STUDENTS’ MISBEHAVIOUR; FACTORS AND SOLUTIONS BY THE TEACHER SIDE

Student misbehaviour is one of the most troubling phenomena in education today. Discipline problems,

morality issues and ‘gangsterism’ cases are increase. Predictably, the misbehaviour accelerates to

retaliation measures such as vandalism, hostility, apathy, and rebellion creating even greater problems.

Utusan Melayu report shows there are three bullying cases in February 2009, including one fatality case

(Abu Bakar Yang, 2009: 10). Mohd. Hadzrin Mohamad was dead after eight days coma due to be beating

by 24 gangsters. Consequently, school are not safe anymore for the student. School environment seem

has expose students’ to ferocity and vice versa, students’ also are exposed to be violent. According to

analysis in PTK (Mok Soon Sang, 2005 as cited in K.Shoba a/p C. Karuppaya, 2007: 48), there are ten

misbehaviour problems that often occur in the school; school cheating, threaten other students, stealing,

roughly with other students, rude, come late to school/class, make noisy, vandalism, cheating the co-

curricular activities, and class cheating.

Thus, many question poses. Does this discipline problems start from the school? However, how about the

parent and family role? What actions that the stakeholder has take to overcome this situation? Perhaps the

basis and solution of the problem occur if we are able to make reflection. We need to look back for the

purpose of the education. The only purpose of education is to teach a student how to live his life-by

developing his mind and equipping him to deal with reality (Ayn, R: n.d.). In this case, all descendants are

responsible to give education to the student (parents, teacher, and stakeholder). Moreover, in the formal

education, teachers are responsible to educate their students’, not just teach them although nothing is more

frustrating for teachers than the daunting task of teaching students who can’t, don’t, or won’t even try to

learn, cooperate, follow procedures, or behave. It causes more teachers to fail. Therefore, the teacher also

must competences to deal with their students’ misbehaviour. Most research studied students’ misbehaviour

state that relationship between teacher beliefs and competence with students’ behaviour (Ulerick & Tobin

1989; Brophy, 1988; Doyle, 1986 as cited in Weinstein, 1996). Furthermore, a recent survey show found

that “disruptive student behaviour to be a major learning inhibitor (Seidman, 2005). In this situation, most

teachers have to prevent and cope with those problems.

In some condition, teachers themselves are the factor for the students’ misbehaviour. Many teachers enter

this profession as the last choice and they don’t have pure interest in teaching (K.Shoba a/p C. Karuppaya,

2007: 39-40). Whether their students well behave or not, that is not important for them. Moreover, there are

some teachers that don’t prevent the misbehaviour because they want be popular among the student

Besides, Kyriacou, 1997, (as cited in Mulholland, 2003: 880) claim that it is difficult for beginning teacher

not only to apply theory into practice but also to develop new perspective. In this case, teacher must be

able to determine the appropriate method or strategy in handle different students with different abilities.

Furthermore, according to Mackler (2005: 2) “a false assumption that there is theory-pure, untainted and

rationally perfect-and there is life-messy, unpredictable, and in need of repair.” However, that false

assumption has to overturn. Teachers have to use their creativeness to shape the wonderful theory into

practice. However, the common problem is “when behaviour problems arise, teachers often avoids creative

instructional approaches because they have to deal with increased misbehaviours” (Manning & Bucher,

2007: 6). Therefore, they have to prepare their skills, especially in classroom management, teaching

strategies, and personal approaches.

In any community, including a group of people in a classroom, there is a standard of behaviour that permits

the group to function according to its avowed purpose. Therefore, discipline is a process for classroom

members to affect, monitor, control and cope with the behaviour of its members-not all behaviours-just

those that affect the avowed purpose. And to control or manage behaviour in the classroom, the teacher

must be responsible for control, to have an authoritarian, unilateral set of rules that reflects the teacher's

needs and expectations. For many teachers, discipline means managing behaviour problems or classroom

control (Page, B.: 2008a). It is equated with obedience or ‘minding’ the teacher and it is used to deal with

‘how to get kids to shut up, sit down, pay attention, follow directions, and at least act interested.’ Classroom

management is strategies to support teaching and learning process, which are controlling misbehaviour

and effective teaching (Manning & Bucher, 2007: 4). In general, classroom management is important,

especially to convince students’ behave. In addition, according to Wang, Haertel, & Walbergs, 1993 as

cited in Kullina, Cothran, & Requalos (2006: 39), “classroom management had the largest effect on student

achievement. This implies that good classroom discipline means that the socio-emotional condition

prevailed in the class is conducive and harmonious. Classroom management is not a discrete activity but a

combination of various processes that occur in the dynamism of the learning classroom.

