a Tip always comes before the letter.
    From lesson 2 onwards, pupils become aware that within each period they have a clearly defined margin within which mistakes are allowed.
  3. Lesson three – Introduce ‘Gestures’
    In the third lesson you introduce ‘Gestures’. ‘Gestures’ have the advantage that they are silent. If you address a pupil’s behaviour or effort using a gesture, and the pupil responds well, it costs you little energy and disrupts the lesson as little as possible.
    Only when a pupil’s margin is used up, and you are addressing them for the third time on behaviour or effort, do you move beyond a Tip and require them to write a Future Behaviour Letter.
    From lesson 3 onwards, the sequence is always the same: first ‘Gestures’, then ‘Tips’, and finally the ‘Future Behaviour Letter’. This sequence remains valid after lesson 3.
    This image shows how you introduce the three steps: in lesson 1 step 3 (Letter), in lesson 2 step 2+3 (Tip > Letter), in lesson 3 step 1+2+3 (Gestures > Tip > Letter).

    Image: introduction Behaviour Management Strategies
    With the Gestures and Tips (introduced in lessons 2 and 3), you ensure that:
    – pupils have to write a ‘Future Behaviour Letter’ as little as possible, you only ask for a letter according to plan (after two Tips), not impulsively out of anger,
    – pupils are given a certain margin (they are children, they make mistakes, they test boundaries).

1. Determine the Length of the Practice Period

When you start with Behaviour Management Strategies, you decide on the length of a Period in which you will record Tips on two lists: one for whole-class teaching and one for independent work.

The length of the period depends on how often you teach the pupils each week. You decide for yourself which duration is most suitable:

  • A secondary school teacher who teaches one hour per week may choose a period of eight weeks (with eight lessons).

  • A secondary school teacher who teaches two hours per week may shorten the period to four weeks (still eight lessons).

  • A primary school teacher, depending on the pupils’ age, may work with periods of a day, half a week, or a whole week.

The number of hours that a teaching assistant teaches a class varies. Sometimes you co-teach with a teacher, at other times you are alone. The advice for teaching assistants is the same: print two lists per group (one for whole-class teaching and one for independent work). On each list, note at the top the date you teach the class. Once you have written down eight dates for a class, that period is complete. Depending on how often you see a class, you will reach the eighth lesson sooner with some classes than with others. After the eighth lesson, start again with new lists for that class.

If you co-teach with a teacher, you support their classroom management approach. Consider informing them about your experiences with Friendly Order Keeping. You may also choose to work together with a shared set of lists per group.

1.1 Using Free Tips

From the Practice Period onwards, you work with a maximum number of free Tips per pupil per period. You count these Tips using the lists. These Tips are “free” in the sense that they do not cost a pupil time. As long as behaviour and effort remain within the set boundaries, no further action is needed.

Once you introduce the Abacus (Telraam), you apply both:

  • a maximum number of free Tips per pupil per period, and

  • a maximum number of Tips per group per lesson.

This way, you limit both the number of Tips per pupil per period and the number per class per lesson. By using the Abacus, you set clear boundaries in two ways.

At the end of a period, all given Tips expire, and you start again with empty lists.

2. Instructionvideo Practice Period 1

Watch the video below for a visual explanation of how to introduce ‘Behaviour Management Strategies’ during the first three lessons of the ‘Practice Period’.

3. Introducing Friendly and Fair Teaching

In eight lessons you introduce Friendly and Fair Teaching. Below is a description of how you prepare for each lesson and how you inform your students about this new way of working.

3.1 Preparation lesson 1

  • Print a number of copies of the ‘Future behaviour letter‘ printed on yellow paper. In lesson 1 you use a maximum of two letters per group.
  • Buy a small notebook and write ‘Tip book’ on it. In that notebook you write down the name of a student you ask to write a ‘Future behaviour letter’ in the first lesson. You also write down (if necessary) strange behaviour of a student in this notebook.
    Stick a small version of the blue image of the triangle on the back of the notebook, you can show this to a student during the lesson (just like the triangle).
  • Hang the image with the Framework on the wall. That image will stay there from now on.
  • Print out this PDF in A3 format that you use as a construction sheet for the triangle.
  • In the first three lessons, you can show a part of the above instructional video (from 1 minute and 53 seconds the video is intended for students). Of course, you can also pass this information on to your students yourself.

