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This report will discuss misbehaviour in the context of secondary school students, it will
begin with a brief literature review to establish a foundation of research based and
behaviour and behaviour management. Following this, the findings of independent research
conducted by myself, a pre-service teacher, via the data collection method of interviews, will
be reported in a summarised table with identified themes. Both the above sections will be
synthesised for comparisons and contrasts and implications for praxis will be discussed to
Literature Review
Adolescent Development
according to Hoffnung, Hoffnung, Seifert, Smith, Hine, Ward & Pause (2013) “landmarks of
development” (Hoffnung et al., 2013, p.7) for adolescence mean ages 12-18 with physical
abstract thinking capacity and ‘adult like interests’, and psychosocial aspects indicating
interests in sexual relations for the majority, dating and potential first time employment
(Hoffnung et al., 2013, p.7). The ranges of their specified interests are also a key component
study of judgement and decision making (JDM) (Albert & Steinberg, 2011) and its reliance
on the dual process model which outlines uses of opposite information processes, the hot and
cold, or the experiential and analytic (Albert & Steinberg, 2011). Dubbed learning ‘Hot and
Cold Cognitions’, it pitches that in judgement and decision making, adolescents configure if a
situation is low arousal or high arousal (Albert & Steinberg, 2011) cognitions such as gaining
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validation from impressing peers from doing something risky for example. This is vital
research as it provides contextual information for possibilities as to why a student might have
misbehaved, especially if they are one who does not usually fall into the category of usual
misbehavers, as well informing us that they are capable to understanding risks involved with
situations.
Adolescent Behaviour
Some key adolescent behaviours regarding misbehaviours that have been commonly
studied which should be noted for this report, include disengagement in forms daydreaming
being un attentive, being slow and causing trouble in the likes of talking out of turn and being
overactive (Sun & Shek, 2012). Interestingly so, while these aspects of misbehaviour were
reported from a study conducted in Hong Kong schools around comparing teacher
perceptions, ‘talking out of turn’ and aspects of ‘hyperactivity’ on inability to stay seated and
still, could be found in studies around the world with similar research aims (student
misbehaviour) and contexts (secondary school students and teachers). In example, speaking
out of turn was the main identified misbehaviour of an Iranian study by Aliakbari, Mirzaee
and Alibadi (2013), it was also found to be “...reported as a consistently high frequency
problem over the 30-year span of this review” (Crawshaw, 2015, p. 304) in literature review
of research conducted internationally between 1983 to 2013 (Crawshaw, 2015). Other notable
misbehaviour in several research articles reviewed by Crawshaw (2015), Alter, Walker &
Landers (2013) categorised disengagement as ‘off task’ and ‘noncompliance’, both were in
the top four (out of 9) categories of misbehaviours they studied (Alter, Walker & Landers,
2013).
students are influenced more so by peers and friends, in that support and encouragement for
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students are drawn to similarities when forming social groups, when and if low achieving
students socialise with higher achieving students, it results in positive influences on them
(Arnett, 2014). There is however, a distinction between friends and peers in terms of
association and influence, in that educational researchers found students who were
those who were average or somewhat higher perceived themselves as better than the lower
end performers, this is called the “big fish in a little pond effect” (Marsh & Hau as cited in
Arnett 2014, p.309). This shows patterns in thinking and group mentality that a teacher could
Behaviour Management
while it may vary contextually, there can be many similarities or patterns in thinking that
should be considered. For example, blame associated with degrees of parental or guardian
irresponsibility has been researched and studied. A study by Aliakbari, Mirzaee and Alibadi
specifically ‘talking out of turn’ (Aliakbari et al., 2013, p.241) and their preference for
interventionist strategies towards this, found that “...teachers are more concerned about the
students’ identity and that see an obligation to treat the misbehaviour less aggressively and
more humanely that cares for the students’ personality...” (Aliakbari et al., 2013, p.248).
Patrick & Gibbs (2012) researched the aspect of “... relationships between perceived parental
disciplinary techniques and moral identity among early and middle adolescents.” (Patrick &
Gibbs, 2012, p.973). An interesting finding was its focus on the perception of appropriateness
of parental disciplinary techniques and their emotional reactions and that use of inductive
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discipline was not only received positively but linked well with adolescent moral identity
approach that has established itself in many schools is School Wide Positive Behaviour
Interventions and Support (SWPBIS or PBIS, or PBS or PBL in the Australian context). An
intervention strategy aiming to create and maintain a school culture based on and around
positivity, it requires four core features for effective and proper application; to be informed of
and by past and updated behavioural sciences (social, developmental, environmental and
cognitive), using practical interventions in application, specifically a three-tiered one for sake
of preventative outcomes, commitment to lifestyle outcomes for dedicated long term goals
and adopting a systems perspective (De Nobile, Lyons & Arthur-Kelly, 2017). Notably so,
the application aspect regarding the three-tiered system incorporates grounds for long term
and wide spread effectiveness, with the first tier, universal or school wide, being for every
member of the educational setting, the second, small group support, is designed for smaller
groups or sub groups (Freeman, Simonsen. McCoach, Sugai, Lombardi & Horner, 2016)
from within or amongst the lot from tier one, the last, individual, “...is provided to students
Interview Findings
teachers, two non-teaching background individuals, one pre-service teacher and one parent, I
found commonalities and contrasting perceptions on this matter. I asked participants the
following questions;
2. Do you have experiences of your own from school that you think have shaped this
perspective?
3. Have you ever spoken to any students that fit into this ‘category’? Did it change or
confirm anything?
