Emma Little

Self‐reported and actual use of proactive and reactive classroom management strategies and their relationship with teacher stress and student behaviour

This study investigated the relationship between primary school teachers’ self‐reported and actual use of classroom management strategies, and examined how the use of proactive and reactive strategies is related to teacher stress and student behaviour. The total sample consisted of 97 teachers from primary schools within Melbourne. Teachers completed four questionnaires which gathered information on demographics, disruptive student behaviour, teacher management strategies, and teacher self‐reported stress. In addition, 20 of the 97 teachers were observed in their classrooms while teaching, with teacher behaviour management strategies and student on‐task behaviour recorded. Observation and questionnaire data were then matched. The findings indicated that teacher self‐reports accurately reflect actual practice, that relatively minor forms of student misbehaviours are a common concern for teachers, and that teachers are spending a considerable amount of time on behaviour management issues. The findings also revealed that the use of predominantly reactive management strategies has a significant relationship with elevated teacher stress and decreased student on‐task behaviour. These findings have important implications for teaching practices and student learning.

Secondary school teachers’ perceptions of students’ problem behaviours

Much of the research into behaviour problems and school interventions has focused on primary school-age children. In the primary school setting, the behaviours that cause the most concern to teachers are frequently occurring but relatively minor behaviours such as calling out and interrupting the learning of others. These minor problematic behaviours have been shown to respond to low-level interventions that are presented as written advice. The behaviours that secondary school teachers perceive as problematic, and the preferred method of intervention, have received comparatively little attention in the research. An investigation of the behaviour problems that high school teachers find most troublesome was conducted in this study. It was found that similar behaviours were reported as troublesome in the secondary school classroom compared with the primary classroom, although differences were demonstrated across year levels. Teachers were also surveyed about their preferred method of intervention/assistance for these behaviour problems. This information about intervention approaches informs the development of strategies for assisting classroom teachers.Much of the research into behaviour problems and school interventions has focused on primary school‐age children. In the primary school setting, the behaviours that cause the most concern to teachers are frequently occurring but relatively minor behaviours such as calling out and interrupting the learning of others. These minor problematic behaviours have been shown to respond to low‐level interventions that are presented as written advice. The behaviours that secondary school teachers perceive as problematic, and the preferred method of intervention, have received comparatively little attention in the research. An investigation of the behaviour problems that high school teachers find most troublesome was conducted in this study. It was found that similar behaviours were reported as troublesome in the secondary school classroom compared with the primary classroom, although differences were demonstrated across year levels. Teachers were also surveyed about their preferred method of intervention/assistance for these behaviour problems. This information about intervention approaches informs the development of strategies for assisting classroom teachers.

Students’ Perceptions of Classroom Behaviour Problems and the Effectiveness of Different Disciplinary Methods

The purpose of the present study was to examine students’ perceptions of troublesome behaviour and the effectiveness of different disciplinary methods. To this end, 350 secondary school students completed the Classroom Behaviour Problems and Attitude Towards Disciplinary Methods questionnaire, and the results indicate that ‘talking out of turn’ was the only behaviour perceived by both teachers and students to be most troublesome and most frequent. Deterrents that were perceived as most effective included being sent to the principal’s office, detention, and getting an unfavourable report sent home. Regarding incentives, free time, a positive letter home, receiving a good mark, and getting a favourable academic report sent home were perceived to be most effective, while private praise and reprimands were also seen as an effective means for increasing appropriate behaviour. However, previous research suggests that teachers are choosing to use other strategies that are not seen by students as effective. Therefore, it was concluded that both teachers and students need to be educated regarding the results found in the current study, so that effective management strategies can be developed and used by teachers.

Conduct Problems and Treatment across Home and School: A Review of the Literature

Treatment of conduct problems in the home setting has received much attention in the literature, and there are well established, empirically derived treatment programs that have been demonstrated to be effective. However, treatment for conduct problems in the classroom has not received a comparable amount of attention, and the intervention programs are diverse, occasionally lacking empirical support, and often not consistent with strategies used in the home setting. As past research has demonstrated that conduct problems in multiple settings is related to poorer prognosis, it is logical to suggest that interventions should focus on as many of the settings as possible in which a child displays the behaviour problems. This paper reviews the literature on the effects of conduct problems in the classroom, on teacher managerial skills, and on interventions across the home and school settings. It is concluded that classroom management of conduct problems could be improved by providing a hierarchical system of intervention strategies.

The efficacy of written teacher advice (tip sheets) for managing classroom behaviour problems

This study evaluated the efficacy of a set of tip sheets developed to provide written advice to teachers about the management of common classroom behaviour problems. Twenty teachers were involved in the trial of the tip sheets. Teachers selected a child in their grade who demonstrated one of the behaviour problems, and after a baseline period, implemented the written advice for a period of 4 weeks. Outcome measures included teacher collected data, Goal Achievement Scale scores, Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory, Teacher Report Form and consumer satisfaction. Measures of treatment integrity were also collected. Results indicated that 13 of the children showed substantial or moderate improvement. Of the seven who did not improve, four had high levels of general behaviour problems prior to intervention, and three had teachers who were not following the written advice completely. However, high levels of general behaviour problems did not prevent some other children still demonstrating improvements in behaviour (n = 5). The written advice in the tip sheets was found to be highly acceptable to the teachers.

Teaching Introductory Psychology through Flexible Delivery: A Case Study

The issue of how to engage students early in the higher educational area of psychology is a pertinent one for educators. With the development of information technologies, the use of traditional educational approaches may now be supplemented by web and computer based material that provides flexibility in student learning. An innovative approach to the teaching of psychology has been trialled and now implemented throughout undergraduate psychology at RMIT University, Australia. This paper will provide a description of this approach, as well as evaluation from students and staff, and suggestions for the implementation of the approach at other universities. Introductory psychology at RMIT is taught through a combination of flexible delivery strategies and traditional lecture and tutorials. A fully interactive, online educational program has been developed by lecturers in psychology and provides a student-directed approach to the learning of traditional areas in introductory psychology. In addition, students attend a one-hour weekly lecture that is used as an opportunity for critical analysis of the material, clarification of difficult concepts, and student questions. Students are then involved in a two-hour practical and applied tutorial that give them direct experience and exposure to concepts in psychology. The response from students and staff to this approach has been extremely positive and data will be presented to demonstrate this. Comparison of student feedback and results from pre and post implementation will be provided. The implications for a flexible delivery approach to student learning will be examined in this paper.