Managing Learning and Teaching in the Classroom - Case Study Example

Behaviour is influenced by internal as well as external factors. Managing children’s behaviour in the room is a daunting task that educators have had to face over the years. Humans respond to the same stimuli no matter their status and role in life. Even with advanced technology and new methods of teaching being discovered classroom management is as topical and important in this day and age as those in the past. In this age of globalization it is becoming increasingly difficult to tame students’ behaviour. There is no one factor that contributes to problematic behaviour in children. The parents may be trying their best on one hand while the school does not enforce what is being taught in the home or the school may be implementing measures to help stem the negative behaviour but there is no reinforcement in the home. Sometimes there are medical problems involved that can only be solved by the intervention of trained professionals. One of the major factors that fuels behavioural problems in the classroom stems from bad parenting. In a recent study many teachers felt that poor parenting was one of the main contributors to behavioural problems (Graeme Paton 2008). There are some parents who lack respect for authority and this poor attitude trickles down towards children no matter how young they may be. These parents act as poor role models. Therefore, a child who displays poor attitude towards teachers and other figures of authority will sometimes feel that he is doing the right thing because he thinks that what the parents do is the norm and is an acceptable type of behaviour. The responsibility then lies with the school to train these students to differentiate between what is normal and acceptable behaviour, and what is non- acceptable. This is a daunting task for the school because there is no support from parents in this type of exercise. Notwithstanding, in some cases students have accepted the changes offered by the school. Teachers and other school personnel have to be cognizant of the fact that there are some students who really believe that they are solving a problem when they behave badly in class. For many students that is a way of life in their homes and communities. Bullying and other aggressive types of behaviour is seen through their eyes as something positive because that is the means whereby they survive in their homes and communities. Sometimes the type of negative communication methods and styles displayed by these children is a reflection of their living conditions at home. In instances where corporal punishment is still an accepted form of punishment one may find that it does not necessarily lead to a change in behaviour especially in cases where this is the same type of punishment carried out in the home. While there are parents whose attitude towards education leaves much to be desired there are some parents who are committed to a positive outlook but their lack of control indirectly affects how their children behave in the classroom. There are many parents who feel that their children appear to control large areas of family life while being, in many ways, out of control (Herbert and Wookey 2004). These students want to take control of the classroom just as they do at home. They see being in control as the norm and they also believe that they are correcting a problem instead of being one. One can see evidence of this type of systematic behaviour in the classroom of a teacher who has poor classroom management skills. They assume the role of the teacher and acts accordingly, not realising that they are posing a problem. Children who are separated from one or more parents through divorce, parental illness, incarceration among other causes tend to experience greater emotional, behavioural and developmental problems when compared to children without separation (Jee et al., 2008). According to Herbert and Wookey (2004), children respond to parental separation in different ways and vary according to ages. This ranges from a young preschool child showing regressive behaviour, to an adolescent expressing anxiety and withdrawal symptoms. In some cases children are unaware that they have a behavioural problem. They become self centred, individualistic and so caught up in their immediate problems that are unaware that their behaviour in class is having any implications on anything outside of their concerns. According to the American Psychiatric Association 2000 report, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed childhood disorders affecting approximately 5% of school- aged children. In many cases this disorder goes unnoticed for years and students are ignored by teachers and parents alike as they either decide to turn a blind eye to the problem or feel that special treatment will not help the situation. Sometimes this condition is misdiagnosed as well. According to Dr. Alicia Salyer of Palmetto Pediatrics in South Carolina i, diagnosing children sometimes can be difficult because its natural for kids to have short attention spans. While ADHD is not in itself seen by some professionals as a behavioural problem, it can contribute to developmental problems and even influence behaviour later in life. ADHD and other clinical disorders can be treated, so unless they go unchecked the behaviour in the long run can be modified and treated. There are types of disruptive behaviour that are not clinical in nature but also have to be managed effectively by teachers if they want to be in full control in the classroom. Herbert and Wookey list four types. They occur in different situations namely, between pupil and authority, pupil and work, pupil and teacher and pupil and pupil. The students displaying these deviant types of behaviour, while they may not be any external rewards that are present are rewarded internally and this in itself may cause them to believe that they are more a part of the solution rather than the problem. Many students crave the attention from peers and teachers alike. The class clown, for example, feels that he has an important role in the classroom. As long as he gets that desired attention from the teacher, albeit a negative one, he feels that he has received the desired effect. The teacher has to master the art of tact and wit in order to deal with students who display this type of behaviour. Migration plays a great role in the lives of many families, and many school - aged children fall prey to behavioural problems as they seek to adapt and get accustomed to a new culture and way of life, and in some instances this may take the form of learning a new language. Educators and students alike are faced with this overwhelming challenge in the classroom. What is customary for one person in his culture may be tabooed and outlawed in another culture. The student who finds it difficult to assimilate his new way of life will be classified with those who have behavioural problems in the classroom, when in reality he is just adapting to the new culture as best as he can. To deal with this challenge effectively teachers have to understand the cultural setting in which the school is located to develop effective instructional strategies (Gollnick and Chinn 2006). The development of multicultural educational strategy is aiming to support the concepts of culture, diversity and equality among other values. Not only is there evidence that parents, clinical and other disorders, migration and other social patterns can affect the child’s behaviour but ironically the school environment can also contribute to a child’s reaction in school. Educational psychologist Pat Moranda believes that sometimes its the classroom environment itself that triggers disruptive behavior in some children. Many parents are surprised to learn that their children are disruptive at school when they display a different kind of behaviour in the home and the society at large. The reasons can be varied. The structure of the classroom, the teaching methods, the teacher’s attitude, classmates and peers can be factors affecting the