Student Behavior and Classroom Management 1

Running Head: THEORIES ON DISRUPTIVE STUDENT BEHAVIOR

Theories on Disruptive Student Behavior and Classroom Management

Anna Hopkins
Glen Allen High School

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Introduction
A poll conducted in 1997 by the Phi Delta Kappa Organization found fifty-eight percent
of pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade teachers to report that behaviors interrupting classroom
instruction happened most of the time or fairly often. Additionally, a 2013 study conducted by
the New Teacher Project found that classroom management was the top problem recognized
by teachers. Unrestrained, disorderly student behavior breeds chaos in the classroom and hinders
the ability of the teacher to effectively communicate academic instruction to the students; the
teacher loses authority to instruct when the class is not being managed effectively. If the teacher
cannot instruct the students, how will the students learn the material and grasp the concepts
essential for promotion to the next grade level? What factors influence disruptive student
behavior and how can teachers manage classrooms more effectively? The following six
reviews attempt to further define disruptive student behavior and classroom management.
Theories on Disruptive Student Behavior
Ecological Theory: One theory on disruptive student behavior explains child behavior
from an ecological theorist perspective by comparing schools to ecosystems and theorizing that
disturbance in a childs behavior could be a consequence of how the childs behavior and
reactions to that behavior interact within the school environment. In The Disturbing Behavior
Checklist Technical Manual, Bob Algozzine argues that in order to intervene and counteract the
disturbance, the childs behavior and reactions of others to that behavior must be altered. The
checklist are essentially scales that rate the disturbingness of a childs behavior and analyze the
learning or emotional disabilities of students who are at risk of failing school. Algozzine claims
that The Disturbing Behavior Checklists are adequate tools for identifying students with
learning and behavior problems and can be used to further understand behaviors associated

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with emotional disturbance and learning disabilities. Additionally, the checklist have positive
psychometric qualities such as consistency and validity. According to Algozzine, the construct
of a disturbing child [or behavior], is useful in understanding the various challenges that schools
may face. The checklist provides evidence for ecological perspective on behavior and argues
against the assertion that children may be seen as disabled, disturbed, or otherwise different
simply because others see them that way (Algozzine 10). Ecological theorist propose that
relations between a students behavior and responses to that behavior within the school
environment could be the cause of the disturbing behavior and The Disturbing Behavior
Checklist study and research seeks to prove the validity of the ecological theorists perspective.
Another theory on student behavior similar to the ecological perspective examines the
relationship between classroom management and bullying in classroom settings and argues that
many different elements such as aggressive discipline, poor classroom teaching, unorganized
classrooms and student personality come together and create an atmosphere that fosters bullying.
Kathleen Allen claims that although there is a limited amount of literature that addresses adult
bullying of students and student bullying of adults, the consequences of bullying in the
classroom environment are immense. Bullying is defined in Allens research as an imbalance of
power between the aggressor and the target. Other researchers have expanded on Olweuss
concept of bullying by the following description:
We can now redefine bullying in schools as the repeated exposure of an individual or
group to negative interactions (social aggression) by one or more dominant persons. The
person(s) enjoys the discomfort and shame of the victim as if in a sadomasochistic ritual
enacted for the perverse public enjoyment of an audience of bystanders who do nothing
and may vicariously be aroused as bullies or victims (Fonagy, Sacco, Twemlow 2001).

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In Allens research a bullying teacher is defined as one who uses his or her power to
punish, manipulate, or disparage a student beyond what would be a reasonable disciplinary
procedure (Twemlow and Fonagy 2005). Allen references Larrivee who defines classroom
management as a critical ingredient in the three-way mix of effective teaching strategies, which
includes meaningful content, powerful teaching strategies, and an organizational structure to
support productive learning. Classroom management incorporates establishing and
maintaining effective learning environments rather than simply enforcing discipline and
management of student behavior (Allen 2). According to Allens research there is a correlation
between classroom management style and incidents of bullying among the students thus
indicating that classroom management and bullying influence disruptive student behavior in the
classroom. Similar to Algozzines findings that support the ecological theory on student
behavior, Allens research focuses on how various elements of the school environment interact
and examines the relevancy of power dynamics in the school setting. Allens social-ecological
theory on student behavior examines bullying on multiple levels and argues that teacher to
student bullying can facilitate a culture of bullying among the students which has a negative
impact on the classroom and school climate. A brief list of variables that foster negative school
environments and promote antisocial behavior, can be found below (Mayer 2002).
1. An over-reliance on punitive methods of control
2. Unclear rules for student deportment
3. Lack of administrative support for staff, little staff support of one another, and a lack
of staff agreement with policies
4. Academic failure experiences

