Single Use Environments

An environment can cue a whole range of behaviours. When we are at our desk we behave differently to when we are in the garden. A whole range of habits are cued by the mere act of being in a certain place. For many of us this became painfully apparent in lockdown. My girlfriend and I lived in a single bedroom condo. We ate, slept, worked, relaxed in two rooms. Shutting off from work became difficult. Starting work became difficult. The habitual changes of behaviour that naturally come from a change in environment disappeared. The behavioural cues associated with arriving at work or home disappeared.

So, what are the behaviours that are cued by entering our classrooms? Is this a place where they are to play, shout or focus? Be polite, formal or informal? Where they pupils are cued to ask for help, help themselves or feel helpless?

During the return to in-class learning, many schools have had to use classrooms for lunches, break times and after school activities in a way we never did before. As classrooms increasingly become multi-use environments, it becomes challenging for pupils to know what behaviour is expected from them. But more importantly, the nonconcious cues from the environment that deliver behavioural responses are mixed. No longer does this rooms cue quiet, calm behaviour because sometimes it is the room where we eat lunch, socialise and play.

The Solutions

1. Consistent

As far as possible habitualised behaviour in the classroom should be consistent throughout the day regardless of the activity taking place. If you want entering your classroom to cue the behaviour of students using quiet voices, then this should be maintained throughout all activities. Pupils should then keep quiet voices during all classroom activities whether this be lunch, in group activities or in social time.Smaller Spaces

2. Smaller Spaces

Think about whether behaviours can be cued by smaller environments? Maybe quiet voices are cued by sitting at your desk, not upon entering the room. We can use phrases like, “When we sit at our desks, our voices will be quiet and calm.” By changing for a more consistent cue, we can ensure that we do not send mixed messages about expected behaviours.

Be aware, that the wider environment still might be a stronger cue. These also need to be consistent, if pupils can speak in a louder voice when they are not at there desks, does this habit apply to all times?

3. Make Other Cues Explicit

Habits are not only cued by environment – they can also be cued by times, other behaviours, things we see or hear. If an environment has to be mixed use, then other habit cues will have to be stronger and more explicit.