Are Teachers Adequately Prepared to Manage Difficult Behavior in

Croatian Classrooms? Teacher Preparation, Strategy Use and

Needed Supports

Prof.dr.sc. Kathleen M. BeaudoinUniversity of Washington, Tacoma

Doc.dr.sc. Darko LončarićDoc.dr.sc. Sanja Skočić Mihić

Sveučilište u Rijeci, Učiteljski fakultet u Rijeci

Rijeka, 16. svibnja 2014.

Classroom Management (CM)

• the ability of the teacher to efficiently manage student behavior

• Which include the efforts that teachers take – to prevent the occurrence of problem behavior – how they respond to and intervene to problem behavior

• classroom management makes for a complex component of the teaching process

Teachers ability to CM

• Area of great concern for– teachers new to the profession (Fontaine, Kane, Duquette, & Savoie-Zajc, 2012; Veenman, 1984)

– experience generally improves confidence in one’s ability to manage the classroom (e.g., Choy, Chong, Wong, & Wong, 2011; Kotaman, 2010)

– remains a front running concern for experienced teachers

• early intervention is the most efficacious for positive long-term outcomes for students with behaviours issues

• teachers are important candidates:– for increased training in classroom management – for receipt of support for addressing the challenging behavior of

their students.

Purpose

To examine a national sample of Croatian primary school teachers to determine:

Level of preparation in classroom management; Types of strategies used to address problem behavior; and Level of support needed to deal with difficult behaviors

Procedure

• National database of statistics for primary schools in Croatia (10%)

• Stratified sample: 36% Coastal and 64% Continental region

• Statement of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport’s approval

• 74 principals agreed to participate in the study (response rate was 74%)

Participants

• 706 teachers • 73 primary schools• 96.4% female, 3.5% male• 45 years old with average teaching experience of

20 years • 91% were regular classroom teachers

Measures

• The Child Behavior Survey (Martin, Linfoot, & Stephenson, 1999) modified

• Demografics about pre and in-service education• Scale of Strategies used to deal with difficult

classroom behavior (0=does not use, 1=uses strategy)(1) Strategies to Increase Appropriate Behavior (n=3, αb=0.691; αg=0.860)(2) Strategies to Decrease Inappropriate Behavior (n=4, αb=0.441; αg=0.543)

• The support needed to deal with difficult behaviors of boys and girls (1=not at all to 4 = a lot of support)1. Distractibility αb/g=.90/.89; Mb/g= 2.04 / 1.53 2. Aggression αb/g=.88/.90; Mb/g= 1.63 / 1.21 3. Disobedience αb/g =.87/.81; Mb/g= 1.82 / 1.354. Delinquency αb/g=.86/.87; Mb/g= 1.32 /1.19

Results

• (1) prior pre-service and in-service education in classroom management;

• (2) strategies used to deal with difficult classroom behavior of boys and girls; and

• (3) the level of additional support needed to deal with difficult behaviors of boys and girls

Education in classroom management % N

Have you done any topics in classroom management during study program?

27% 191

topics in classroom management in different course

26% 181

course about classroom management 0.8% 6

Have you ever done any short courses/inservice activities in behaviour/classroom management?

48% 338

lectures 39% 274

workshops 29% 201

course 2% 16

other types of training 7% 50

Strategies used to deal with difficult classroom behavior

   Strategies used to Factor

Increase Appropriate Behavior (Mb=0.997, Mg=0,98) 1Talked it over with the child ,707Tried to teach better behaviour ,701Used praise to encourage better behaviour ,587

Decrease Inappropriate Behavior (Mb=0.66; Mg=0,56) 2Removed privileges (eg. no story, early mark) ,699

Imposed punishment (eg. pick up papers) ,468Verbally reprimanded the child ,267Detained the child ,254

Strategies used to deal with difficult classroom behavior

Increase Appropriate Behavior* Mb Mg

Talked it over with the child 1 0.99Tried to teach better behaviour 1 0.98Used praise to encourage better behaviour 0.99 0.98Decrease Inappropriate Behavior

Verbally reprimanded the child 0.94 0.89Removed privileges (eg. no story, early mark) 0.76 0.66

Imposed punishment (eg. pick up papers) 0.66 0.57Detained the child 0.56 0.46

*Scale results scored as aritmetic mean of scale items (0-1) devided with number of items

Additional support needed

*Scale results scored as aritmetic mean of scale items (0=not at all to 4=extremely) devided with number of items

Scale of Needed Support Mb Mg

DISTRACTIBILITYDoesn't remain on-task for a reasonable time 2.12 1.76Distractibility or attention span a problem/does not listen 2.13 1.73AGGRESSIONExpresses anger inappropriatly 2.13 1.47Is physically aggressive with others/bullies 2.13 1.33DISOBEDIENCEDoes not get along well with other children 1.99 1.60Does not fellow established rules 2.00 1.46DELINQUENCYLies 1.85 1.48Is verbally aggressive with others 1.90 1.42

Sanja Skočić Mihić

is greater for boys but not equaly is much greater for hyperactivo

Education in relation with strategies teachers used and needed support

• prior training in classroom management is not reated:– to the strategies teachers used when dealing with

difficult behavior – nor the level of support needed

Conclusion

• teachers education is not related to strategies they used, needed support to to occurrence of challenging behavior

• Croatian teachers are reactive to challenging behaviors• In reactions to challenging behaviors they use more

strategies for increasing aappropriate bbehavior• Pre-service teacher education should prepare Croatian

teachers in the area of classroom management• Indications of inertion of education system

– Education policy– Study programs – Experts

Further recomendation

• More pre and in-service education• Use mamagment strategies that are proactive to address

typically encountered in primary classroom (eg. distractibility)

• Patterns of challenging behaviour for older students

• Thank you for your attention!