The Big Behaviour Debate on TV Tonight

Tonight at 9pm (and 11pm) , Teachers' TV will be showing a special Big Behaviour Debate, chaired by Jonathan Dimbleby as part of the Behaviour Matters Week.  In it a panel of experts will discuss if it's feasible to have a national programme for dealing with discipline problems and what needs to change in the educational culture to ensure, in the words of schools ministers Jacqui Smith, that "a culture of respect, good behaviour and firm discipline [be] the norm in all schools all of the time".

An online survey of 500 primary and secondary teachers taken for the Teachers' TV channel found 80% blamed discipline problems at school on a lack of parental control.  The BBC, Guardian and TES are among some of those reporting on the results.

The blurb for the program states:

Jonathan Dimbleby chairs a timely debate about behaviour in our schools. The programme is part of Teachers' TV's Behaviour Matters week.

Disrespect among children and young people may always have been part of our social fabric, but this debate examines whether the behavioural problems that are being witnessed in schools today are any different than they used to be. It investigates what might have affected children's behaviour and how to deal with such behaviour.

The panel of experts discuss if it's feasible to have a national programme for dealing with discipline problems and what needs to change in the educational culture to ensure, in the words of schools ministers Jacqui Smith, that "a culture of respect, good behaviour and firm discipline [be] the norm in all schools all of the time".

In anticipation of a government review into classroom discipline The Big Debate examines the key issues regarding pupil behaviour. A panel of experts will face a contributing audience of teachers, parents, sociologists, educationalists and pupils.

Gareth has a great cartoon to go with the debate tonight.   I look forward to reading your comments after the Big Behaviour Debate has been on (if anyone watches it!).