4. Regarding the answers, you have provided, what do you think your mindset or general
Below, are four main themes I found that were common amongst the responses from all
participants. These themes are not intended to ‘prove’ that everyone responded in a similar
manner for each section, rather their respective responses for the questions (key parts of
which have been included in the table below), showed these underlying themes. It is
important to note that the last column ‘Building positive relationships to better contextualise
student needs’ was in response to each participants’ answer to question four. This not only
covered what their individual mindsets were towards approaching ‘misbehaving students’ but
generalised advice that all the interviewees felt the need to insert for others within the
F3 Giving into peer pressure Disengagement is a big Poor family background I’ve taken the initiative to
24, HS Teacher or anything of that sort. factor, being apathetic is and issues at home. give out surveys (on my
As a teacher now, I can common. I’ve noticed there is a teaching) to my classes
be aware of personal This usually increases huge difference in student now that I am not casual
issue for students so I’m when you’re a casual performance between anymore, so that I can
understanding of why teacher, I have noticed those whose parents who form a relationship with
some misbehave because they respond better to are involved and those them.
I as an adult give them non-casual teachers. whose are absent. They notice when you put
attention they might not In addition to that, having in effort like this, they
receive at home. good teacher-student respond to you and
relationships (and time to confide in you.
build this) helps It helps maintain
performance and working positivity in the
on misbehaviour as a classroom and eases
teacher. handling misbehaviour.
M1 Students who aim to Lesson content or delivery From working with them Building relationships
23, distract the teacher on is not ‘interesting’, this as a karate instructor and with students greatly
Pre-Service purpose or push them to including content not SLSO, students with assists ability to manage
Teacher point of ‘blind rage’ to challenging enough for identified needs often behaviour, I don’t need
deter them from high achieving students. cause trouble. them to like me but it
proceeding with the helps get through the
lesson. lesson when you
understand what they
want.
M2 Just being naughty or a Anti-social behaviour Disciplinary issues are a My own time at school,
47, Parent clown for the sake of it, caused by contemporary big thing for me, maybe plus being a parent and
everyone has tendencies lifestyles with access to not having learnt any at married to a teacher,
to muck up. technology lead children home. teachers face tough
access violence in media. Personal issues as well situations and might lack
and potential mental (unintentionally) in
health concerns. providing support per
student so they seek
attention or act out, or
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A notable aspect to begin with is that none of the participants explicitly identified ‘talking out
of turn’ as a key misbehaviour despite the overwhelming evidence for it mentioned in past
For the first theme ‘attention’ F2, M1,2 & 3 all described behaviours that are like
kinds of ‘hyperactivity’ or simply, acting out on sheer will and without need (Sun & Shek,
2012). Interestingly so, the above answers by those participants for this theme also reveal
underlying tones of the element of peer pressure, which were also explicitly mentioned by F1
and F3. This can be viewed in two ways; the first, via the information on group mentality
described as the ‘big fish in little pond’ concept (Arnett, 2014) which could explain how and
why, students who are not actively apart of misbehaving, comply with or make way to
accommodate the misbehaviour of others instead of calling them out or refusing them.
Secondly, the research on cognitive development regarding judgement and decision making
via the dual process model whereby hot and cold cognitions are specified (Albert &
Steinberg, 2011), offer deeper biological insight on this decision. In fact, F2 specifically
mentioned regret at laughing along with repeat offenders in the same PDHPE class despite
knowing it was wrong at that age, this shows adolescent capacity at understanding wrongful
behaviour but choosing to make decisions based on individual pleasure and benefit.
interesting factor for the ‘personal issues or identified needs’ theme with indications toward
this from F1, F2, F3, M2 and M3. Interestingly so, F1 mentioned incongruities between
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teachers and student relationships as per the findings of a research conducted within her
school, specifically two stage six students with parental/guardian issues at home who found it
difficult to form positive relationships with adults and M2 identified the lack of discipline
from home. These answers show a pattern of thinking presented in Aliakbari, Mirzaee &
Aliabadi (2013), in which perceptions of misbehaviour are linked almost immediately, with
blame, to student home life and the authoritative figures present there.
All participants except for M2 expressed need for ‘nicer’ or positive relationships
between teachers and students for future implementations to counter the issue of
the abundance of research on Positive Behaviour Interventions and Supports (or Learning),
thus providing another reiteration for the need of positive, holistic, long term interventional
strategies that uplift pupils experiences at school and hopefully, decrease misbehaviour.
Implications
Some possible implications for praxis as a future teacher that I would consider are the
teachers do require more support to be able to cater to student needs and requirements. And
in compliance with the findings of Aliakbari, Mirzaee & Aliabadi (2013), I too believe that
Lastly, it is also important to mention that whilst there have been numerous studies on
PBIS, the literature review by Freeman et al., (2016) mentioned a key gap in their research
which was that “Schools are not required to report annual fidelity measures; thus, the absence
of a fidelity measure score did not necessarily indicate that a school was not implementing
References:
Albert, D. & Steinberg L. (2011). Judgement and Decision Making in Adolescence. Journal
7795.2010.00724.x
Aliakbari, M., Mirzaee, A. & Aliabadi, H. T. (2013). "On the Secondary School Teachers’
(pp.240-249).
Alter, P., Walker, J. N. & Landers, E. (2013). "Teachers' perceptions of students' challenging
Arnett, J. J. (2014). ‘School’ in Adolescence and emerging adulthood (5th ed). (pp.294-325).
De Nobile, J., Lyons, G., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (2017). Behavioral Approaches. Positive
Freeman, J., Simonson, B., McCoach, D.B., Sugai, G., Lombardi, A., & Horner, R. (2016).
Hoffnung, M., Hoffnung, R. J., Seifert, K. L., Smith, R. B., Hine, A., Ward, L. & Pause, C.
Chronological Approach (2nd ed). (pp.4-30). Queensland: John Wiley & Sons
Australia, Ltd.
DOI:10.1100/2012/208907