Staff in
schools are constantly having dialogue with pupils about behaviour, stretching
from a quick word outside the classroom to meetings with Governors. The aim of
these by and large is to eliminate undesired behaviour and increase the
frequency, duration, and understanding of desired behaviour. Motivational
Interviewing provides an approach that supports this change. Adults at all
levels in school can use its key principles and suggested strategies support
changes in behaviour.
Motivational
Interviewing is a form of therapy that has good success rates with individuals
suffering from alcoholism, bulimia and substance misuse. It should be
remembered that adults and students in school cannot engage in therapy as there
is an imbalance of power (which should be avoided in therapy). However,
therapeutic approaches are very helpful in supporting students to make positive
changes.
Motivational
Interviewing should be characterised by an approach that is collaborative,
avoids the ‘righting reflex’ (where the teacher instructs or informs the
student therefore trying to solve problems) and produces autonomy/independence
in the student. There are three key principles;
a) It is
focussed on behaviour change
b) It
emphasises and encourages personal reasons for change therefore increasing
motivation to change.
c) It links
to the ‘trans-theoretical model of change’ which has five stages. These are
pre-contemplation (not even thinking about change), contemplation (thinking
about change), determination (having reasons for change and motivation to
change), action (the process of change), maintenance and habit (the change
becoming natural behaviour).
Below are
some suggestions about how to put these principles into practice for an adult
working with a pupil following a display of undesired behaviour.
·
Thank the
student for attending a meeting. This helps to demonstrate that you respect the
fact the student may be considering a change. It also helps to build a more
positive relationship.
·
Ask open
ended questions to elicit student experience of the incident/behaviour. ‘Can you tell me about…’ ‘Describe to me
when…..’ ‘What was it like for you when….’ ‘What happened….’. This
gives the student the opportunity to share their views and avoids judgement or
confrontation.
·
Show empathy
and understanding of the student’s perspective. Try to see if they can
understand how someone else might feel or react in that situation. Re-iterate
the key points the student made and summarise. Check then that the student
agrees with the summary. ‘So what
you’re saying is….’ ‘If I understand correctly you mean…’ ‘Someone else might say that….’ ‘On the one
hand you say that…..on the other….’ This helps to reassure the student and
provides a value and acceptance of their feelings about the event.
·
Establish
what a good outcome might look like. Again use very open ended questions
focussed on the student’s views. Try to avoid the ‘righting reflex’ whereby the
adult provides answers and solutions. Emphasise and re-iterate student’s own
statements about what they are looking for in the future. ‘What would you hope to be different in…..’
‘What might be the results if you changed something in…..’ ‘How would you like
things to be in…..’ ‘What is the BEST thing you can imagine happening in….’
This helps to move the student on to focusing on a change and the potential
benefits for them as well as others.
·
Identify
actions (small steps first of course) that could lead to the desired outcome.
Again, try to avoid the ‘righting reflex’ by making suggestions or
over-directing. Over emphasise student’s own statements about change and how to
get there. ‘What do you think you
could do differently…. ‘What might help the situation….’ These could then
become specific targets for the pupil or actions for others to take that can be
measured.
·
Restate and
summarise key actions, checking for agreement. Thank the student for attending
and contributing. This helps to make it clear that the meeting is the basis for
agreement about desired outcomes and behaviours.
Motivational Interviewing is more than a set of techniques. To be successful it should be characterised by a specific way of being that is collaborative, avoids a didactic, expert centred style and produces autonomy/independence in the student.
Acknowledgements and wider reading:
·
Article
summarising Motivational Interviewing in British Journal of Psychiatry
·
Website of
Stephen Rollnick, the first professional to write about Motivational
Interviewing.
·
Article from
Bill Rogers, a renowned education consultant.
· Article from the
website of @TeacherToolkit, winner of ‘Best Education Blog’ and Deputy
Headteacher.
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