The Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management program was first introduced in Wales in 2002. Incredible Years Trainer Sue Evans and the team at the Powys Teaching Health Board have recently undertaken a review of measures collected evaluating TCM program implementation from 2011 – 2016. Measures used were the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI), and teachers’ final satisfaction evaluation of the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management program.
Key findings from the analysis:
Evaluation of the IY-TCM training data in Powys from 2011 to 2016 found significant changes in staff perceptions of key pupil’s social and emotional well-being on the SDQ measure following completion of training. Significant improvements were found on overall Total SDQ scores and for each of the five domains measured, with reductions in emotional difficulties, conduct problems, hyperactivity, and peer problems, and an increase in pro-social behaviour.
A significant reduction in occupational stress was reported by participants following course completion, measured by Total TSI scores. Furthermore, results on a sub-scale of TSI items particularly pertinent to classroom management, showed that stress associated with classroom management issues (having a difficult class, having a noisy class, poor attitude or impolite behaviour from pupils, and maintaining discipline) were significantly reduced. Significant improvements overall and in every measured domain of social and emotional well-being for a specific pupil, as perceived by staff, again demonstrate the effectiveness of TCM.
Using outcome experience measures in the form of a detailed final evaluation questionnaire, staff who completed TCM training reported positively on the programme content, reported improvements in classroom behaviour, and reflected positively about learning new strategies for classroom management. They reported feeling calmer, positive, more confident and in control, and that they had gained strategies to create positive interactions with pupils.
The Powys Local Authority continues to support the implementation of the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management program through an annual grant. Since 2020, when the covid pandemic hit, the TCM courses have been offered online.
