WHO AM I AS A PROFESSIONAL

Managing Challenging Behaviours

Creating and maintaining supportive and safe learning environments for students is
of key importance for classrooms to function cohesively and make learners feel
accepted and valued Stafford, Moore, Foggett, Kemp & Hazell (2007). In order to
successfully teach students, and create an environment that functions cohesively
and where students feel safe, according to Krause et al. (2010, p. 523) positive
behaviour management is of the utmost importance. According to the Australian
Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority (ACARA, 2012) a safe school is one
that takes action to promote and recognise positive student behaviour, ensure
student safety and minimise risk. Although it may be the educators role to impart
new knowledge and strengthen and build on existing knowledge, without behaviour
management and control of the cohort of students, learning cannot be achieved
Department of Education, Training and Employment (DET, 2014). According to
Stafford et al. (2007) childrens misbehaviour is generally motivated by four possible
goals; attention, to gain power, revenge and or inadequacy. Often these goals
represent different levels of the childs discouragement with the state of their lives,
such as they no longer feel a sense of belonging or significance and believe (either
consciously or sub-consciously) the only way to regain a sense of belonging is
through misbehaviour Stafford et al. (2007, p. 6). Ways to combat undesirable
behaviour in the classroom Krause et al. (2010, p. 530) states is to have class rules
as this can regulate students behaviour that are likely to disrupt learning and
teaching, cause damage or cause injury to property or others. In order to have a
class room that functions cohesively with minimal behaviour issues, teachers also
need to create class routines and rules, furthermore explicitly explain and define to

WHO AM I AS A PROFESSIONAL

students exactly what appropriate behaviour looks like and what unacceptable
behaviours looks like Jackson, Simoncini & Davidson (2013).
In order to successfully teach students and create an environment that functions
cohesively I have found over my pre service career is that behaviour management is
of the most utter importance and when behaviour expectations are not met trying to
teach content is not possible. In my host classroom I this year to manage challenging
behaviour I started each day by explicitly explaining what my behavioural
expectations were. I also revisited these expectations at the beginning of each
lesson so students were aware of what was required of them. I believe that setting
these expectations and routines, furthermore being clear and consistent with
students sets them up to learn as they knew what was expected and what the
consequence will be if they dont follow. In addition to explicitly explaining my
expectations I also created a group rewards system for the class that work as a
reminder to self-manage their behaviours otherwise they would be letting their peers
down thus creating a classroom climate that promoted desirable behaviours.