3.2 Introduction ‘Triangle’, ‘Framework’ and ‘Future behaviour letter’ – Lesson 1

You receive a group that you are seeing for the first time, no matter how they behave, in a friendly manner. If a group enters the classroom in a busy manner, you do not force order. You wait calmly until they can be addressed. If this takes too long, you write down in your Tipbook as a reporter what unacceptable behavior you see your students display. If a student asks you what you are writing down, you indicate that you will discuss what you are writing down with the class and/or with the management later if necessary. To draw attention, you can also put this general message on the board: “Attention please – the lesson is about to begin”. By acting this way, you remain friendly and fair from the start. You show that you will not be tempted to get angry if the lesson does not go the way you want. You start by showing how you use the triangle to indicate what action you expect from your students when you teach the whole class or when you let your students work independently:

Triangle

You explain: “In my lessons I distinguish two situations:

  1. either I teach (Whole Class Teaching) followed by short exercises, class discussion) and then I ask you to pay attention or participate.
  2. or you work independently on assignments and then I expect you to get to work and not disturb the other students.“

(Show both images one after the other).

“If a student does not follow one of these instructions, I address this student about behaviour and commitment. Because I am now explaining something, I show this blue image: (Whole Class Teaching – Please pay attention during the explanation – Please participate in exercises that follow the explanation). When I explain something from now on, I will show this blue image.”

Figure: framework and triangle

Framework

“As you can see, there is a picture hanging on the wall. The picture says: Friendly + Fair.
I will try to be friendly and fair in all lessons. If I don’t, you can address me about it – in a friendly way. Conversely, if one of you is not friendly or fair, I will address you about it. ‘Friendly and Fair’ therefore applies to all of us and that is why it is fair”.

Future Behaviour Letter

Then you show your students the ‘Future behaviour Letter’ and indicate that with this letter you address a student about behaviour and commitment.

“Suppose a student is not friendly and/or not fair, or does not follow the instructions on the ‘Triangle’ or the ‘Framework’, then I ask this student to write a ‘Future behaviour Letter’ to me (show a letter printed on yellow paper).
In it, I ask you two questions:

What is the reason for this letter, what happened, what did you do yourself?
What can you change/improve about your behaviour?

The student to whom I give this assignment writes this letter to me in his/her own time and hands it in to me at an agreed time.
It is also possible that I ask you to write the letter at the end of this day in my presence (as a teacher, you decide what suits you best). I hope that it is not necessary to hand out a letter this lesson”.

If in the first lesson a student does not adhere to the ‘Framework’ or the instructions of the ‘Triangle’, you give this student the assignment to write a ‘Future behaviour Letter‘ to you. Only give the letter if there is a clear violation of the instructions or in the case of provocative behaviour. With the letter you show that you are able to adjust behaviour or commitment. Because writing the letter takes a student time, the effect of the letter is great. In a very busy class, you can hand out a second letter in the first lesson. The advice is not to let more than two students write a letter per lesson. If the class remains restless afterwards, interrupt the lesson. This is not a sign of weakness. You decide that it is too busy to be able to work well in the way you expect from the students.

If necessary, you can also correct verbally or use gestures in the first lesson in the way you are used to. The idea behind this lesson is that you will be friendly and fair from now on, so the advice is to try to use gestures in a friendly way and to correct in a friendly way. If you do not do this, there is a chance that students will address you about it because you have just given them permission to do so.

Summary

  1. With one of the two images of the ‘Triangle’, you indicate what action you expect from your students.
  2. The frame on the wall makes it clear how everyone should treat each other: Friendly + Fair. Once the ‘Framework’ has been discussed, your students know that you will address a student who behaves unfriendly (and therefore disrupts the lesson).
  3. With a ‘Future behaviour Letter’ you consistently ensure that the instructions of the ‘Framework’ and the ‘Triangle’ are followed.

3.3 Preparation lesson 2

  • Print out two class lists for each class: one for ‘Whole Class Teaching’ and one for ‘Working Independently’. If your students are working independently, write individual ‘Tips’ directly on the relevant class list.
  • Buy a board with a clip to attach the list for independent work. Print a small version of the green image of the ‘Triangle’ and stick it on the back of the board. You use this board + list + image during independent work. You can show the image on the back to a student you want to address non-verbally on behaviour or effort when you walk through the classroom, without this leading to a ‘Tip’.

