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Naughty kids, bad boys, bitchy girls and brats, these are labels we
know we shouldn’t use as professional teachers and managers.
However, the reality is that we react inherently negatively to
misbehaviour and apply negative assumptions about people’s
backgrounds. We also need support to develop skills and strategies.
Challenging behaviour is an issue for education and broader society.
In 2010 nearly 20,000 students were stood down from school
(Statistics New Zealand, 2011). Seventy of these were five years
old. And anecdotal evidence tells us children are also being
‘invited to leave’ early childhood education services. These figures
tell us that our current repertoire of strategies is insufficient to
enable us to keep all children, young people and teachers’ safe.
Just as importantly, misbehaviour disrupts learning.
Yet
there are other possibilities than resorting to exclusionary
practices. The problem with exclusion is that it merely moves
someone elsewhere, and is unlikely to resolve underlying issues. We
talk about inclusionary practices in education, our curricula talks
about young people being seen as competent and capable, and teachers
all go to their workplaces intending to engage. However, if we are
to walk the talk, we have to show that inclusion is applied more
widely than to the areas of learning difficulty and disability.
Engaging with challenging behaviour is hard work, it ‘pushes our
buttons’, tests our patience, skill, and requires long-term
commitment. There are no easy answers.
Restorative justice, according to Zehr (2002) has three broad
principles:
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The perpetrator needs to acknowledge that harm has been done;
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The victim’s voice must be heard; and
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Harmony should be restored.
On a
recent New Zealand current affairs programme a restorative example
was provided of prisoners building homes for needy families through
Habitat for Humanity, and along the way learning trade skills that
would enable them to continue to positively contribute to society on
release – a more purposeful action than simple incarceration.
Zehr’s (2002) principles can equally be applied to education. For
example, a school bully needs to realise that they have threatened
or hurt other students. S/he should listen to the effects of their
bullying and come to understand consequences of their behaviour, and
finally they need to help restore peace and a sense of safety in the
classroom or playground. This is not a ‘soft option’ – facing up to
a victim and re-earning trust is usually a lot harder than many of
the short-term punishments administered.
Behaviour can be categorised along a continuum, from ‘goofing off’
through to violent aggression. A range of behaviour necessarily
demands a range of responses. While the extreme misbehaviour is most
often in the media, it is often the less extreme, but more common,
behaviour that disrupts learning. The first action when engaging
with behaviour is actually to pre-empt it by making changes to the
environment to minimise conflict and enhance engagement. The many
skills of experienced teachers include how they position themselves,
particular ‘looks’” - a well-timed raised eyebrow, and defusing a
situation quickly with good humour or quiet non-confrontational
strategies. These actions are low in effort but frequently used.
Responses to severe behaviour require more effort and people, but
are less frequently required.
Responsive Pedagogy: Engaging Restoratively with Challenging
Behaviour (Margrain & Macfarlane, 2011) is a newly released text
that supports teachers with scripts and approaches across the
continuum of behaviour. A range of authentic case studies is
provided from New Zealand schools and early childhood education
services. Angus Macfarlane and Jane Prochnow discuss theoretical and
philosophical concepts of behaviour, while Ted Glynn and Tom
Cavanagh connect the content of the book strongly to culturally
responsive approaches.
Mere Berryman and Sonja Macfarlane explain indigenous approaches,
including the Hui Whakatika model for supporting conferencing. Jan
Daley discusses the importance of leadership in education settings,
and the importance of effective adult-adult relationships
highlighted by Margaret Thorsborne. Valerie Margrain and Vijaya
Dharan argue that all of this work is the legitimate work of
teachers, central to curriculum rather than something ‘on top of’
teaching. An example from the book, in Chapter 5, brings many of
these ideas together:
Case Study: “The seats are out – we are ready to go”
Mary, the teacher, ran across the courtyard, late back to class
and unsure of what chaos she would find. She had been unexpectedly
held up at the end of morning break. To her amazement, when she
arrived in her classroom she noticed the desks neatly stacked up at
the side of the room, the chairs all set out in a circle in the
middle of the room and the students sitting there waiting.
“Ms”, one girl called out as Mary walked through the door, “we got
the room ready, coz we’ve got that circle thing.”
Mary was pleasantly shocked. This was only the second time she
had planned to run a circle time, but it was obvious that her
students wanted another chance to discuss issues with one another in
an organised way. The circle began, taking longer than expected. To
her amazement again, the planned creative writing after circle time
resulted in a much higher standard of work being submitted than
previously, despite only half the time available to complete it.
(Jansen & Matla, 2011, p. 100)
Amongst the stand down figures for 2010 (Statistics New Zealand,
2011) there is a preponderance of Maori and Pasifika boys. We have
to ask ourselves what it is about our education settings that fail
to engage all learners. If we engage in this kind of reflection we
move from blaming perpetrators to questioning our own role and
examining whether the environment is culturally responsive and
relationship-based. Failing to provide environments that ensure that
all learners feel welcome and wanted is, according to Professor Jan
Robertson, a form of malpractice. At best we are neglectful, and at
worst we are racist. Failing to engage with a sense of urgency and
purpose serves no one well, including those who act out, those who
are victims, teachers, or our broader community. Statistics and our
hearts tell us to engage, evidence and our experience tell us we
have to.
 Biography
– Dr Valerie Margrain
Valerie is a Lecturer in Early Years Education at Massey University.
She has taught in primary schools, early childhood education,
special education and tertiary settings. Her current work includes
supporting student teachers, and her research includes a focus on
gifted education and educational psychology issues. Valerie was
labelled “behaviourally disordered” as a child and now considers
herself an advocate for children, families and teachers.
Biography – Professor Angus Macfarlane
Dr Angus Macfarlane of the Te Arawa waka, is Professor of Maori
Research at the University of Canterbury. The thrust of his research
activities focus on exploring cultural concepts and strategies that
influence educational practice. In 2010 he was conferred the
national NZARE Tohu Pae Tawhiti award for his outstanding
contribution to Maori research.
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