Misbehavior - Why?

Roots of Misbehavior “ Discipline problems in the schools reflect the problems that face society “ Your class is a purposeful regional sample of society - (i.e., all 6-8 yr. Olds = gr. 1)

Ecology “ Many factors that contribute to discipline problems are beyond the schools’ control “Diet, family, disease, health, genetics, home environment, abuse, addictions, habits, etc.

News &Video Games

Rapid Technological Change = Concern “ By the end of elementary school many children possess knowledge that their parents only vaguely comprehend “Personal computing, biotech, information retrieval, ecology. They see global events - war

Technology Impact

Youth Perspective The global information “ . . . has caused many young people to view adults as ineffective in managing their own world . . . . Therefore, respect . . . Has eroded, and adults exercise less influence on the young than they once did

Teacher Perspective Teachers too perceive many school curricula to be irrelevant to today’s world. They are frustrated because of the almost impossible task of keeping up with the expansion of knowledge and the new technologies.

“ Schools lack the necessary resources or commitment to invest in the latest technologies, training, or teacher release time for curriculum development. Their feelings of frustration lead to job dissatisfaction and poor morale “

Influences T.V. “ . . . 23 to 28 hours per week “ “ . . . The average child would witness 8,000 televised murders and 100,000 acts of violence before finishing elementary school

Influences “ 80 percent of today’s video games contain violence, a noted increase from earlier years “Playstation titles: Battle Hunter, Assault with Battery, Crash Bash and these are rated ‘E’ for everyone.

Ready 4 Recess?

Control! Control of your own behavior is of paramount importance. “ . . . Lack of parental supervision was one of the strongest predictors of children’s later conduct disorders “

Home life ? “ Between 1960 and 1993, the divorce rate increased over 100% . . . Remarriage often creates additional problems for children. . . Any form of marital conflict increases the likelihood that children will develop some type of behavioral problem “

School Environment

Needs Psychological - self-image, esteem, concept. Remember for some kids it takes more energy to sit still – Being hungry, overcrowding, noise, and frequent interuptions interfere with learning.

Needs Safety and security - fear “ . . . The more students feel insecure about their physical safety, the less likely they will exhibit the on-task behaviors necessary for learning “

Social Needs Recognition - Honor roll, athletics, praise, awards, stars Attention-Seeking - in your face

Self-Esteem Seminal fact: “ . . . The chronically disruptive student can be viewed as the most powerful individual in the classroom “

Self-Esteem If the student’s self-esteem is publicly threatened in front of peers, the likelihood that she will use this distorted power increases.

Cognitive

Cognitive Development 4 Stages: Sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational Proposed by Piaget, J. 1960’s Sen - Birth to 2 Pre - 2 to 7 Con - 7 to 12 Formal - 12 & up

Moral Development

Laurence Kohlberg What did he purpose? Name the levels. What is the significance of this for teachers?

‘ Normal ‘ “ Normal developmental changes can lead to disruptive behavior “ Why - Growing independence Changing Ideals Peer orientation (pressure + , -) Negative Models