3.4 Introduction ‘Tip’ – Lesson 2

In the second lesson, you start by creating a ‘buffer’ in the form of ‘Tips’. This buffer prevents you from having the ‘Future behaviour’ written too quickly or too often. Tell your students that before you have them write a letter, you will give them a ‘Tip’. This is a request to the student to improve their behaviour or work attitude. You indicate that each student can receive two ‘free’ Tips per period (in the second lesson, there are still seven lessons to go until the end of the period). This sets your limit. If you address the same student for the third time within a period about behaviour or commitment (with the same working method: either ‘Whole Class Teaching’ or ‘Working Independently’), you will ask that student to write a ‘Future behaviour Letter’. If you limit yourself to one Tip per student per lesson per working method (frontal teaching or independent work) from the second lesson onwards, you can only have a student write a ‘Future behaviour Letter’ in lesson four. What to do if a student continues to be disruptive after a Tip?

Note Tips

Tips are given in two working methods, during ‘Whole Class Teaching’ and during ‘Working Independently’.

  1. When you are teaching the entire class, you note down ‘Tips’ in your ‘Tip Book’. You only need to note down the name of the student. After your lessons, you copy the given ‘Tips’ onto the list for ‘Whole Class Teaching’.
  2. ‘Tips’ that you give during ‘Working Independently’ are immediately noted down on a list (clipboard) for ‘Working Independently’.

With this approach you delay the use of the letter, and you will never impulsively or angrily have a student write you a ‘Future behaviour Letter’. This restraint contributes to the success of this approach. The ‘Letter’ should be an ultimate tool: in principle the lesson should be able to proceed well on the basis of agreements, with ‘Gestures’ and a small number of ‘Tips’.

Image 94: Tip book and lists to note Tips

For each list, you record a maximum of two Tips per student per period (of eight lessons). The first two ‘Tips’ per list are ‘free’ (do not take the student any time). The third time per list that you have to address a student about their behaviour or effort, you ask this student to write a ‘Future Behaviour Letter’. This letter does take a student time. Not pointless time as with punishment rules, but time spent sensibly on self-reflection and a contribution to a solution.

Each student can receive two ‘Tips’ during ‘Whole Class Teaching’ and two ‘Tips’ during ‘Working Independently’. If you combine the two lists, a student can receive a maximum of four Tips per period of eight lessons with this method of working without you having to impose a measure. Experience shows that only a single student collects four ‘Tips’ within a period. To limit the number of ‘Tips’ you give, try to give a maximum of one ‘Tip’ per student per lesson. This limitation puts a brake on escalation and ensures that you will not quickly ‘punish’ a student out of emotion with damage to the relationship. What to do if a student continues to be disruptive after a ‘Tip’?

If a student on either list exceeds the maximum of two ‘Tips’, you ask this student, without animosity, to write a ‘Future Behaviour Letter’ and to hand it in at a time of your choosing.

3.5 Preparation for lesson 3

After lesson 2, copy the ‘Tips’ that you wrote down in your ‘Tip Book’ onto the class list for ‘Whole Class Teaching’. Repeat this after each subsequent lesson.
Have a look at the page ‘Gestures‘.

3.6 Introduction ‘Gestures’ – lesson 3

In the third lesson, you increase the ‘buffer’. The larger the buffer, the less likely you are to have a ‘Future behaviour Letter’ written. Before you give a student the assignment to write a letter to you, first use gestures and then ‘Tips’.
On the ‘Gestures’ page you will find an explanation of the three series of gestures below and also other gestures, e.g. a gesture with which you ask the entire class for silence.

Image 95: three series of gestures

The third series of gestures: ‘Attention > start > thank you’ is used in two situations:

  1. During ‘Whole Class Teaching’ to encourage a student to participate in a class exercise that follows your explanation.
  2. During ‘Working Independently’ to encourage a student to start working on assignments.

From the third lesson of ‘Practice Period 1’, and in all periods thereafter, you take the first three steps of the ‘Ladder of Action‘  in the usual order: Gestures > Tips > Future Behaviour Letter.

