Rebecca Donya 18010086

Why do young people misbehave in school?

Introduction

The following interviews were based surrounding the key question “Why do young people

misbehave in school?” It was aimed to be asked at an audience of preservice teachers, current

teachers, parents and others among the community. The interviews were conducted to

highlight the multiple perspectives of individuals in regards to students’ misbehaviour in

schools. The aim of this report is for teachers, preservice and others to understand the

correlation between student’s misconduct and how strategies exist to manage these

behaviours. Many mutual factors were put forward by the interviewees that continued to rise

and answer questions within the following research conducted. However, further research

indicates the key psychological, social and environmental reasoning that impact students

during their time of adolescents.

Literature Review

It is essential for teachers to be aware of students’ behaviour, factors that influence students’

misconduct and how to positively strategise these events to promote resilience. Thus, it is

vital for teachers and future teachers to develop the understanding of mental health and

wellbeing to promote constructive research to help develop practical skills to respond

effectively within the classroom. Many factors were found to affect student’s behaviour

within the classroom, which would, as a result, create difficult situations for teachers with

little experience in the classroom management.

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Behavioural theories focus on observation, along with the hypothesis, that behaviour is

shaped by environment and circumstances that reward behaviours to further reinforce

positive behaviour. These rewards are centralised by the teacher to maintain consequences as

well as their reward system. Cognitive Behavioural Theory encourages students to be mindful

in accordance to consequences, social capacity and their own values. It also focuses on

educating awareness on students thinking skills to improve habits within their behaviour

patterns. The third framework relevant to this study is the psychoeducational theory which is

based on goals and how to work their way through them. It helps to improve student’s self-

efficacy. However, these frameworks fail to consider the contexts of individuals, therefore,

there can be underlying issues that continue to occur that such strategies within these

frameworks will endure ineffective results. Such factors can include student’s mental health,

family construct and their social component within school.

Choice theory has been widely bonded within the Australian education system, due the fact

of its effectiveness of applying the three frameworks. Glasser describes choice theory as an

approach that helps students recognise their behaviour and others. To reflect on this, students

can improve themselves and focus on their personal needs to help solve issues (Aderi et al.,

2015). This can further link students to self-evaluation for improvement within the class.

Teachers can appoint students with vigorous behaviour in a direction to stimulate students’

self-reflection within the classroom to approach this theory, hence, to assist students internal

and external self-control, which will further improve self-efficacy.

Synthesis of Literature
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The interviewing process involved selecting teachers, pre-service teachers, parents and non-

teaching people to personally approach their opinion to a single question. The conversations

began with open ended questions such as, “how did you behave within a classroom?” “Do

you remember a time you misbehaved?” if so, “why?” Furthermore, the main question

focused on “Why do you think young people misbehave in school?” to which I received

mixed responses that were expected yet interesting. There were six participants in total: male,

non-teaching background; male, non-teaching background; female, mother of six, child care

educator; female, mother of two, primary teacher; female, preservice teacher; female,

preservice teacher. The interview was based on a clear and concise conversation that led to

students in school and what possible influences there is to cause students to misbehave in a

classroom or outside of one.

Interviewees answered with the collective ideas of peer pressure, to look superior in front of

peers, lack of motivation, lack of self-confidence, personal issues such as social and family,

frustration from other students resulting in verbal or physical abuse, challenging work or

finished work early, challenging the teacher’s patience and usually common fooling around

when it is a substitute teacher. Many of the interviewees had overlapping ideas of what they

believed to be true. Researchers have also shown that student misconduct has taken up too

much time and energy to correct within the classroom, thus the need to consider all elements

before creating immediate solutions without contextual knowledge has become a lack thereof

(Sun et. Al., 2012).

Further research conducted states that, students often misbehave due to the fact that, it begins

at home, superiority within the class and because the class is unengaging (Cothran et al.,

2009). “Moreover, research findings have shown that school misbehaviour not only escalated

with time but also lowered academic achievement and increased delinquent behaviour” (Sun

et. Al., 2012). As a result, it has taken up too much time and energy for teachers to attempt to
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improve misconduct through behaviour management strategies, therein, teachers are losing

motivation to do so.

