F4i: Framework For Intervention


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Comment and discussion

The Framework 'Blog'. A page for comment and ideas on all aspects of Behaviour in schools and methods for improvement.
Improving the environment....

This page is for comment and ideas from Framework in Birmingham and elsewhere to help those who want to translate the principles into good practice.

Please let us know if you have any contributions to Hugh Williams

Framework: 10 years beyond

In 2007 Framework for Intervention achieved its 10th year of operation in Birmingham. Given the pace of change in education in the UK, this in itself is a reflection of the endurance of the idea. Few of its contemporaries in 1997 in the field of behaviour in schools, even approaches funded and promoted by the government, still exist.

But, like all activities, Framework needs constant development, and from time to time some radical re-thinking (see the references for Argyris and Schon in the list below).

Around the tenth anniversary is a good time for review, and this is starting to take place.

From the start, we have shared Framework widely (this website is one of the oldest), and this has meant that others have taken up the idea and run with it themselves.

If you are using Framework ideas and would like to be involved in the review, tell us at reveiw@f4i.org. Email to infomail@f4i.org if you want to be informed of developments through email.

Ideas coming from comment and views will be be reflected in the developments being planned in Birmingham (see page on the current project).

Framework and School Management

Framework for Intervention offers consultation for schools, LEAs and government organisations on developing whole school management using Framework/Learning Organisation/Quality management principles.

This work would be influenced by the best in management thinking such as the work of Deming, Peters, Senge and Handy. The reference list below gives an indication of the range of sources for Framework, which extend from the educational and psychological to mainstream management sources which have influenced major international corporations- particulary Toyota motor company.

Call any of the persons on the contacts page for information and discussion.

Useful Framework-related references

Argyris, M. and Schön, D. (1974) Theory in Practice. Increasing professional effectiveness, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (Landmark statement of 'double-loop' learning' and distinction between espoused theory and theory-in-action)

Argyris, C. and Schön, D. (1996) Organizational learning II: Theory, method and practice, Reading, Mass: Addison Wesley. (The last collaboration of this hugely influential partnership before Donald Schön's death in 1997)

Brofenbrenner, U.(ed) (2005) Making Human Beings Human: Bioecological Perspectives on Human Development. London:Sage (Evidence for the crucial part environments play in the development of human behaviours. Reflects the emphasis in Vygotsky’s work on the social nature of mediated learning.)

Daniels A, and Williams H, (2000) 'Framework for Intervention Part I: Reducing the need for exclusions and statements for behaviour' Educational Psychology in Practice. 15 (4) 220-227 (Introductory text)

Deming, W.E. (1982) Out of the Crisis Cambridge, Mass.; MIT Press (Deming's first major book giving the basis for his approach to management and quality. As with all Deming's writings there is an element of 'stream of consciousness' making it lacking in fluency- but some important ideas.)

Deming, W.E. (1994) The New Economics for Industry, Government, Education, Cambridge,Mass.; MIT Press (The book in which Deming introduces the famous 'fourteen points')

Gergen, K.J. (1994) Realities and relationships. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Introduces the concept 'transpositional hermeneutic' - an effective (and respectful) communication where people's positions are different, based on different understandings

Gillham, B. (ed) (1982) Problem behaviour in the Secondary School. London: Croom Helm (an early collection of papers which show that the practical ideas behind Framework have been around for some time)

Greenwood, M.S. and Gaunt, H. (1994) Total Quality Management for Schools London: Cassell (An account of the application of Deming's work to education)

Hoy, C., Bayne-Jardine C. and Wood, M (2000) Improving Quality in Education. London and New York: Falmer Press (Discussion of problems of management by targets and inspection)

Lewin, K. (1951) Field theory in social science; selected theoretical papers. D. Cartwright (ed.). New York: Harper & Row. (Kurt Lewin's thinking on 'field theory' provides an admirable theoretical basis for environmental and holistic approaches to behaviour - and he also invented the term 'Action Research', another implicit component of the approach.)