These three steps – in that order – ensure that you usually address behaviour or commitment with simple, non-disruptive means without the need to interrupt the lesson and/or have a ‘Letter’ written.

Dare to count on the fact that using ‘Gestures’ and giving and registering ‘Tips’ will gradually become part of your regular teaching routines. The students will then be used to the fact that this is ‘how it works with you’.

3.7 Preparation for lessons 4 to 8

If, when transferring ‘Tips’ from your ‘Tip Book’ to the ‘Whole Class Teaching’ list, you notice that a student has already received two ‘Tips’ in this period, write the name of that student on the board before the start of the next lesson.

3.8 Lessons 4 to 8

From lesson 4 to 8, it is possible that a student has already collected two ‘Tips’ in lesson two and three of this practice period. If a student has received two ‘Tips’ in previous lessons, write the name of that student on the board. Wait for the student at the door. When a student whose name you have written on the board comes in, say to that student: “Pay attention this lesson, otherwise I will have to make you write a Letter”.

Whole Class Teaching

If you teach frontally and you have to address a student whose name is on the board about behavior or effort, then you immediately give this student the assignment to write a ‘Letter about future behavior’.

Working Independently

If you address a student about behaviour or commitment during ‘Working Independently’ who has already received two ‘Tips’ in previous lessons (you can see this on the list), then you do this by giving this student the assignment to write you a ‘Future behaviour Letter’.

If a student protests, you can say: “You can accept this assignment now, otherwise I will have to give you a bigger assignment.” See also: What to do if a student continues to be disruptive after a Letter?

4. An intern or colleague takes over a class from a teacher

  1. Interns or colleagues who independently take over a lesson from a teacher who does not work in the FFT manner are advised to follow the approach described above for lesson 1 the first time they teach a new class. If it is necessary for a student to write a ‘Letter’ to you, clearly indicate when the student must hand in this ‘Letter’. If possible, agree with the teacher in advance how to handle the handing in of the ‘Future Behaviour Letter’.
  2. Interns or colleagues who independently take over a lesson from a teacher who does work in the FFT manner can, after studying the various steps with which you address a student’s behaviour and commitment (Gestures > Tips > Letter), use the lists of the current teacher and note down the Tips they give during their lesson on those lists. Of course, after consultation with the teacher.

5. Interfaces Practice period 1 with existing educational practice

Interface 1: Teachers advise each other to start strict and then loosen the reins.

In Practice Period 1, you start with ‘Behaviour Management Strategies’. You start in the first lesson by having students write a ‘Future Behaviour Letter’ (if necessary). You then show that you can resolve a disruption in the lesson without this leading to escalation and discord. Immediately handing out a ‘Letter’ is comparable to starting strict. You start with the active ingredient of the ‘Ladder of Action’. For some groups, it will not be necessary to hand out a letter in the first lesson.
In the second and third lessons, you introduce the steps preceding the ‘Future behaviour Letter’ in reverse order (2nd lesson: giving a ‘Tip’; 3rd lesson Gestures > Tip). With these steps, you prevent students from having to write a letter often and you limit your own ability to take immediate action. From lesson 3, you have two steps before you have a student write a ‘Letter’. This prevents you from handing out the ‘Letter’ too often and the letter losing its power. It also prevents you from giving the assignment impulsively or out of anger.

Interface 2: In education, it is customary to warn twice. Then you take a measure.

In ‘Practice Period 1’, you start with ‘Behaviour Management Strategies’. From the second lesson, you give ‘Tips’ that you count and write down on lists. Two ‘Tips’ are ‘free’: they do not take a student any time. The third time it is necessary to address a student about behaviour or commitment, you ask that student to write you a ‘Future behaviour Letter’. In practice, it turns out that most students do not receive a ‘Tip’ from you, a number receive one ‘Tip’ and only a few students receive two ‘Tips’. Having a letter written is then an exception. See how often you will use the different steps of the ‘Ladder of Action’.

Before you move on to the next steps of ‘Practice period 2’ – working with the ‘abacus’ to record ‘Tips’ visible to the entire class – it is important that you have mastered the first five components of ‘Behaviour Management Strategies’.

6. Repeat method of working of ‘Practice period 1’

When is it advisable to repeat the method of working from ‘Practice period 1’?

