TYPES, CAUSES AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT RESPONSES TO STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Student misbehavior may disrupt classroom instruction, student involvement, and/or create an environment conducive to learning. This study focused on the analysis of the most frequently reported types of misbehaviors reported by the secondary school teachers, the perceived causes of misbehaviors, and classroom management responses of the secondary school teachers to misbehaviors in Faisalabad, Pakistan. The design of the study was descriptive survey in which 119 teachers of female secondary schools of five secondary schools in Ghulam Muhammad Abad, Faisalabad were included. The respondents were selected using proportionate sampling technique from the target population of 172 teachers. Data was gathered through a structured questionnaire on a Likert scale which was content validated by five education experts and was pilot tested with 15 teachers with a reported internal-consistency reliability coefficient of 0.78. The data were analyzed by frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations and independent samples t-test in SPSS-18. As reported, there were several factors related to behaviors, environment, psychological, family, and school related factors that were associated with classroom misbehavior. The mean ratings identified for the indicators were high for students who start fights, make others feel responsible for trouble, pay no attention to teacher's signals, seek attention, and ask unnecessary questions. Other environmental factors like large classroom size, poorly designed classrooms, and high classroom temperature were also reported as relevant. Teachers indicated a range of disciplinary and supportive measures including corporal punishment, respectful treatment, goal setting, engagement in class, communication with parents, counselling and individual attention. The results point towards a classroom-management style that is based on expectations, positive teacher–learner interaction, involvement, communicating with parents, and counselling.