Chinese Elementary School Chinese Elementary School Teachers’ Perceptions of Students’Teachers’ Perceptions of Students’Teachers’ Perceptions of Students’ Teachers’ Perceptions of Students’

Classroom Behavior ProblemsClassroom Behavior Problems

Caiyun Zhang, Ph. D.Caiyun Zhang, Ph. D.11Paul Caldarella, Ph.D. Paul Caldarella, Ph.D.

Michael Richardson, M.S.Michael Richardson, M.S.Ryan Shatzer, M.S.Ryan Shatzer, M.S.

11Department of Psychology and Special Education, China National Institute for Educational Department of Psychology and Special Education, China National Institute for Educational Research, Beijing, ChinaResearch, Beijing, China

Funding for this manuscript was provided in part by grant#BBA060013 from the ChineseFunding for this manuscript was provided in part by grant#BBA060013 from the ChineseNational Educational Science Foundation.National Educational Science Foundation.

• An ongoing relationship (12 years)• Visits to China and the US• Sharing research presentations• Collaborating on publications and researchCollaborating on publications and research

P t ti O iPresentation Overview

Background M th dMethodResultsDiscussion QuestionsQuestions

BackgroundBackground

Teachers’ Perceptions of Misbehavior

•• Studies over the past 20 years Studies over the past 20 years –– Many different parts of the worldMany different parts of the worldy py p

•• Teachers’ perceptions can influence:Teachers’ perceptions can influence:–– Responses to studentsResponses to studentsResponses to students Responses to students –– ConfidenceConfidence

Factors that Can Influence Perceptions

•• Teachers’ experienceTeachers’ experienceSt d t ’ d l lSt d t ’ d l l•• Students’ grade levelStudents’ grade level

•• Student genderStudent gender•• Demographic areaDemographic area•• Classroom settingClassroom settingClassroom settingClassroom setting

Teachers’ Perception Studies•• Most Most frequent frequent and and troublesometroublesome behavior:behavior:

–– WestWest•• Talking out of turnTalking out of turn

–– China China •• DaydreamingDaydreaming

Teachers’ Perceptions in China•• Ding et al. (2008) proposed differences due to:Ding et al. (2008) proposed differences due to:

–– Students personalities Students personalities –– Class sizes Class sizes –– Teaching styleTeaching style

Teachers’ Perceptions in China•• Percentage of teachers that spend Percentage of teachers that spend too too

much timemuch time on behavior problems:on behavior problems:pp–– West West

•• 50%50%–– ChinaChina

•• 34%34%

•• Ding et al.:Ding et al.:–– Differences possibly due to Confucian Differences possibly due to Confucian yy

heritage emphasizing respect and social orderheritage emphasizing respect and social order

Current StudyCurrent Study•• Limited research on Chinese teachers’ perceptionsLimited research on Chinese teachers’ perceptions

Seek better understandingSeek better understanding–– Seek better understandingSeek better understanding–– Hope to help teachers resolve student misbehaviorHope to help teachers resolve student misbehavior

•• Compare findings of Ding et al. using:Compare findings of Ding et al. using:Larger sample (527 vs 244)Larger sample (527 vs 244)–– Larger sample (527 vs 244)Larger sample (527 vs 244)

–– Focus on elementary schools (grades 1Focus on elementary schools (grades 1--6 vs 16 vs 1--12)12)–– More provinces (5 vs 2)More provinces (5 vs 2)–– New behavioral categoriesNew behavioral categories–– New behavioral categoriesNew behavioral categories

•• Examine influencing factorsExamine influencing factors–– Teacher experience, school quality, settingTeacher experience, school quality, setting

•• Explore beyond frequency/troublesomeExplore beyond frequency/troublesome•• Explore beyond frequency/troublesomeExplore beyond frequency/troublesome–– Negative Effects on DevelopmentNegative Effects on Development–– Difficult to TolerateDifficult to Tolerate–– Issues when Trying to ResolveIssues when Trying to ResolveIssues when Trying to ResolveIssues when Trying to Resolve