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5. Students lacking critical social skills that form the basis of doing well academically
6. A misuse of behavior management procedures
7. Lack of student involvement
8. Lack of understanding or appropriate responding to student differences (Mayer 2002).
Additionally, Allen argues that disruptive behaviors between students and teachers can
sometimes trigger a chain of actions and reactions that spirals out of control, leading to coercion,
chaos, and damage. In other words, disruptive behavior threatens the goals of effective
classroom management. The quote below outlines a study conducted that confirms common
perceptions of teachers on disruptive student behavior in the classroom.
The results of this study confirmed common perceptions about disruptive behavior in the
classroom. Time spent trying to control a class is time taken away from instruction. The
teacher is simply less effective when instructional time is interrupted. Disruptive behavior
creates teacher-student conflicts, which cause undesirable interpersonal conditions for
both teachers and students. The teachers reported overwhelmingly that disruptive
behavior allowed to continue on a large scale destroys teacher morale. It also creates
parental dissatisfaction and a negative image of the school. For individuals, disruptive
behavior contributes to low self-concept, peer conflicts, and disunity among the students
(Bonitz, Malone, Rickett 1998).
Allen outlines the relations between classroom management, school bullying, and teaching
practices as she concludes with four main concepts related to the interactions among the three
elements:

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1.

Classrooms and schools that use coercion and punishment to deal with inappropriate
student behavior tend to have negative, hostile environments.

2. Schools and classrooms that are authoritarian and are characterized by rigid, adultcentered authority tend to use more coercion and punishment to get students to
behave.
3. Schools and classrooms where teaching is of low quality or does not reflect current
knowledge regarding learning and best practices, have more student problems, are
more likely to be authoritarian, and are more likely to attempt to influence student
behavior through coercion and punishment.
4. The social structure and dynamics of schools and classrooms of this sort promote an
environment that makes bullying and victimization possible (2002).
Allens research is focused on providing evidence for those main conclusions and is complete
with numerous statistics to support the hypothesis that bullying and classroom management most
definitely influence disruptive student behavior and according to the research the elements of
influence are more interrelated with each other than direct.
Self-Concept Theory: An alternative theory on factors influencing student behavior
differing from the ecological theories is the self-concept theory which suggest that low levels of
self-concept are linked to disruptive classroom behavior and that interventions should be made
by counselors in order to improve student self-concept and diminish disruptive classroom
behaviors before the behaviors lead to students breaking the law and ending up in juvenile
detention. Markus Bidell defines disruptive student behavior as overt actions that disturb the
teacher and/or other students, and he defines youth self-concept as a multidimensional,
developmental, hierarchical, and organized construct influenced by environmental

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reinforcements, self-appraisal, and evaluations from important others. Bidell argues that there is
a correlation between healthy self-concept and academic success in school and that poor selfconcepts can lead to health problems and criminal behavior. He also points out the link
between disruptive classroom behavior and teacher burnout. Because this article is geared
towards the self-concept of high school students it is important to note that according to research
studies done by Adams and Rayle, high school counselors report spending less time than
elementary and middle school counselors implementing and delivering comprehensive school
counseling programs to students which means that there is less opportunity for students
experiencing emotional and behavioral problems relating to self-concept to receive the support
they need to ensure academic success. Bidells study looks at the differences in self-concept
between disruptive and non-disruptive students.
Classroom Management Strategies Specific to Teachers of College Students
In managing disruptive behavior in the classroom, Catherine Deering discusses how
teachers and students in a lot of universities or colleges report countless incidents of disruptive
student behavior. She lists specific strategies on how to manage and prevent disruptive behaviors
in college classrooms such as establishing a confident, dominant leadership style, engaging
students in a relaxed class atmosphere and asking the class for help. Similar to the Algozzines
and Allens ecological theories, Deering focuses on the concept power struggle between the
students and teachers and argues that teachers should aim to deflect power struggles rather
than facilitate them, especially because the professors are dealing with college-aged students.
Deering also suggest why the behavior continues to occur at this level. Every strategy that is
listed is explained and include examples of how the strategy can be implemented in the
classroom such as strategy number six that involves doing a perception check and advises that

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the teacher neutrally describe the disruptive behavior (yawning or rolling eyes) to the student and
follow up by asking for feedback from the student. This group of strategies is directed toward
students at the college level which adds a different perspective than the majority of articles
previously reviewed which provided perspective on the behavior of younger children. Deerings
research most closely mirrors that of Markus Bidell in terms of the age-group that the research is
focused on because they both analyze the behavior of older, high school and college-age
students. Deerings thoughts on the disruptive behavior are also similar to Hollinss research that
also explains specific strategies for handling disruptive behavior for students at the college level.
Universal Theories on Classroom Management
In Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Strategies, The Metropolitan Center
for Urban Education defines classroom management as a reference to activities of classroom
teachers that create a positive classroom climate within which effective teaching and learning
can occur. The Metropolitan Center for Urban Education proposes a student-directed
management approach where students have the primary responsibility for controlling their
behavior and are capable of controlling their behavior. The student-directed management
approach incorporates classroom management concepts of student ownership, student choice,
community, conflict resolution, natural consequences, and restitution. The manner in which
students enter the classroom, the arrangement of desk or tables, and how instruction and content
are communicated to the students should represent the application of student-directed classroom
management as these routines are cornerstones of classroom management and are critical to
effective teaching and learning (2002).
The Metropolitan Center for Urban Education asserts that cultural competence of only
White, middle-class students can amplify and further aggravate the challenges teachers

