The causes of challenging behaviour can vary but one frequent cause is the result of the situation or environment that can become taxing to students. An example of this type of environment is where the student has a preference for visual learning styles, yet the classroom they are in is conducted heavily upon verbal strategies. In this situation a student can become frustrated and feel disengaged from the learning process and progressively become restless and discouraged. This restlessness eventually results in explosive behaviour, which follows by a punitive teacher response. When the precursors to challenging behaviours are not identified, the negative behaviours displayed become cyclic and the student is labelled as disruptive (Hyde, et al., 2010).
Blaming the student for disruptive behaviour within the classroom is ineffective to the prevention of the challenging behaviours because the behaviour is a multifaceted issue aggravated by individual complexity and schooling complexity. Educators must consider the systematic precursors that contribute to problem behaviours and develop their understanding of how to proceed with handling these behaviours (Hyde, et al., 2010).
It has been argued by researchers that the situation should be defined as challenging rather than the student, so that the students behaviour can be considered as a response to the challenges within their environment. Re-framing behaviour analysis in this way can help to shape practices used by teachers and reduce and prevent the challenging behaviours from occurring by developing the learning environment that they occur in (Emerson. E, 2001).
Hyde, Carpenter and Conway (2010) suggest that the teachers role becomes one of:
The learning environment is not the only cause of challenging behaviour - although the most frequent - because of external factors which can contribute to the way students react within the school environment. An example provided by Morgan (2010) suggests that the digital environment that are often engaged in require specialised social skills that emotional and behavioural impaired students often lack. The gap in social competence cause by this can lead to increased interpersonal problems which has the ability to intergrate itself within school contexts and lead to problems such as cyber-bullying.
Teachers have little control over a lot of external factors, including online environments, however their awareness and recognition of emotional distress is paramount in responding to challenging behaviours.
Other external and internal factors within a student that can contribute to their problem behaviours can include:
External
Practical approaches to challenging behaviours begins with understanding the behavioural trends of students. To improve the flow of lessons and support the positive management of behaviours, teachers need to work with whole-class expectations, behavioural accommodations and individual behaviour plans (see Case Study A for an example of individualised behaviour plans).
Hyde et al., (2010) suggests a "bottom up" approach to encouraging positive classroom behaviour (Diagram in Appendix C) where rules and routines are set for the whole class (primary strategies), slight departure from whole class routine is established for some students with mild problem behaviours (secondary strategies) and recognisable accommodations are set for students with more extreme behaviour (tertiary strategies).
Glasser (1986) suggests that unless a student is personally motivated to behave and learn, there is little that another can do besides offer advice. Glasser points out that there is no point in trying to force a student to behave or learn; instead, one has to accept the premise that the individual is accountable for his or her own attitudes and behaviours. Choice Theory relates closely to Ragnar Purje's Responsibility Theory where it is the choice of the student whether they will engage in the classroom and their learning or not.
Using Choice Theory as one of many influences, Responsibility Theory uses the concept of having classroom rules which outline the responsibilities the students should take into account in every subject they have as well as the behaviour procedures that follow should problem behaviour arise. As discussed in the "Key Theorists" page, the Classroom rules Purje outlines in Responsibility Theory are:
Rudolf Driekurs developed a behaviour management model in 1993 called the Logical Consequences model. This model is built on the belief that students learn through interactions with the environment and within this interaction, behaviours are exposed to three types of negative consequences: natural, arbitrary and logical. By using the logical consequences model, teachers attempt to prevent behaviour issues by avoiding power struggles with students. Logical Consequences follows the basis of providing consequences and "punishments" that fit the behaviour that is being displayed. Some examples that are given for logical consequences is:
Blaming the student for disruptive behaviour within the classroom is ineffective to the prevention of the challenging behaviours because the behaviour is a multifaceted issue aggravated by individual complexity and schooling complexity. Educators must consider the systematic precursors that contribute to problem behaviours and develop their understanding of how to proceed with handling these behaviours (Hyde, et al., 2010).
It has been argued by researchers that the situation should be defined as challenging rather than the student, so that the students behaviour can be considered as a response to the challenges within their environment. Re-framing behaviour analysis in this way can help to shape practices used by teachers and reduce and prevent the challenging behaviours from occurring by developing the learning environment that they occur in (Emerson. E, 2001).
Hyde, Carpenter and Conway (2010) suggest that the teachers role becomes one of:
- "developing supportive and enabling learning environments
- providing students with behaviours that will enable them to achieve their goals and satisfy their needs in ways that are considered socially appropriate
- supporting them in becoming proficient in these behaviours."
The learning environment is not the only cause of challenging behaviour - although the most frequent - because of external factors which can contribute to the way students react within the school environment. An example provided by Morgan (2010) suggests that the digital environment that are often engaged in require specialised social skills that emotional and behavioural impaired students often lack. The gap in social competence cause by this can lead to increased interpersonal problems which has the ability to intergrate itself within school contexts and lead to problems such as cyber-bullying.
Teachers have little control over a lot of external factors, including online environments, however their awareness and recognition of emotional distress is paramount in responding to challenging behaviours.
Other external and internal factors within a student that can contribute to their problem behaviours can include:
External
- boredom
- work that is too difficult
- being asked to sit for too long
- not understanding what is expected
- feeling undervalued
- new digital environments
- unrelenting emotional concerns
- anxiety and worry
- frustration and despair
Practical approaches to challenging behaviours begins with understanding the behavioural trends of students. To improve the flow of lessons and support the positive management of behaviours, teachers need to work with whole-class expectations, behavioural accommodations and individual behaviour plans (see Case Study A for an example of individualised behaviour plans).
Hyde et al., (2010) suggests a "bottom up" approach to encouraging positive classroom behaviour (Diagram in Appendix C) where rules and routines are set for the whole class (primary strategies), slight departure from whole class routine is established for some students with mild problem behaviours (secondary strategies) and recognisable accommodations are set for students with more extreme behaviour (tertiary strategies).
Glasser (1986) suggests that unless a student is personally motivated to behave and learn, there is little that another can do besides offer advice. Glasser points out that there is no point in trying to force a student to behave or learn; instead, one has to accept the premise that the individual is accountable for his or her own attitudes and behaviours. Choice Theory relates closely to Ragnar Purje's Responsibility Theory where it is the choice of the student whether they will engage in the classroom and their learning or not.
Using Choice Theory as one of many influences, Responsibility Theory uses the concept of having classroom rules which outline the responsibilities the students should take into account in every subject they have as well as the behaviour procedures that follow should problem behaviour arise. As discussed in the "Key Theorists" page, the Classroom rules Purje outlines in Responsibility Theory are:
- I am responsible for what I think, do, say, choose and learn.
- My negative choices will have negative consequences.
- My positive choices will have positive consequences.
- I've got the power to change my thinking and to change my behaviour.
- I've Got the Power!
Rudolf Driekurs developed a behaviour management model in 1993 called the Logical Consequences model. This model is built on the belief that students learn through interactions with the environment and within this interaction, behaviours are exposed to three types of negative consequences: natural, arbitrary and logical. By using the logical consequences model, teachers attempt to prevent behaviour issues by avoiding power struggles with students. Logical Consequences follows the basis of providing consequences and "punishments" that fit the behaviour that is being displayed. Some examples that are given for logical consequences is:
- if a student is misbehaving during break time, the consequence will be a break-time detention.
- "for temper tantrums, a logical consequence is to remove the student from class until he or she calms down."