Method

Phase IPhase IDevelopment of Problem Behavior CategoriesDevelopment of Problem Behavior CategoriesDevelopment of Problem Behavior Categories Development of Problem Behavior Categories & Questionnaire & Questionnaire

Phase IIPhase IIDistribution of Questionnaire & AnalysisDistribution of Questionnaire & AnalysisDistribution of Questionnaire & AnalysisDistribution of Questionnaire & Analysis

Phase I•• Behavioral Category DevelopmentBehavioral Category Development

–– Interviewed 18 teachersInterviewed 18 teachers–– 10 categories were developed 10 categories were developed –– Finalized by two expert teachersFinalized by two expert teachers

•• Questionnaire Questionnaire –– Based on Wheldall and Merrett’s (1988)Based on Wheldall and Merrett’s (1988)Based on Wheldall and Merrett s (1988)Based on Wheldall and Merrett s (1988)–– Questions adapted to the Chinese contextQuestions adapted to the Chinese context–– Additional questions addedAdditional questions addedAdditional questions addedAdditional questions added–– Pilot tested with 38 teachers Pilot tested with 38 teachers

Students can’t focus on the learning

Non-attention

gcontent, and have no idea what the teacher is teaching. They just sit there quietly and appear to be thinking about other things (day dreaming)

Laughing at others

other things (day-dreaming).

Students laugh at classmates when they are answering the questions or workingLaughing at others are answering the questions or working on teachers’ assignments, saying things like “stupid.” They look down on others by using negative words, glaring disparagingly or speaking with tones of disdain.

Students move around in their seats or Over-active don’t stay in their seats, often making

noises that affect other students’ ability to listen to the class. They play with things on the desk or in the drawer They moveon the desk or in the drawer. They move around in the classroom without permission.

Talking o t of t rnStudents can’t listen to others; they i t t t h d th t d t ithTalking out of turn interrupt teachers and other students with unrelated things to affect teaching negatively. They talk about unrelated topics to the class, to themselves, or to p , ,other students: for example, laughing or talking without permission.

Uncooperative Students don’t join in the study group. They play by themselves and appear not to care about the group's performance, or make an effort at group work They talk about a lot ofeffort at group work. They talk about a lot of things unrelated to their teamwork in the study group.

Not following the taskStudents don’t bring school supplies and do their own thing in the class. They act slowly and can’t keep up with the t h ' t Th ’t l tteachers' requests. They can’t complete classroom learning tasks on time.

Students disturb others in various ways

DisruptiveStudents disturb others in various ways during the class, such as taking others’ things on the table, drawing on others’ books, pushing others constantly. They i t f ith th ’ l i d th iinterfere with others’ learning and their ability to do homework.

Students are reluctant to comply with theNon-compliance

Students are reluctant to comply with the class rules, unwilling to listen to the teachers’ directions, and try to defend themselves unreasonably. They are unwilling to recognize and correct their mistakes. They like to criticize others and shirk their responsibilities.

Emotional dist rbanceStudents are unable to control their emotions crying or quarrelling when Emotional disturbanceemotions, crying or quarrelling when frustrated or dissatisfied. They have conflicts with others in the class, attacking or fighting with others.

Withdrawal

g g

Students appear to feel nervous in the class, seem afraid of speaking, seldom take the initiative to raise their hands to answer questions. They often sit quietly by themselves, don’t join in the activities in the class and rarely discuss within the class, and rarely discuss with others. They seldom communicate with the teachers.

Questionnaire itemsQuestionnaire items

1. Do you think you have spent too much timetoo much time dealing with students' behavior problems in your class?p y

2. Assuming a 40-minute class, how long do you spendhow long do you spend on students' behavior problems?

3. What is the most frequentmost frequent behavior problem in your class?4. What is the most troublesomemost troublesome behavior problem in your class?5. What classroom behavior problem do you think has the most most

negative effectsnegative effects on students' development?6 Wh t i th b h i bl h dl t l th dl t l t i l ?6. What is the behavior problem you can hardly toleratehardly tolerate in your class?7. How manyHow many students usually have behavior problems in your class?