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experience with classroom management; expectations of appropriate behavior are culturally
influenced, therefore disagreements and hostility are more likely to occur in classroom settings
of teachers and students from several backgrounds because it becomes more difficult for teachers
to manage students with numerous perceptions and concepts of appropriate behavior. (The
Metropolitan Center for Urban Education 2008). Teachers lacking cultural competence can
often misread the behaviors of culturally and linguistically diverse students, which may cause
students to be incorrectly disciplined or classified with a disability. When student behaviors are
read by teachers through a singular cultural lens, disproportionality or inequities in discipline
among students is more likely to occur; classroom management can be an essential tool in
preventing disproportionality.
The Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Theory is a pedagogical approach
to classroom management and advocates for the managing of classrooms in a culturally
responsive way that benefits children of all backgrounds. The culturally responsive classroom
management approach has its roots in culturally responsive teaching which incorporates student
background, social experience, prior knowledge, and learning styles in lessons and activities. In
2008 the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education claimed that culturally responsive teachers as
classroom managers possess three important qualities:
1. They recognize their biases and values and reflect on how these influence their
expectations for behavior and their interactions with students as well as what
learning looks like.
2. They recognize that the goal of classroom management is not to achieve compliance
or control but to provide all students with equitable opportunities for learning.

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3. They recognize and understand that Culturally Responsive Classroom Management
is classroom management in the service of social justice.
The Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Theory differs from traditional classroom
management as the culturally responsive classroom management approach seeks to build a
positive classroom atmosphere by recognizing bias and by meeting the needs of diverse groups
of students. Although there are numerous resources on how to traditionally neutralize disruptive
behaviors through classroom management, little information is available on Culturally
Responsive Classroom Management; ironically, teachers who lack cultural competence tend to
experience the most challenges in managing the classroom. Interestingly, the culturally
responsive classroom management theory could help to explain why some teachers fall victim to
the teacher to student bullying expressed by Kathleen Allen in Classroom management, bullying,
and teacher practices, because teachers may negatively respond to disruptive student behavior
out of a lack of understanding of that students cultural background. In Culturally Responsive
Classroom Management Strategies, The Metropolitan Center for Urban Education references
Weinstein-Clarke and Currans five-part concept of culturally responsive classroom management
which includes recognition of ones own cultural lens and biases, knowledge of students
cultural backgrounds, awareness of the broader social, economic and political context, ability
and willingness to use culturally appropriate management strategies, and commitment to building
caring classroom communities (2008). The goal of the culturally responsive classroom
management approach is to implement a classroom setting where students behave appropriately
from a sense of personal responsibility, rather than fear of punishment or desire for reward
(The Metropolitan Center for Urban Education 2008). In order to meet the goals of the culturally
responsive classroom management theory the classroom setting should acknowledge and be

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responsive to who the students are (cognitively, socially and emotionally), and create a safety net
that equitably responds to what teachers know about their students (The Metropolitan Center for
Urban Education 2008). An understanding of cultural backgrounds is an integral part of
classroom management.
Conclusion
This review outlines a few theories and background on disruptive student behavior as
well as classroom management theories and strategies that can defuse these types of behaviors in
the classroom. About half of the research in this review examined theories on disruptive behavior
and the other half looked at theories on classroom management and strategies. The topic is
relevant because knowledge acquisition is one of the main goals of classrooms, however, that
goal cannot be met unless disruptive student behavior is effectively managed by teachers. It is
apparent that factors such as student background, school or class environment, classroom
management approach and bullying influence disruptive student behavior in the classroom
and it is imperative that teachers can manage classrooms successfully by understanding
student cultural backgrounds and being committed to building compassionate classroom
communities.
Reference List
Algozzine, B. (2012). Disturbing behavior checklist. Retrieved from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED529898.pdf
Allen, K. (2010). Classroom management, bullying, and teacher practices. Retrieved from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ988197.pdf

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Bidell, A., Deacon, R. School counselors connecting the dots between disruptive classroom
behavior and youth self-concept. Retrieved from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ885062.pdf
Deering, C. (2011). Managing disruptive behavior in the classroom. Retrieved from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ962364.pdf
Harrell II, I., Hollins, T. (2009). Working with disruptive students. Retrieved from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ833920.pdf
Metropolitan Center for Urban Education. (2008). Culturally responsive classroom management
strategies. Retrieved from
http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/scmsAdmin/uploads/005/121/Culturally%20Responsive%20Cla
ssroom%20Mgmt%20Strat2.pdf