For teachers at the start of their career a key focus is on supporting them to create an orderly and inclusive classroom environment in which all their pupils can thrive.
There are times early on when new teachers (those in training or in the early stages of their career) can sometimes perceive a tension between being inclusive and creating an orderly environment where pupils behave well.
In part this derives from a belief that establishing positive relationships with each individual in the group should be the first priority. The point here is not that positive individual relationships are not an essential part of a flourishing and inclusive classroom, but rather that these can only really happen when there are clear systems, routines and expectations in place.
It is therefore the role of teacher trainers and school leaders to demonstrate that to be an effective teacher both elements are necessary and rather than being in opposition they are actually mutually supportive entities.
Children and young people at every stage of their journey through school need to be guided and supported in how to behave. This is not about having lots of rules, or indeed lots of rewards, though those can both be useful elements in a teacher’s overall approach.