How many are boys? How many are girls?8 Are the boys’ or girls’boys’ or girls’ behavior problems more troublesome in your8. Are the boys or girlsboys or girls behavior problems more troublesome in your

class?9. Have you had trouble resolvingtrouble resolving students’ behavior problems in the

past?past?10. What are the most difficult issuesmost difficult issues for you in resolving students’

behavior problems?

Phase II: Survey Administration Item Category Number

M l 95•• ParticipantsParticipants–– 527 teachers527 teachers

Gender MaleFemale

95432

Grade1-23-45 6

171 178 178

•• SettingSetting

5-6 178

Class size< 3030-49> 50

66 170 291

< 5 109gg–– 27 schools 27 schools –– 5 provinces5 provinces

Years teaching

< 56-1011-20> 20

109 118 227 73

E t 1175 provinces5 provincesExpertise Expert

Ordinary117 410

Class setting HomeroomOther

273 252

R l 170Geographic area RuralUrban

170 357

School quality KeyNormal

230 292

Beijing17.0 Million

Shandong93.7 Million

Shanxi34.1 Million

Henan99.2 Million

HubeiHubei60.3 Million

Phase II•• ProcedureProcedure

–– Principal approval and teacher consent Principal approval and teacher consent p ppp pp–– Distributed surveys during teachers’ Distributed surveys during teachers’

meeting (approximately 20 minutes)meeting (approximately 20 minutes)–– 95.8% return rate95.8% return rate–– Researchers provided teachers with training Researchers provided teachers with training

after survey and teachers’ meetingafter survey and teachers’ meeting

Data Analysis D i ti t ti tiD i ti t ti ti•• Descriptive statisticsDescriptive statistics

•• Spearman’s rank order correlationSpearman’s rank order correlation•• ChiChi--squared squared

–– Analyzing 10 categoriesAnalyzing 10 categories•• TT--testtest

–– Teacher experience, class setting and Teacher experience, class setting and eac e e pe e ce, c ass se g a deac e e pe e ce, c ass se g a dschool qualityschool quality

•• ANOVAANOVA–– Grade levelsGrade levels

ResultsResults

Descriptive Statistics •• Do you think you spend too much time dealing Do you think you spend too much time dealing

with students' behavior problems in class?with students' behavior problems in class?–– Yes: 44.6% (compared to 34% reported by Ding et al.)Yes: 44.6% (compared to 34% reported by Ding et al.)

•• Time spent and number of behavior problemsTime spent and number of behavior problems

Time Spent and Number of Behavior Problems M SD

Minutes Spent on Behavior Problems (40-minute class) 5.79 3.53p ( )

Percentage of Class Time Spent on Behavior Problems 14.5% 8.8%

Total Number of Students that Typically have Behavior Problems 7 21 5 97Total Number of Students that Typically have Behavior Problems 7.21 5.97

Percentage of Students that Typically have Behavior Problems 15.5% 12.4%

Descriptive Statistics •• Are the boys’ or girls’ behaviors more troublesome?Are the boys’ or girls’ behaviors more troublesome?•• Are the boys or girls behaviors more troublesome?Are the boys or girls behaviors more troublesome?

Frequency PercentBoys 475 93.5%Gi l 33 6 5%

•• Have you had trouble resolving students’ behavior Have you had trouble resolving students’ behavior problems in the past?problems in the past?

Girls 33 6.5%

–– Yes: 86% Yes: 86% •• What are the most difficult issues in resolving students’ What are the most difficult issues in resolving students’

behavior problems?behavior problems?behavior problems?behavior problems?Frequency Percent

Cannot find an effective solution 240 45.5%Parents don’t collaborate 154 29 2%Parents don t collaborate 154 29.2%Lack of training and instruction 133 25.0%Do not understand the student’s feelings 91 17.3%