Furthermore, an effective classroom manager understands the common causes of misbehaviour and is

able to develop a variety of effective skills and techniques to prevent and deal with such behaviour.

Classroom management relates to prevent from students’ misbehaviour. Therefore, teachers have to

manage it appropriately. Moreover, establish the rules and rewards are effective to conduct positive

classroom environment (Wong and Wong, 1998 as cited in Ackerman, 2006: 39). According to Ackerman

(2006: 40), “effective teachers employ more positive reinforcements than negative ones.” Because the

student with misbehaviour problem always used to receive the punishments, which did not influence them

anymore, positive reinforcements will be more effective. Moreover, Siti Salina Ghazali et al. (2006: 67) also

agree that most types of misbehavior can be overcome through the appropriate use of positive

reinforcements. Positive reinforcements are allowing students to have a sense of support, without feeling

attacked by rules and regulations. Students begin to take ownership of their actions because they are given

choices and rewards for good behaviour. Rewards can range from giving stickers and books to a pat on the

shoulder and words of praise (Siti Salina Ghazali et al. 2006: 69).

Creating a positive and conducive learning climate is perhaps one of the most important aspects that one

has to think about when one enters the classroom for the first time. The positive classroom is one that

brings out the best in students. This can be accomplished through effective teaching that brings joy to

learning (Siti Salina Ghazali et al. 2006: 68). The teacher provides the students with the least restrictive

environment by providing a dependable atmosphere, clear expectations, and allowing the students to have

a feeling of comfort and warmth. A research of “student satisfaction and retention found that instructional

effectiveness was the top predictors of overall student satisfaction (Polinsky, 2003 as cited in Seidman,

2005: 45). Students’ satisfaction relates to their motivation to study. However, as an educator, teacher

always did a mistake which was just taught the students with “speech” method. Moreover, teacher always

just thought about how to finish the syllabus and just wanted to share the material. The other mistake was

the used of complex language that the students did not understand. Furthermore, some teacher was also

too serious. They never told a story, a joke or everything to let the students stay relaxes. The last mistake

was teacher always arranged difficult questions for the test. There are some competencies in curriculum

that students have to achieve and it was very difficult for them to achieve those competencies. This

condition influences them to feel inadequacy in academic achievement, which contributes to students’

misbehaviour (Ackerman, 2006: 41). Of course, the low exam scores did not help to raise their morale. For

the solution, teacher can motivate students by providing interesting and creative lessons that call out to

students to come in and join the fun. To do this, teacher must display passion, enthusiasm and excitement

in the content that is imparted to the student participation.

Another important strategy to dealing with students’ misbehaviour is personal approaches. These students

with misbehaviour problems need help seeing themselves in new and different ways, and with renewed

hope and possibilities. If they perceive themselves differently, they will behave differently. Ackerman (2006:

41) believe by building good teacher-student relationship will assist teacher to cope with students’

misbehaviour. Most research studies find that good relationship between teacher and students lead to

successful behaviour management because student behaviour is a manifestation of beliefs, attitudes,

emotions, and experiences. Moreover, they also build a level of trust amongst their students. Teachers

have to “show respect for each student dignity” to create positive classroom environment (Abrams, 2005:

41). Behaviour modifications can be made only by the students themselves. Beliefs and perceptions must

be examined and altered by students so they can change their own behaviour. Change must emanate from

inside each individual. Perception cannot be manipulated from the outside. Through a caring relationship

with mutual trust and respect, teachers can help students change their perceptions by facilitating a

willingness and freedom to examine, question, compare, and consider other possibilities. Until students see

themselves as capable, or until they have the desire to change, they cannot acquire the study and learning

skills by which they can ultimately improve their behaviour and academic achievement. With all of these

considerations, it is necessary for the teacher to establish or develop a relationship with the ‘behaver’. It is

this relationship that can allow the teacher to facilitate the changes in feelings, beliefs, attitudes and

understandings. Ideally, the relationship would be a growing, improving, long range, learning relation with

shared objectives and mutual trust.

