Teachers' perspectives of disruptive behavior in the classroom

Disruptive behavior is a growing problem in schools and one of the most serious concerns of teachers and parents. Disruptive behaviors can be viewed on a continuum from minor disruptive behaviors, such as wiggling in seat and disruptive talking, to major disruptive behaviors, such as kicking, biting, hitting, and using knives and firing guns. Although there are many effective strategies for preventing and dealing with disruptive behavior in the classroom, many teachers report that they have received little training in classroom management and managing disruptive behaviors. As a result, most teachers' information on classroom management comes from experience. Research has explored several specific aspects of disruptive behavior in the classroom (e.g., undesirable behaviors, teacher management of disruptive behavior, teacher training), but no single study has drawn these elements together in a qualitative investigation of teachers' perceptions of and experiences with disruptive students. This phenomenological qualitative study explored teachers' perspectives of and experiences with disruptive behavior in the classroom. Qualitative interviews were conducted with six public elementary school teachers. This data was collected, coded, and analyzed to reveal major themes. Results of the data analysis suggest teachers face multiple forms of disruptive behavior in their classrooms, there are individual differences in children who display disruptive behavior, teachers have varying skills when working with disruptive behaviors, teachers have emotional reactions to disruptive behavior, and teacher training is an important issue in relation to handling disruptive behavior.