Descriptive Statistics Frequent Troublesome Development Tolerate

Rank % Rank % Rank % Rank %

1 57 9% 1 27 3% 1 24 5% 3 12 9%Non attention 1 57.9% 1 27.3% 1 24.5% 3 12.9%

2 18.0% 3 11.8% 9 4.2% 2 15.2%

3 14 2% 2 17 6% T5 7 6% 5 10 1%

Non-attention

Talking out of turn

3 14.2% 2 17.6% T5 7.6% 5 10.1%

Not following the task 4 3.2% 5 8.2% 10 3.8% 9 3.8%

5 2 7% 4 11 6% 2 17 3% 8 4 6%

Over-active

Uncooperative 5 2.7% 4 11.6% 2 17.3% 8 4.6%

Withdrawn 6 1.3% 6 7.8% T7 6.6% 10 2.7%

7 0.9% 10 1.5% 3 12.7% 1 24.7%

Uncooperative

Laughing at others

Disruptive 8 0.8% 9 2.8% T7 6.6% 4 12.0%

Non-compliance 9 0.6% 7 6.6% T5 7.6% 6 7.0%

Laughing at others

Emotional disturbance 10 0.4% 8 4.4% 4 8.7% 7 6.6%

The most frequent behavior problem tends to be the most troublesome (The most frequent behavior problem tends to be the most troublesome (rrss = 0.87, = 0.87, pp<.01)<.01)

Teacher Experience •• Experienced teachers reported “withdrawn” as moreExperienced teachers reported “withdrawn” as more

–– Troublesome Troublesome ((χχ 22 = 24.12, p < .001) = 24.12, p < .001)

–– Negatively affecting students’ development Negatively affecting students’ development ((χχ22 = 8.31, p < .05)= 8.31, p < .05)

•• Less experienced and nonLess experienced and non--expert teachers reportedexpert teachers reported–– Not being able to find effective solutions Not being able to find effective solutions ((χχ22 = 14.46, p < .01)= 14.46, p < .01)

T h E i d Ti S tTeacher Experience and Time Spent

F (3,515) = 4.59, F (3,515) = 4.59, pp < .01, Tukey HSD 0< .01, Tukey HSD 0--5/65/6--10 Years > 20+ Years10 Years > 20+ YearsLinear Trend: F (1,515) = 12.25, Linear Trend: F (1,515) = 12.25, p p < .01< .01

Homeroom TeachersReported more frequent:Reported more frequent:•• Reported more frequent:Reported more frequent:–– NonNon--attention attention ((χχ2 2 = 4.22, = 4.22, p p < .05) < .05)

–– Not following the taskNot following the task ((χχ2 2 = 4 16= 4 16 pp < 05)< 05)Not following the task Not following the task ((χχ 4.16, 4.16, p p < .05) < .05)

•• But less frequent :But less frequent :–– OverOver--active active ((χχ2 2 = 4.33, = 4.33, p p < .05) < .05) ((χχ ,, pp ))

–– Talking out of turn Talking out of turn ((χχ2 2 = 7.57, = 7.57, p p < .01) < .01)

•• Also reported:Also reported:–– Higher percentage of their class as typically having Higher percentage of their class as typically having

behavior problems behavior problems ((tt(498) = 1.99, (498) = 1.99, p p < .05)< .05)

–– But reported spending less time on behavior problemsBut reported spending less time on behavior problems–– But reported spending less time on behavior problems But reported spending less time on behavior problems ((tt(515) = 2.37, (515) = 2.37, p p < .05)< .05)

Lower Grade Level TeachersR t d “R t d “ ti ”ti ”•• Reported “overReported “over--active” as more: active” as more: –– Frequent, troublesome, negatively affecting students’ Frequent, troublesome, negatively affecting students’

development, and difficult to toleratedevelopment, and difficult to toleratedevelopment, and difficult to toleratedevelopment, and difficult to tolerate

•• Reported “talking out of turn” as:Reported “talking out of turn” as:L t bl (L t bl ( 22 8 02 05)8 02 05)–– Less troublesome (Less troublesome (χχ22 = 8.02, p < .05) = 8.02, p < .05)

–– But more negatively affecting students’ development (But more negatively affecting students’ development (χχ22

= 7.07, p < .05)= 7.07, p < .05) 7.07, p .05) 7.07, p .05)

U G d L l T hUpper Grade Level Teachers•• Reported:Reported:

–– Emotional disturbance as more troublesome Emotional disturbance as more troublesome –– Spending less time on behavior problems Spending less time on behavior problems

