Bad behaviour in classrooms on rise
Kiwi classrooms are home to some of the worst student behaviour in the world, according to a new report.
And half of the 1557 teachers surveyed say the bad behaviour has them questioning if they want to stay in the profession, which is crying out for new teachers.
The research by the Education Review Office (ERO) found that while it was nothing new, disruptive behaviour was a rapidly growing problem.
Ruth Shinoda, of the ERO’s education evaluation centre, said New Zealand’s classroom behaviour has been among the worst in the OECD for 20 years.
“But we also know it is getting worse, with over half of teachers saying all types of disruptive behaviour had become worse in the last two years.”
The ERO was “extremely concerned” that a quarter of the 547 principals surveyed reported every day seeing students physically harming others, damaging property and stealing.
The bad behaviour impacts students’ progress, with students in better behaved classes seeing higher achievement, Shinoda said, adding that attendance also suffered because of bad behaviour, which had a large impact on students’ enjoyment of school.
“We also know that we need to do all we can to prevent and tackle behaviour problems early – students who are stood down, suspended or excluded are at greater risk of not succeeding in education and having worse outcomes as an adult.”
Shinoda said less than half of new teachers felt equipped to manage disruptive behaviour, with support and expert advice difficult to access.
“We need a national approach to how we manage behaviour in our schools so our kids can get the best out of their education,” Shinoda said.
“We need to increase support for teachers, alongside setting clear expectations from all of us about what good behaviour looks like so we can prevent and respond to this challenge effectively.”
Secondary Principals’ Council chairperson Kate Gainsford said the report findings would not come as a surprise to anyone who works at a school, and called for more consistent expert support and programmes.
“Our schools are a mirror of our communities and the issues being experienced in our communities are brought to school by young people every day.”
“While the scale and complexity of social issues increases, schools are expected to do more – but without a corresponding increase in resources. It’s not all about money for schools, it’s about service and a workforce to provide the necessary service.”
“We need more investment in effective support to help the better management of behaviour including timely access to mental health professionals for young people who need this.”
NZ Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua president Chris Abercrombie said secondary school teachers had been asking for help with challenging student behaviour for years.
“Teachers want to spend more time teaching and helping learners.”
In 2025, secondary schools will receive extra resources for pastoral care, however it was only half of what is needed to make a real impact as the system has been too slow.
Schools relied on parents and families to follow up on mental health concerns and investigate learning difficulties with specialist Ministry of Education services, however these services were also underfunded, Abercrombie said.
“Yet investment in our young people should be front and centre of Aotearoa New Zealand’s development plans.”