26. Uluslararası Eğitim Bilimleri Kongresi, Antalya, Turkey, 20 - 23 April 2017, pp.747-748, (Summary Text)
Abstract
Aim- The overall purpose of this study was to identify teachers’ views about types and causes of students’ undesirable behaviours and the techniques they use to cope up with. Managing undesirable behaviour in a classroom setting is a problem faced by teachers.
Method-This study is qualitative in nature and employs the qualitative research design because qualitative research is more concerned with understanding individuals’ perceptions of the world and seeking insights rather than statistical analysis. In qualitative research design, case studies can establish cause and effect, indeed one of their strengths is that they observe effects in real contexts, recognizing
that context is a powerful determinant of both causes and effects. This research was in the pattern of an embedded, multiple case study, which was a type of qualitative studies and investigate and report the complex dynamic and unfolding interactions of events. All Murtuna Gazi primary school teachers (N- 13)
at Antalya in Turkey and Salayesh Primary school teachers (N-138) at Addis Ababa in Ethiopia are the target population of this study. To idenitfy these schools, the researchers used convenience sampling technique. The work group was determined using maximum variable sampling. As a result, the working group consisted of four participants from Turkish school and four from Ethiopian school. From each school, three groups were involved in the sample (two senior teachers, an assistance-principals and
principals). The interview was allowed the researchers for the differing and somewhat similar perspectives of each group to emerge and for comparison and at the same time commonality in analysis to occur. The interviews were realized face to face and were recorded by tape recorder. The data were transcribed and classified under themes and sub-themes by applying content analysis with the help of qualitative data analysis computer program called NVIVO.
Findings- From both schools as majority of teachers argued the following top ranked frequently observed undesirable behaviors: not paying attention to personal hygiene, being late, not doing the given asks, talking without permission during the lesson, hyperactivity and lack of attention, complaining about their teacher's to family, being rude. Even if there are common undesireable students’ behaviours in two
schools, there are also different undesireable behaviours. In Ethiopia, as majority of the teachers emphasized, attaching nickname to friends, disturbing other friends in the lesson, not sitting properly, eating and drinking illegally and acting at the wrong time are common ones. In addition, the Turkish teachers added constantly producing a variety of excuses and disrespect, silence, smoking cigarettes secretly, even if it is a few, not obeying a contract to read books in the school and selfishness as the major undesireable behaviours of students.
To understand undesireable behaviours and teachers reactions to it, one must examine teacher beliefs about the causes of behavior. Teachers most commonly attributed the students’ undesireable behaviors out-of-class factors. Most of the undesireable behaviour in the class is due to events outside the classroom. The environment in which the learner lives, the family environment and the school constitute the main source of their behavior. From these, the all Turkish teachers attributed highly to parents.When
families over-supervised of their childern, strict discipline or excessive disinterestion, refusal and neglect,inconsistency in care and education, not having a conversation about seven hours of the school, the students might show undesired behavior in the classroom. The number of individuals in the family, income and educational status of the family are some of the factors that they mentioned.Nevertheless, Ethiopians
teachers more attributed on the number of students in the classroom, the absence or inadequacy of the materials, tools, materials and resources required for education and training is another cause of student undesireable behaviour behavior. In addition, teachers argued that in-class factors such as teacher, student, and physical environment are important for the occurrence of undesireable behaviours.
Because inadequacies of teachers such as not telling the students how and where the behavior should be done, inability to communicate to the student and on students’ side, lack of friends, bored from lesson, social dissatisfaction, the low interest and desire for learning, the need to attract attention, students show undesireable behavior.
Regarding the techiques to cope up with these undesireable behaviours, majority teachers highly prefered indirect reinforcment, expressing the right behavior at the first class, use the body lanagauge and yes, I understand that verbal statements indicate that we are concerned and careful about behaviors. In addition, establish relationships with school management and guidance services are the techniques
used by Turkish teachers to cope up the problems based on the level of problem. Teachers in these classrooms have suggestions for other teachers related to these problems like that making students sit down closer to the front, giving assignment, playing games, giving punishment, ignoring, warning and listening to students.
Conclusion
These findings were also discussed in the light of the differnet literature even if there are a few articles on students’ undesireable behaviours at primary school level. The outcomes of this study confirmed that a close, positive and supportive relationship between all school stakeholders is essential for developing a mutual relationship of respect and for managing undesirable behaviours successfully. Findings also indicated some issues raised by teachers that were not viewed in the literature reviewed.
However, the negative areas of the primary school teachers in managing undesireable behaviour are that they do not devise any rules and regulations of classroom management at the beginning of new session and use of punishment. A special training programme regarding management of classroom disruptive behaviour should be launched to equip the existing teachers with modern techniques to manage
classroom undesireable behavior properly.