A l f h i l i ll h iA l f h i l i ll h i–– A lower percentage of their class as typically having A lower percentage of their class as typically having behavior problemsbehavior problems

Minutes spent on behavior problems

% of class with behavior problems

M SD M SD

Lower Grades (1-2) 6.15 3.33 17.1% 13.9%

Middle Grades (3-4) 5.94 3.69 15.7% 12.4%

U G d (5 6) 5 30 3 53 13 9% 10 7%

**p p < .05 **< .05 **pp < .01 ***< .01 ***pp < .001 < .001

Upper Grades (5-6) 5.30 3.53 13.9% 10.7%

F 3.40* 11.18***

School Quality and AreaSchool Quality and Area•• Rural schools = 10% keyRural schools = 10% key•• Urban schools = 60% keyUrban schools = 60% key•• Both urban schools and key reported a lower percentage of Both urban schools and key reported a lower percentage of

students with behavior problemsstudents with behavior problemspp

% of class that usually has behavior problems

t(499) = 4.72, p < .001 t(494) = 2.15, p < .05

DiscussionDiscussion

Non-attentionNN tt ti th t f t d t bl b h itt ti th t f t d t bl b h i•• NonNon--attention the most frequent and troublesome behavior attention the most frequent and troublesome behavior problem similar to daydreaming in Ding et al. problem similar to daydreaming in Ding et al. (2008)(2008)

•• Differs from talking out of turn which is common in the WestDiffers from talking out of turn which is common in the WestDiffers from talking out of turn which is common in the WestDiffers from talking out of turn which is common in the West–– Average class size 50, much larger than in the WestAverage class size 50, much larger than in the West–– Lecture format might be more feasible for larger classes, but might Lecture format might be more feasible for larger classes, but might

lead to more nonlead to more non attention and less talking outattention and less talking outlead to more nonlead to more non--attention and less talking outattention and less talking out–– Chinese students may be less likely to give teachers negative Chinese students may be less likely to give teachers negative

feedback and instead may simply not attend to instructionfeedback and instead may simply not attend to instruction

•• Chinese teachers could benefit from strategies to improve Chinese teachers could benefit from strategies to improve student attentionstudent attention

Tolerate and Development

•• New items about behavior problemsNew items about behavior problems–– Difficult to tolerate: Laughing at othersDifficult to tolerate: Laughing at others

N ti ff t t d t d l t NN ti ff t t d t d l t N tt titt ti–– Negative effect on student development: NonNegative effect on student development: Non--attention attention and Uncooperativeand Uncooperative

Contributing Factors•• Teacher experienceTeacher experience

•• Class settingClass setting

G d l lG d l l•• Grade levelGrade level

•• School QualitySchool Quality•• School QualitySchool Quality

•• Geographic areaGeographic areaGeographic areaGeographic area

Limitations & Future Research•• True crossTrue cross--cultural studycultural study

•• Qualitative data and observational researchQualitative data and observational research

L it di l t dL it di l t d•• Longitudinal studyLongitudinal study

Conclusion•• Confirm the finding of Ding et al. with:Confirm the finding of Ding et al. with:

–– NonNon--attention or daydreamingattention or daydreamingy gy g•• Other factors affecting teachers’ perceptionsOther factors affecting teachers’ perceptions

–– Teacher experience school quality settingTeacher experience school quality settingTeacher experience, school quality, settingTeacher experience, school quality, setting•• Explored beyond frequency/troublesomeExplored beyond frequency/troublesome

Development and tolerateDevelopment and tolerate–– Development and tolerateDevelopment and tolerate

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http://education.byu.edu/pbsi/p y p

Paul Caldarella Ph.D. paul_caldarella@byu.eduCaiyun Zhang Ph.D. zcy619@vip.sina.com

Shen, J., Zhang, A., Zhang, C., Caldarella, P., Richardson, M. J., & Shatzer R H (2009) Chinese elementary school teachers’Shatzer, R. H. (2009). Chinese elementary school teachers perceptions of students’ classroom behavior problems. Educational Psychology, 29(2), 187-201.

QuestionsQuestions