Strategies used by novice teachers to manage disruptive behaviour in the classroom
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Date
2023-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Fort Hare
Faculty of Education
Faculty of Education
Abstract
Classroom disruptions are experienced in many schools and prevent effective teaching and learning. The principal purpose of this study was to review a range of evidence-based strategies used by grade eight novice teachers to deal with disruptive behaviour in the schools in the Buffalo City Metropolitan District. The research questions were intended to discover from the participants their understanding of disruptive behaviour, its prevalence, the strategies and techniques they use to manage learners’ disruptive behaviour and, finally, the support structures they receive from the schools that assist them in managing disruptive behaviour. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and observations. Fifteen (15) participants from 10 schools in the Buffalo City Metropolitan District were selected for this research using the purpose sampling method. All 15 novice teachers responded and were interviewed. The results revealed that all the novice teachers in the BCM district experienced learner disruption in class. The novice teachers’ conception of disruptive behaviour was consistent with research but varied in degrees of severity. The range of strategies and techniques used by the novice teachers included verbal reprimands, removal of privileges, reporting the behaviour to the principal and reporting the incident to the learner’s parent(s) directly. An area of concern was the participants’ feedback that they did not get adequate support from their schools in dealing with these unacceptable behaviours. Consequently, teaching and learning in their classrooms continued to be disrupted, which meant the teaching and learning in the classroom were disrupted. First, it is recommended that the challenge of disruptive behaviour needs more discussion at a national level to assist novice teachers with more effective management techniques. Secondly, universities should help novice teachers with effective management techniques, which must be part of the curriculum for pre-service teachers. Finally, schools should implement a holistic school-based classroom management system to provide novice teachers with more assistance in maintaining order in their classrooms. Teachers’ inductions, mentors and assistance from the district offices can also significantly help the NTs.
Description
Masters Dissertation
Keywords
Classroom management, School discipline, First year teachers, Problem children--Behavior modification, Classroom environment