  1. The ‘Ladder of Action’ starts with the three series of gestures (quiet, stop, start). Especially during ‘Working Independently’, you need these gestures to silently address students about their behaviour or commitment. As long as these three series of gestures still feel unfamiliar to you, postpone the start of ‘Practice period 2’ for a while.
  2. Giving Tips and administering Tips can be a bit unfamiliar at first. You will experience that this will gradually become more routine.

If you want to repeat the method of working ‘Practice period 1’, print out the lists for Tips again. At the start of the next period, it is no longer necessary to explain anything. You immediately start with the three steps of the ‘Ladder of Action’ in the usual order: Gestures > Tips > Letter. The fourth step is not mentioned in this image. The fourth step is necessary if a student does not hand in the letter to you. See ‘Action ladder’

Figure: repeat practice period 1

7. Introducing the ‘Abacus’ in a next period

When is it advisable to start with ‘Practice period 2’?

  1. You notice that you have mastered the first five components of ‘Behaviour Management Strategies’ and you notice that your students respond well.
  2. You must first give a student ‘Tips’ and only then can you have them write a ‘Future behaviour Letter’. That takes too long for you.

From ‘Practice period 2’ you can have the letter written earlier. This will give your ‘Tips’ even more weight, and therefore effect.

8. Summary Practice period

‘Practice Period’: first 8 lessons

The ‘Practice Period’ consists of eight consecutive lessons in which the teacher introduces the first five components of ‘Behaviour Management Strategies’. The sixth component (Abacus) is introduced later.

The ‘Practice Period‘ is crucial because:

  • Students experience from the very first lessons what the teacher expects.

  • The teacher establishes clear boundaries for acceptable behaviour and effort.

  • Students learn to work within these boundaries and understand what happens if they cross them.

The role of the Framework

The Framework is a poster hung on the classroom wall. It contains agreements about behaviour and effort. During lessons, the teacher refers back to it to evaluate whether what is happening aligns with the Framework.

  • If a student’s behaviour fits within the Framework: no action is needed.

  • If behaviour does not fit: the teacher applies Behaviour ‘Management Strategies’.

The role of the Triangle

  1. Before whole-class teaching, the teacher shows the blue side of the Triangle to indicate expectations.
  2. Before working independently, the teacher shows the green side of the Triangle to indicate expectations.

  • This visual reminder helps students understand exactly what kind of learning situation is starting.

  • It reduces misunderstandings and makes transitions smoother.

Behaviour Management Strategies

The FFT method consists of six components, introduced step by step:

  1. Gestures – non-verbal signals such as:

    • “Please pay attention”

    • “Please stop talking”

    • “Please get to work”
      Sets of three gestures are directed at individuals or the whole group.

  2. Tips – positive advice, focused on desired behaviour (not the unwanted behaviour).
    Example: instead of saying “Stop talking”, the teacher gives the tip: “Please continue your work”.

  3. Tip Book – a small notebook in which the teacher records which student received a Tip, or who was assigned to write a Future Behaviour Letter.

  4. Future Behaviour Letter – if Tips do not suffice, the teacher asks the student to write a short letter.

    • This takes time, which makes the consequence meaningful.

    • The student actively contributes to solving the problem by reflecting on future behaviour.

  5. Framework – used to check whether behaviour matches agreements.

  6. Abacus – counts the number of Tips given per lesson (To be introduced in a next period).

    • For whole-class teaching: maximum 2 Tips for all students.

    • For independent work: maximum 4 Tips for all students.

    • Once the maximum is reached, the next step is always a ‘Future Behaviour Letter‘.

By combining these six elements, the teacher ensures that behaviour is addressed consistently, fairly, and predictably.

Effects of this method

  • Students know exactly where they stand.

  • Teachers can maintain a friendly and fair classroom climate without raising their voice.

  • The method saves time and energy, which can be invested in teaching and learning.

9. Credits

Michel Couzijn – Teacher trainer UvA

Michel indicated that the five perspectives of Friendly and Fair Teaching: Establishing a Friendly Tone , Establishing Fariness, Planning Lessons, Observing Learning, Behaviour management Strategies, form a coherent whole. In ‘Practice period 1’ all perspectives are discussed. That is why we can now rightly speak of the ‘methodology of FFT’.

Go to the introduction of the online tutorial