Learners with challenging behaviour in the classroom can be an issue for the teacher. Disruptive or disrespectful behaviour affect also the other learners. There are two kinds of disorderly behaviour: low-level – and high-level disruption (Lisawhelan, 2019). Both need to be dealt with in the class or later outside. In the classroom, we as teachers have to work with individual, and the group. Sometimes a specific learner is disruptive and can be dealt with easily, or it is the majority of the learners. Most of the times the behaviour of the child does not only appear at school, there is an overlap from home (Watkins, 2011, p. 9). If the child does not have a father figure at home the child does not have a good example. What should the teacher do? There are different ways to respond to a child. As a teacher we react sometimes from our feelings with; “shut up” or “stop it”. But does that change the behaviour, and does it work long term?
This document gives clear and practises guidance. It argues to feel first than to think after that to do something (Watkins, 2011, p. 15). With a hard command, we can receive a hard response. With an unfriendly response, the learner can start defending him or herself that can because of peer pressure. Or we can use a passive way of asking. The writer argues that it “brings the attention back to the important matters of the classroom” (Watkins, 2011, p. 16). Then solutions can be brought in, and the teacher can continue with the lesson.
The academic performance of the learner that shows behaviour problems can lead to further academic failure (Carter et al., 2006, p. 192). That is found more by boys than by girls (Carter et al., 2006, p. 204). The question is where does this behaviour come from. The answer is not that easy, there can be different reasons for each child. We as the teacher have to understand the nurture of the child and need to be in contact with the parents, teachers can not this alone.
Reference list
Carter, M., Clayton, M., & Stephenson, J. (2006). Students With Severe Challenging Behaviour in Regular Classrooms: Prevalence and Characteristics. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 16(2), 189–209. https://doi.org/10.1375/ajgc.16.2.189
Lisawhelan. (2019). Managing challenging behaviour in the classroom: The most effective approaches. https://engage-education.com/aus/blog/managing-challenging-behaviour-in-the-classroom-the-most-effective-approaches/
Watkins, C. (2011). Managing classroom behaviour. Institute of education.
Teacher in progress 