"When the Adults Change, Everything Changes: Seismic Shifts in School Behaviour"

by Paul Dix is a powerful and transformative book that focuses on improving student behaviour by changing the approach and mindset of educators. Dix’s work challenges traditional punitive discipline methods, advocating instead for consistency, calm authority, and positive relationships. His strategies emphasize that when adults model the right behaviours and take responsibility for setting the tone, schools can create a culture of respect, accountability, and high expectations.

Key Themes

1. The Role of Adults in Behaviour Change: Dix argues that adults, not students, are the key to changing behaviour in schools. Teachers and staff must model respect, consistency, and calmness.

2. Relational Behaviour Management: Building strong, trusting relationships with students is at the heart of managing behaviour effectively.

3. Consistency is Key: A unified approach across the school ensures that rules are clear, fair, and consistently enforced.

4. Restorative Practices: Focusing on repairing relationships after incidents of poor behaviour, rather than simply punishing, creates a more constructive environment.

5. The Power of Recognition Over Rewards: Dix emphasizes recognizing and praising good behaviour publicly rather than relying on material rewards, which can lose their impact over time.

Key Strategies

1. Meet and Greet: Standing at the door to welcome students creates a positive start to lessons and sets a calm tone.

2. Silent Signals: Using non-verbal cues to redirect behaviour without interrupting the flow of teaching.

3. Three Rules Approach: Schools should focus on three simple, memorable rules that can be consistently applied by all staff.

4. Restorative Conversations: Following incidents, restorative dialogues encourage students to reflect on their behaviour and its impact, fostering accountability.

5. Praise in Public, Reprimand in Private: Praising students publicly reinforces positive behaviour, while addressing poor behaviour privately maintains dignity.

6. Visible Consistency: All staff should demonstrate consistent adherence to school policies and expectations to reinforce a united front.

7. Calm and Collected Responses: Teachers should avoid confrontations by staying calm and using measured responses to defuse tension.

Why It Matters

Paul Dix’s approach prioritizes relationships and positive reinforcement over punitive measures, creating a culture of mutual respect and trust. His methods help to reduce teacher stress, increase student engagement, and foster an environment where learning can flourish.

Conclusion

"When the Adults Change, Everything Changes" by Paul Dix is a must-read for educators and school leaders looking to transform their school’s behaviour culture. The book provides actionable strategies rooted in respect, consistency, and emotional intelligence, showing how small changes in adult behaviour can lead to profound improvements in student behaviour. It’s a guide to creating calmer, happier, and more productive schools where every student feels valued and understood.