Synthesis of Findings

Prior research conducted has found a correlation between students’ problematic behaviour

and the period of adolescence. The development of emotional, social and behavioural

attitude is crucial during this time; therefore, students are often seeking validation among

peers. It is also found that an increasing number of adolescents are consuming alcohol and are

under the influence of drugs (Office of Educational Research and Improvement, 1988). Thus,

affecting the psychological and social development negatively, which can further influence

student’s behaviour within a classroom, therefore, making it difficult for teachers to

implement behavioural management strategies within the class.

The person-environment fit theory is based on the correlation between student’s individual

motivation, behaviour and mental health with their social environments. Further stating that

negative social environments can decline students’ interest, performance and impulse to learn

in the classroom (Eccles et al., 1993). According to many studies conducted students often

can misbehave within the classroom based on family related issues that have occurred

including: parental corruption, lack of materials due to poverty, inconsistent care from

parents and constant conflicts within the household (Capaldi & Patterson, 1991; Patterson,

Debaryshe & Ramsey, 1989; Robins & Earls, 1985; West & Farrington,1973).

Mothers that were interviewed had similar answers, also considering their educational

background, although had large age difference (26 & 48) highlighted that students misbehave

for the attention to replace the lack of the consideration they receive from home. These

judgements have effectively impacted further findings that consist of considering the

perspectives of teachers and students within a classroom. This is particularly important to

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students that experience social, emotional and behaviour difficulties. Teachers perceive

students’ disruptiveness as a form of lack of motivation and defiance, students identify their

behaviour as a response, “to poor teaching or unfair treatment” (Cooper and McIntyre 1993;

Chircop 1997; Ayers et al. 2000; Riley 2004). Research also advises that teachers use

students voice to construct better understanding of the situation which will create a deeper

involvement with teachers in order to realise what their perspective has overlooked of the

cause and effect within an individual student. Cooper (1996) discusses that students’ outlook

should be interpreted as a source of inside knowledge that accurately describes their learning

processes and what interrupts this.

The males interviewed were of similar ages (19 & 21) suggested that students misbehave due

to peer pressure and to show superiority of another. To resolve this Cooper (2010) suggests

that students should have a significant contribution on students’ educational experience to

lessen the factors that impact students learning. Furthermore, it is important for teachers to be

aware of all factors to create a positive learning environment.

Implications for Praxis

Teachers have the responsibility to control student-teacher relationships by being able to

understand and label feelings to regulate social emotional skills. These skills will influence

teacher student relationships positively and create a high job satisfaction and creates a

positive learning environment. Teachers should aim to create positive expectations and

routines to constructively create a positive reinforcement within the classroom. This research

gives future teachers skills to be alert for social behaviours that students are lacking in order

for teachers to build positive relationships within the class that will avoid misbehaviour

among students.
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Professional development must also be considered for effective results in the classroom.

Desimone (2009) states that this can be done through “teacher satisfaction, attitude change or

commitment/innovation.” This will also create new experiences for students which will alter

their attitude as they adapt to inventive changes. A teachers practice should enhance

encouragement and engagement in order to maintain students’ behaviour. Many Australian

schools have adapted a “tip sheets” that allows teachers to deal with certain students’

misconduct, this sheet advised teachers to use detailed strategies for different types of issues,

which further had a positive result within a classroom setting (Little, Hudson, & Wilks,

2002). Behavioural psychology is also vital for teachers to understand the basis of student

misbehaviour. Wheldall and Merrett (1988) created a program that used to uncover skills that

allowed teachers to identify and observe behaviour, the effect of consequences and how well

students followed rules. The result of this program helped teachers reply with positive

responses that encouraged and engaged students within a classroom. However, this program

is too time consuming for teachers to implement.

Moreover, students’ behaviour can become a reflection of the teacher, but can also be the

result of students that are having trouble interacting socially with other students, or have

issues that can affect them negatively. As a result, students act out in class, therefore, teachers

must be aware of students’ context and must act professionally.

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Conclusion

There are numerous reasons why students misbehave, however, it is a teacher’s

responsibility as a researcher to be consider and understand one’s circumstances in order to

act positively within a classroom. Behaviour management skills are important in order to be

applied within a classroom, it must also consider both parties, student and teachers,

perceptive to recognize the underlying issues of the misconduct of students. It is important to

give students the opportunity to speak their mind respectfully and work together to improve

classroom situations.
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