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102082 Assignment 1 2018
Why do Young People Misbehave in School?
The dominant public discourse in relation to student misbehaviour in schools is superficial,
attributing misbehaviour, namely any pupil behaviour that adversely disrupts the teaching
environment in the classroom, to a lack of parental discipline and other societal ills. To
elucidate the deeper reasons, a synthesis of current academic research into student
misbehaviour is presented, along with the results of a limited qualitative research study.
These are the examined and analysed to arrive at a more nuanced understanding of student
misbehaviour. This essay will seek to show that whilst the issue is multi-dimensional,
teachers are both a cause, and the remedy.
The literature synthesis’s starting point is De Jong’s research (De Jong, 2005) into “best
practice in managing student behaviour”, both for its findings, but also by enabling an
assessment of what happens if best practice is not followed. De Jong lists 7 key principles
along with 7 themes of best practice, namely “clearly articulated behavioural management
plan”, “health promoting culture”, “a relevant, engaging and stimulating curriculum”,
“effective pedagogy”, “democratic, empowering and positive classroom culture”, “well
established internal and external support structures”, and finally “alternative and flexible
learning environments”. By considering the absence of one or more of these themes one
can infer the consequences of such an absence. For instance, he recommends that there be
“a relevant, engaging and stimulating curriculum”, which he posits will “maximise
engagement and minimise behavioural issues”. In the absence of such a curriculum one can
infer that this will increase disengagement and behavioural issues. Likewise, the absence of
the other recommended themes will lead to similar negative consequences. Sullivan et al’s,
(Sullivan, Johnson, Owens, & Conway, 2014) research found that disengagement was
prevalent and suggested that teachers use ineffective strategies to manage behaviours, and
that a focus on engagement rather than measures aimed at controlling behaviour were
likely to lead to better learning. Sullivan et al (cited as Maguire et al, 2010) argue that
inadequacies in the curriculum, poor pedagogy and marginalisation of some students was
more likely to cause disruption than ineffective disciplinary procedures and policies.
Research into teachers perceptions of misbehaviour, (Crawshaw, 2015),(Alter, Walker,
Nina, & Landers, 2013) show that off-task and other minor harmless behaviours cause most
concern to teachers the world over. Alter et al specifically identify off-task behaviour as a
“gateway behaviour that leads to other more challenging behaviours”. Little… posits that
teachers with skills in behavioural psychology, and that deploy monitoring of behaviour,
consequences and rule setting, achieve increases in on-task behaviour. The paramount
importance of Student Teacher Relation (TSR’s) is widely reported by (Sammons, Lindorff,
Ortega, & Kington, 2016), (Fulcher, K. A. (2016).) and (Way, 2011)) (McGrath & Van Bergen,
2015). McGrath et al examine the risk of experiencing a negative TSR’s on “at risk” students,
however their findings extend to all students. They base their research on attachment, self-
determination and ecological systems theories, and highlight the importance of
“relatedness” and “connectedness” as a source of motivation and its positive impact on
engagement and achievement. They argue that positive TSR’s are beneficial for student
behaviour, peer relationships, attitude toward school, attendance, and academic
achievement and engagement. Fulcher sought to explore the relationship between TSR’s
and student misbehaviour and considered TSR’s as an antecedent to misbehaviour. The
findings confirmed the critical importance of positive TSR’s, and that ethnicity, race, gender
and academic risk, may influence TSR’s. Cothram et al’s research (Cothran, Kulinna, &
Garrahy, 2009) provides an example where negative TSR’s result in both teachers and
students attributing misbehaviour to other than themselves. They argue that both parties
must take “ownership” of the problem if they are to reflect and see a resolution. Borders et
al state (Borders & Huey, 2004) that students have a keenly developed sense of justice and
fairness. Way’s research confirmed that students with good TSR’s had lower disruption
scores. She further found that students who perceived a school’s discipline system to be
fair, were less likely to misbehave than those who believed it to be unfair. Students who
considered the school discipline system to be “illegitimate” displayed a higher level of
defiance in schools with strict codes. Most tellingly, she found that strict codes led to higher
levels of misbehaviour, though noted that other research did not always concur. Borders et
al use expectancy theory to explain peer pressure as a cause of misbehaviour. Whilst
misbehaviour occurs at any school age, biological changes during adolescence are especially
important. Arnett’s book(Arnett, 2014) provides a comprehensive exposition of the
biological and cognitive development of adolescents and explores the range of problems
that they can experience. Arnett identifies, early or late maturation, self -regulation, risk
taking propensities, cognitive development, limits in critical thinking and decision making,
peer pressure, and the lived environment as all having a bearing adolescent development.