But, since this factors that are currently driving them are the same ones necessary for making a change,

students cannot be expected to initiate that change on their own. Students need a responsible adult to

intercede and advice, but they are reluctant to take advice or counsel from anyone they don’t trust, they

don’t like, or who has already failed to help them. Since these problem students see teachers on a daily

basis, it is imperative that a good student-teacher relationship be established before students can be

helped to improve and begin to take responsibility for their behaviour and success. One of the first and

most important ways of doing this is by forming a good relationship and creating a strong image with your

students. Therefore, as a teacher one must first establish a positive, nurturing and non threatening climate

in classroom (Siti Salina Ghazali et al. 2006: 69). Give each student a reputation to hold and show how

each of them is a valuable person in the classroom community who has something to contribute. As

examples, teacher can use a strategy to be closer with students by learning their slang words, chat, and

hang around with them in the canteen. Besides, teacher also has to remember their students’ entire name.

Even though, sometimes, it is very difficult for teachers, but this approach will help them.

In addition, teaching institutes and universities should aware about those problems to prepare their

students as teachers. Therefore, the students never realize that the theory is different from the real

practice. They have difficulties to using their knowledge and skills in applied the theory. In institutes or

universities, the lecturers taught teaching methods, evaluation, and class management. However, they

never give case study to give description of the real teaching experiences. As a result, it is important for

teaching institutes and universities have to prepare their students to face with various classrooms

environmental. According to Kullina, Cothran, & Requalos (2006: 38), “ideally, pre service teachers would

have opportunities to participate in quality field experiences in multiple school settings which would allow

them to see different, effective management techniques”. Abd. Rahim Abdul Rashid (1999), agree that

teachers knowledge from the teaching and learning perspective will enable them to be more effective and

manage the problems occur in this scope. It is unreasonable to expect teacher preparatory programs to

produce excellent teachers when the teachers have little to no classroom experience.

For many years, dropouts, force-outs, psychological dropouts, failures, over-age students, social misfits,

delinquents, and students in categories misbehaviour were relegated to the lowest socioeconomic levels

when they exited school, and might expect to find menial jobs and a degree of acceptance by society at

that low level (Page, B.: 2008a). But, times have changed. Society no longer expects or accepts failures

nor is there a place for them. Every child is expected to be a literate, productive, independent, critically

thinking, and self-actualizing member of society. If they not, they becomes doomed to failure in life just as

they was in school. Unfortunately, their fate is not in their hands. It is in the hands and hearts of schools

and teachers, who have the opportunity and obligation to salvage their lives. Teachers must set high

standards and expectations to their students because when teachers expect the best, they will get the best.

We must not let them down because educational excellence is via instructional excellence.

Students cannot be expected to increase their achievement unless their teachers improve their teaching

effectiveness and willingness. Students cannot change unless and until teachers and schools change. Most

programs, reforms, and innovations have focused on changing the students instead of changing teachers’

understanding of the way they need to relate to the students and deal with the problem of identity (Page,

B.: 2008b). When teachers change their approach, their responses, their emphases, and their part of the

teacher-student relationship; the students change accordingly. Teachers, as authority figures, have

responsibility for establishing a good relationship and the obligation to initiate changes. But normally,

teachers do not know or do not accept that responsibility. Teachers, especially beginning teachers who

face the students’ misbehaviour will find their job as a stressful, but if professional educators can’t change

themselves, they should not expect inexperienced, struggling students to change themselves. However,

their conscious of the problems will help them to be a creative teacher to create the improvement and solve

the problems. As beginning teachers, management classroom is more important than their cognitive skills

to cope with students’ misbehaviour. However, to solve this problems, integrated solution are needed, there

are not only teachers’ strategies such as classroom management, teaching strategies, knowledge on the

applied subject, but also the role of teaching institutes and university which prepare their students to be

teachers.

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