Emotional Intelligence and Student Behaviour, 1(2)

School performance league tables place pressure on teachers to meet explicit targets in terms of student achievement and behaviour. Experience has shown that external reinforcement models of behaviour management are inadequate because they take insufficient account of the individual's contextual framework and, by conditioning students to respond to the teacher's expectations, they may undermine students' ability to set and meet appropriate behavioural standards independently. This article outlines some strategies, drawn from the work of Gibbs (1995), which have been used to develop students' social and emotional maturity and to contribute to a positive learning climate in the classroom. The authors would welcome feedback from teachers in other countries who have tried this approach.