particular students. School policy and the general environment of the school is also a contributing factor to students’ behaviour. A school that has rules that are always enforced will teach student about persistence and consistency. Schools function as psychologically healthy environments if they meet and appropriately challenge childrens developmental needs (Baker et. al., 2003). The schools that have clear goals and objective that coincide with the needs of the child will have more positive results. A school and a classroom that is free from fear and one that develops the child social abilities will minimize the occurrence of disruptive behaviour. While each student comes to school with his own personal needs and differences the school that has an environment that will readily deal with the challenges faced by each student will have the advantage of teaching the child right from wrong and what is acceptable in the classroom, school environment and the society. Even if the child lives in undesirable conditions, the more focus and dedication displayed in the school environment the more able he will be in sticking to the values of the school. Caring schools and classrooms provide multiple benefits for students (Narvaez and Lapsley 2008). Among the benefits they provide are social and emotional bonding, high self - esteem, academic achievement. It is obvious that the teacher faces a myriad of problems in the classroom. The idea that most children are trying to solve a problem rather than be one is conflicting when one looks at the background and classifications of these problems. If one looks at the purpose of the particular behaviour the idea will become less challenging and it will be easier for the teacher to even identify the reason for the child’s behaviour. If the child feels a sense of achievement after displaying forms of unacceptable behaviour then he will think that it is more a solution than a problem. However, amidst the conflicting challenges these types of behavioural problems can be effectively managed by employing a number of methods. One of the first steps is developing a bond between school and home. First and foremost the teacher needs to be cognizant and also to appreciate the different types of family structures to which students belong. The cultural and structural differences should not hinder parents from forming good relations with the school. Students will feel more accepted when they are aware that there is a collaboration between school and home. Parents can also provide the teachers with information pertinent to the child and through mutual understanding both entities will be able to determine what is best for the child’s development and well being. A variety of studies (Henderson & Berla, 1994) reveals that parent involvement has a positive enormous impact on students attitude, attendance, and academic achievement. The school should also involve the community and the immediate school environs. Also extra curricular activities should be made available for students. Many students may not be academically inclined but they can live out their dreams through sports, arts or other activities that employ their talents and abilities. School policies should be clear and consistent. In a study done among eight schools on the relationship of student behaviour and school policies it was found that in schools where school policies were clearer and more consistently enforced there was less instances of misbehaviour. A tremendous onus is on the teacher in the classroom when it comes with modifying the child’s behaviour. Effective classroom can only be achieved if the teacher uses innovative and creative ways to get desired results. The teacher’s personality as well as social disposition also has a tremendous impact on the child’s behaviour. Students have clear ideas about what affects their dignity, self-respect and self-esteem (Herbert and Wookey 2004). Students favour teachers who are firm and in control but who also at the same time show love and respect and appreciation. The curriculum and teaching materials play a great part in keeping students in check in the classroom. Students like lessons that they can relate to and they also like to be involved in activities. Some lessons lend themselves to more students’ involvement than others. The more creative a lesson is the more interested students will be and there will be less opportunities for any type of disruptive behaviour. Teachers should through observation and diagnostic testing identify the best type of learning methods for each student. Students should be seen as individuals possessing their own needs and wants rather than as a group of beings. Teachers should plan lessons with these different needs in mind. The methods of teaching should be varied and tailored to meet those needs that were identified. To confront challenges in the classroom teachers have to develop effective disciplinary models. Classroom rules should be clear and precise and students should be informed of rules as soon as they are introduced to the classroom and to the school. Students should also be made aware of the consequences of disobeying rules and systems of negative and positive reinforcement should be consistent and should be adhered to. The rules of the classroom should be reviewed periodically. Teachers should develop positive reward systems. These can be tangible rewards, for example, stickers or a special treat. Social rewards are also an effective way of sending a signal to the child that the teacher is interested in his well being. Giving congratulatory remarks or even writing positive comments in the child’s book will motivate him to strive for excellence. Negative reinforcements such as reprimanding or timeout have their place as well in the effective management of the classroom. Teachers should use their discretion to determine the best cases to employ the different types of reinforcement. For the children who think that they are solving a problem rather than be one it becomes even more of a challenge to the teacher in trying to change the mindset and to work against this idea and belief. In this technological age many students are ahead of their teachers as new technology and computer related gadgets are developed almost daily. It is very important that lessons are technology friendly and aim to keep the students’ interest for as long as possible. The attention span varies among children so the teacher should make lessons that will arrest the interest of students. Teachers should be open to new ideas and to be willing to participate in workshops and conferences related to the subject areas. Children will become bored if they are not stimulated by new ideas, new methods and relevant knowledge. They should be given tasks that are challenging and ones which present opportunities to demonstrate their skills and abilities. The classroom will always be confronted with challenges and obstacles. The possibility of teaching a perfect class or perfect student is remote. However, the problems can be diminished if educators and the other stake holders in the education process work together to achieve a common goal thus creating opportunities leading to development and creation of new techniques and processes while building on the available resources. Baker J,. Dilly L., Patti S., 2003 The developmental context of school satisfaction. School Psychology Quarterly 14 (2) 206 Gollnick M., and Chinn P., 2006 Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society. New Jersey: Pearson Herbert M., and Wookey J., 2004 Managing Children’s Disruptive Behaviour. UK:John Riley and Son Mitchell L., 2008. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Washington: Nov 17, 2008 Narvaez D., Lapsley D., 2008 Teaching Moral Character. The Teacher Educator 43 (2)156 http://maxweber.hunter.cuny.edu/pub/eres/EDSPC715_MCINTYRE/SchoolWideSystem.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/4014598/Indulgent-parents-fuelling-bad-behaviour-in-classroom.html http://www.theparentreport.com/resources/ages/early_school/kids_culture/88.html Read More