Repair the public narrative (private praise after public correction)
Aim (what it achieves)
Protect dignity and relationship by ensuring the pupil experiences positive attention soon after being corrected.
When to use
After you’ve corrected a pupil in front of peers; when you can sense embarrassment, ‘saving face’, or simmering resentment.
How to use (steps)
Teacher language (examples)
“I noticed you got back on track quickly — thank you.” “I’m glad you reset. That’s what I need from you.”
Top tips (makes it work)
Keep it genuine and specific; deliver privately; do it quickly (same lesson if possible).
Common pitfalls
Overpraising; doing it publicly (looks performative); using it to reopen the argument.
SEND/PP considerations
This can be powerful for pupils who feel disliked or unfairly targeted. It reduces ‘identity threat’ and repeated challenge behaviour.
Tags
Sources
- Practice-based
- relational behaviour guidance (general)
Used in
Behaviour Matrix
- Repair & Rebuild Chatting during teacher talk / instruction
Related strategies
Two-minute re-entry plan (after removal / buddy room)
Re-establish a calm working relationship and a clear first step so the student can rejoin learning without a ‘fresh conflict’.
Close the loop (end the episode cleanly)
Prevent grudges and ‘carry-over’ by explicitly signalling that the incident is finished and the relationship is intact.
Restorative conference (teacher + pupil + affected peer)
Repair harm, reduce retaliation, and prevent recurring peer conflict from spilling back into lessons.
Re-entry ‘fresh start’ greeting (reset the relationship)
Signal belonging and reduce ‘pre-loading’ conflict by greeting positively after an incident.
Defer the debate, then follow through (private resolution)
Avoid power struggles by postponing discussion, then genuinely resolving it later so pupils trust the boundary.
Micro-mentoring check-in (5 minutes weekly)
Stabilise behaviour by giving a predictable adult connection and a simple goal review loop.