Liker, J. (2004) The Toyota Way. Madison:McGraw Hill (Yes, a description of the approach that has helped Toyota become the largest and most productive car firm in the world. The relevance comes from the approach to quality- an underlying component of Framework for Intervention.)

Miller, A. (1996) Pupil Behaviour & Teacher Culture. London: Cassell (Seminal study showing the limitations of individual casework without reference to the attributions of cause and solution made by teachers and others)

Miller, A. (2003) Teachers, parents and classroom behaviour Maidenhead :Open University Press (Andy Miller's later book developing arguments from the one above. Excellent)

Parsons, C., Castle, F., Howlett, K. and Worrall, J. (1996) Exclusion from school: The Public Cost. London: Campaign for Racial Equality

Parsons, C (1999) Education, Exclusion and Citizenship London: Routledge (Landmark study giving a clear and powerful indictment of the increase in exclusions from British schools since 1990.)

Peters, T.J and Waterman R.H. (1982) In search of excellence: Lessons from America's best run companies. New York: Harper and Row (Seminal work showing the need for utilising the creativity of staff and adaptability of organisations… close relation to Deming's approach but from a completely different perspective)

Powell, M and Solity J, (1990) Teachers in Control: Cracking the Code London: Routledge (Well reasoned and extensive early work on the need for developing and utilising the skills and decision making abilities of those nearest the pupils)

Robbins, H and Finley, M (1997) Why Teams don't work London: Orion Business Books (Easy to read and generally amusing book which is really about how to help teams work and how to avoid the pitfalls. Not referenced but full of sound ideas and stimuli for activities in training.)

Rose, S. (2005) The 21st Century Brain. London:Penguin (Stephen Rose is a biologist who has specialised in reearch on the brain, particularly in the field of Alzheimer's disease. In this book he gives a (relatively!) easily understood account of current knowledge of the development of the brain in the light of increasing ability to scan conscious activity. He emphasises that genes can only be expressed through their interaction with environments and through the constant making and breaking of synaptic connections in the brain.)

Senge, P(1990) The Fifth Discipline. New York: Currency Doubleday (Original text on Learning Organisations- Framework approach to behaviour is highly compatible)

Senge, P., Cambron-McCabe, N., Lucas, T., Smith, B., Dutton, J and Kleiner, A (2000) Schools that Learn London: Nicholas Brearley (Learning Organisations applied to schools- very 'American' but many useful ideas for facilitating solution finding in schools. Note that Peter Senge was influenced by Argyris and Schön and that the book cites the influence of Deming. Hugely recommended reading.)

Stone, D., Patton, B., Heen, S. (1999) Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most . Harmondsworth: Penguin ( A modern classic text, easy to read. Not referenced but solid psychology base. Ideal as a basis for Behaviour Coordinators to learn how to have difficult conversations - especially with colleagues !)

Thomas, G., & Loxley, A. (2002) Deconstructing Special Education and Constructing Inclusion . Buckingham: Open University Press (The chapter entitled 'The great problem of 'need': a case study in children who don't behave' offers a strong argument for re-thinking current attitudes to behaviour, particularly approaches based on the concept of a special educational need called 'Emotional and behavioural difficulties' [EBD]).

Williams H. and Daniels A., (1999) Framework for Intervention Part II, the road to Total Quality Behaviour ? , Educational Psychology in Practice. 15 (4) 228-236 (This is the second of two papers written to describe the project and theory behind it - the downloadable paper available here is more up to date than the first)

Framework: 10 years beyond-reflecting on the 10th anniversary in 2007

Framework and school management-about the relevance of Framework to other agendas in school management

Framework related reference list-annotated list of books and papers explaining the evidence base and theory behind Framework

Framework for Intervention is a non-profit making agency of Birmingham City Council's Children, Young Person and Families Department (Children's Services). It is administered within the Educational Psychology Service.