Person A M Pre-service
teacher
Person B F Pre-service
Teacher and
mother
Person C F Teacher 25 years’ experience
Person D F Teacher 10 years’ experience
Person E F Mother
Person F F Friend Case Worker
The interviews took the form of an unstructured interviews using the checklist ((Bryman,
2004) p 325) and lasted between 30 and 45 minutes. The interviewer only asked open
questions, after posing the defined question. The interview notes were quickly transcribed
to a computer and subsequently colour coded into 6 different causes/attributions for
misbehaviour. These are discussed below with quotes.
1) Self-Regulation/ Maturity
This cause was attributed by 2 people to students not being sufficiently developed “they
just don’t know how to (self-regulate)” It was suggested that students are exuberant,
and have to test the boundaries “Rules be dammed”, “at their age they haven’t
developed self-control”. Arnett p 56-57
2) Peer influence
Peer pressure was identified as a major cause for acting -up. Students challenge
‘learning’ (teacher) to gain status with their peers. One Mother identified an incident at
her son’s primary school where he was labelled “stupid” by a teacher for not completing
a piece of work correctly, whereupon he resorted to becoming the “class clown”. “They
join tribes and it depends on the tribal values how they behave”. Arnett p 232-235.
5) Differential Learning
Differential learning was generally seen as essential to minimise misbehaviour. The most
experienced teacher stated that “For non-emotionally disturbed or traumatised students
the principal cause of misbehaviour is boredom. What is being taught is too hard or not
hard enough. This is teachers fault for not deploying differentiated teaching for students
of differing ability”. One person reported that in her year 12 “she was actively
discouraged from independent thinking”.
De Jong’s 7 themes of best practice are used to synthesise the research literature and
the results of the interviews (the results).
Effective pedagogy,
In a similar vein the results and the quoted literature confirm that effective pedagogy is
inseparable from management of misbehaviour and student engagement. The absence
of effective and flexible pedagogy leads to boredom, misbehaviour and disengagement.
The results made no specific observations regarding this theme. Surprisingly the
literature that was identified makes little explicit reference to support structures save
for their use in relation to students experiencing emotional disturbance save for De Jong
where referral to profession support is identified. This may be because this synthesis
focusses on the “why” rather than the range of interventions for misbehaviour.
Reference List
Alter, P., Walker, J., Nina, & Landers, E. (2013). Teachers' perceptions of
students' challenging behavior and the impact of teacher demographics.
Education & Treatment of Children, 36(4), 51. doi:10.1353/etc.2013.0040
Arnett, J. J. a. (2014). Adolescence and emerging adulthood (Fifth edition, Pearson new
international edition. ed.): Harlow, Essex Pearson, 2014.
Borders, A., & Huey, S. (2004). PREDICTING PROBLEM BEHAVIORS WITH MULTIPLE
EXPECTANCIES: EXPANDING EXPECTANCY-VALUE THEORY. Adolescence, 39(155),
539-550.
Bryman, A. a. (2004). Social research methods (4th edition. ed.). Oxford ; New York: Oxford ;
New York : Oxford University Press.
Cothran, D. J., Kulinna, P. H., & Garrahy, D. A. (2009). Attributions for and consequences of
student misbehavior. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 14(2), 155-167.
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perceptions of school climate: The role of classroom management and exclusionary
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