Our union has welcomed the Federal Government’s new investment in a range of free, evidence-based resources designed to help tackle disruptive behaviour in school classrooms, Emily Campbell writes.
The investment follows the release of the Senate Education and Employment References Committee’s Report on increasing levels of classroom disruption in Australia.
A Foundational Classroom Management resources handbook is now available from the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO).
Greater funding necessary
IEUA Federal Secretary Brad Hayes says our union was pleased with the investment but emphasised more action was needed to meaningfully address the issue.
“Our union’s position is that governments and school employers must prioritise the resources and specialist support necessary to address complex factors contributing to students’ disruptive behaviours,” Hayes says.
“While resources are always welcome, the emphasis on teacher professional development (PD) and training as a remedy for the problem of disorderly classrooms may obscure the external factors responsible for such behaviours,” he says.
Hayes says teacher training is only one element of a suite of actions needed to address problematic student disruption.
“Teachers are not solely responsible for addressing student behaviour problems, and a sustainable, long-term solution will require significant action by school employers and governments.
“A reassessment of classroom environments, better access to allied health services and better preparation of and support for initial teacher education students and early career teachers were necessary, as recommended by the report,” he says.
Report recommendations
The Senate Committee’s final reports detailed recommendations to combat classroom disruption, including the introduction of a behavioural curriculum and a further inquiry into declining academic standards in Australian schools.
The report noted the committee considered the release of the OECD’s latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey results continued to show a decline in the disciplinary climate in Australian classrooms.
According to the committee, Australia should examine how high-performing countries are achieving better results than Australia, including what we can learn from their experiences and how funding for students in Australia and other countries correlates with performance and academic standards.
Ongoing consultation must continue
The inquiry’s focus on consultation with practising teachers is a priority that should continue to find meaningful solutions.
“The Senate Committee terms of reference identified the necessity of inquiry into the impacts and experience of disorderly classrooms on teacher safety, work satisfaction and staff retention,” Hayes says.
“It’s important to note that teachers have repeatedly raised concerns over many years through their union and through their workplaces of the escalating disruption to learning, both through persistent low-level behaviours and more dangerous incidents,” he says.
Final report falls short
Following the report’s release, Associate Professor and University Research Theme Champion (RTC) for Education and Work at Western Sydney University Dr Katrina Barker says teachers need additional support, achieved through collaboration with their colleagues, school leaders, the students themselves and parents, as well as allied healthcare professionals.
“This collaborative effort is essential for identifying the underlying reasons and motivations behind challenging behaviour and working together to both prevent and address it,” Dr Barker says.
“Initiating the provision of extra resources to schools for implementing this wraparound support will benefit teachers, school leaders, students and families and address the issue of increasing disruption in Australian classrooms.”
Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Monash University and Certified Behaviour Analyst Dr Erin Leif says the report fell short in recommending strategies for ways to establish supportive school systems.
“Looking ahead, it will be important to ensure schools can allocate time and funding for teachers to engage in planning, professional development, collaboration and reflective practice related to student behaviour,” she says.
Read the Senate Committee’s Final Report on school disruption and recommendations online at https://bit.ly/4butezR
Access the AERO’s new suite of classroom management resources and handbook online at https://www.edresearch.edu.au/