Cultivating positive learner behaviour in my teaching: a secondary school teacher`s self study.

Abstract

The primary purpose of this self-study research was to explore ways in which I can cultivate positive behaviour through my teaching, minimise misconduct during lessons, and develop a classroom culture grounded in virtuous values. Furthermore, the main intent of this study was to reflect purposively on contributing to my teacher-learning, thus improving my overall teaching practice. Employing my understanding of the sociocultural theory which posits that we learn through and from others who are more experienced than us, I acknowledged the importance of reflecting on my personal history, with the intention of understanding what my experiences were and how they had informed my perception of what behaviour is and how it ought to be achieved. Adopting this approach allowed me to acknowledge the different backgrounds of my learners and to respect the various tools each learner brought to the classroom due to their respective home and cultural environments. The theory was ideal for cultivating positive behaviour as it is grounded in social interactions as a means of learning. The approach enabled me to work with my learners to establish classroom rules, devise activities that promoted group work, and to use icebreaker activities that cultivated positive behaviour. Most importantly, it allowed my learners to learn from their peers and me. This study followed the self-study methodological approach as I was the leading participant as well as the teacher, albeit a novice one. When I conducted the study, I was teaching at a multiracial school in the heart of Greytown in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). My participants were my learners in grade 8F (consisting of 50 learners) and grade 8C (consisting of 40 learners). I was also supported in this study by critical friends, who included senior colleagues who assisted me in addressing issues about learner misbehaviour, other Master’s degree students in the Teacher Development Studies discipline, as well as two supervisors whose role was to constructively guide, question, and critique my work. This study addressed two research questions. The first was: What can I learn from my personal history about positive learner behaviour? and I used memory-work and arts-based methods to generate data in response to this question. I reflected on my own schooling experiences as well as my encounters with community members and my family, and I sought to understand how these experiences had moulded my understanding of behaviour. The second questions was: How can I cultivate positive learner behaviour through my teaching? I used numerous arts-based methods such as photographs, collages, and memory drawings to answer this research question. Adopting the sociocultural theory, I developed lessons that promoted positive interactions and fostered respect while creating a positive learning space. I learnt that teaching and learning do not follow a straight path as there are many challenges along the way. However, there are numerous learning opportunities that allow one to grow. I also learned that positive teacher-learner relationships, creating a positive learning environment, promoting learner autonomy, and nurturing social-emotional learning contribute to positive learner behaviour.