Teachers' Reports of How They Perceive and Cope with Problem Students

Abstract

This article describes the background, research design and procedures, and general findings of the Classroom Strategy Study, an investigation in which 98 experienced elementary (K-6) teachers nominated by their principals as either outstanding or average at dealing with problem students described their general strategies for coping with 12 types of problem students and told how they would handle incidents depicted in 2 vignettes portraying typical problem behavior associated with each type. We describe trends in the teachers' interview and vignette responses (e. g., the frequencies with which teachers mentioned different treatment strategies) as well as contrasts in patterns of responses to different types of student problem behavior. In addition, we describe contrasts between teachers who differed in role definition (emphasizing instruction vs. emphasizing socialization), school location (Small City vs. Big City), and grade level (K-3 vs. 4-6). Finally, we contrast the responses of teachers rated as highly effective in dealing with problem students with the responses of teachers rated as less effective. Teachers' responses generally were more similar than different. Instead of reporting fundamentally different approaches to a problem, subgroups of teachers usually mentioned the same basic strategies but differed in the degree of coherence and elaboration with which these strategies were articulated. The strategies were loosely connected, and often tacit ideas developed through experience, not applications of theories learned through formal education. Teachers usually reported attempts to develop long-term solutions that addressed the causes of problem behavior in addition to attempts to exert control over the behavior itself, although this was less true of their responses to behavior that disrupted the class or threatened their authority. Compared to other teachers, teachers who worked in Small City, who taught in the lower grades, and who reported emphasizing socialization produced responses more like those advocated by mental health experts. The teachers who were rated as highly effective at dealing with problem students generally showed more willingness to become personally involved in working with problem students, expressed more confidence in their ability to elicit significant improvement, and provided richer descriptions of long-term problem prevention or remediation strategies.

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