title: Student challenging behaviour and its impact on classroom culture: An investigation into how challenging behaviour can affect the learning culture in New Zealand primary schools

authors: Langley, Dene John

subjects: classroom culture

abstract: Managing challenging behaviour in the classroom is a problem faced by all teachers. Challenging behaviour is any form of behaviour that interferes with children's learning or normal development; is harmful to the child, other children or adults; or puts a child in a high risk category for later social problems or school failure. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the link between undesirable behaviours of students and their effect on classroom learning culture, as one of the key factors in behaviour management is in understanding why challenging behaviour occurs.
The qualitative nature of this research allowed for the exploration of both teacher and student narratives by learning from their experiences regarding challenging behaviour and its effect on a classroom learning culture.
The literature review revealed that it is important, that teachers have a personal definition of challenging behaviour and reflect on their own personal beliefs and the beliefs of others regarding the understanding of challenging behaviours. Research, reviewed in Chapter 2 has indicated that challenging behaviour is strongly context dependent as seen particularly in the impact of different cultural contexts on that behaviour, that learning and behaviour are socially and culturally acquired and that academic learning and social learning are interconnected. 
It is the teachers' responsibility to initiate a classroom culture that recognises the connections between learning and behaviour, especially when there are a number of cultures represented. This type of classroom culture must be acceptable to, and shared by both students and teachers, must recognise and respond to cultural difference, and must avoid deficit thinking about minoritized cultures. To achieve this, teachers need to be the ones that change the most as they are the ones who hold the power to do so.
Successful teachers need to place a high value on forming mutually respectful, trusting and positive relationships with their students which will create classrooms and schools that are safe and caring and allow a stronger focus on realising potential and encourage learning. The most effective way of forming such relationships is to learn to listen to and respect student voice.

The outcomes of this study confirm findings in literature by demonstrating, that a close, positive and supportive relationship between teacher and students are essential for developing learning potential and for responding appropriately to challenging behaviour. Recognition of student voice is central to achieving these aims.

Teachers also need to be aware of cultural difference and be prepared to make shifts in their thinking so that their own culture does not totally dominate in the classroom. In this study, the student and teacher participants were representative of both Māori and European ethnicity and the findings suggest that their assertions regarding how challenging behaviours affects learning were noticeably similar. This suggests perhaps that the participants in this study felt they were in a culturally safe environment where the teachers' culture did not always dominate.

text: Student challenging behaviour and its impact on classroom culture: An investigation into how challenging behaviour can affect the learning culture in New Zealand primary schools Managing challenging behaviour in the classroom is a problem faced by all teachers. Challenging behaviour is any form of behaviour that interferes with children's learning or normal development; is harmful to the child, other children or adults; or puts a child in a high risk category for later social problems or school failure. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the link between undesirable behaviours of students and their effect on classroom learning culture, as one of the key factors in behaviour management is in understanding why challenging behaviour occurs.
The qualitative nature of this research allowed for the exploration of both teacher and student narratives by learning from their experiences regarding challenging behaviour and its effect on a classroom learning culture.
The literature review revealed that it is important, that teachers have a personal definition of challenging behaviour and reflect on their own personal beliefs and the beliefs of others regarding the understanding of challenging behaviours. Research, reviewed in Chapter 2 has indicated that challenging behaviour is strongly context dependent as seen particularly in the impact of different cultural contexts on that behaviour, that learning and behaviour are socially and culturally acquired and that academic learning and social learning are interconnected. 
It is the teachers' responsibility to initiate a classroom culture that recognises the connections between learning and behaviour, especially when there are a number of cultures represented. This type of classroom culture must be acceptable to, and shared by both students and teachers, must recognise and respond to cultural difference, and must avoid deficit thinking about minoritized cultures. To achieve this, teachers need to be the ones that change the most as they are the ones who hold the power to do so.
Successful teachers need to place a high value on forming mutually respectful, trusting and positive relationships with their students which will create classrooms and schools that are safe and caring and allow a stronger focus on realising potential and encourage learning. The most effective way of forming such relationships is to learn to listen to and respect student voice.

The outcomes of this study confirm findings in literature by demonstrating, that a close, positive and supportive relationship between teacher and students are essential for developing learning potential and for responding appropriately to challenging behaviour. Recognition of student voice is central to achieving these aims.

Teachers also need to be aware of cultural difference and be prepared to make shifts in their thinking so that their own culture does not totally dominate in the classroom. In this study, the student and teacher participants were representative of both Māori and European ethnicity and the findings suggest that their assertions regarding how challenging behaviours affects learning were noticeably similar. This suggests perhaps that the participants in this study felt they were in a culturally safe environment where the teachers' culture did not always dominate.

year: 2009

title: The seesaw of the governance: getting the balance right

authors: Mueller, Jens

subjects: Australasia

abstract: The increased demand by institutional investors and regulators that corporate directors focus on compliance and internal auditing appears to be driven by a motivation to right the wrongs of the past rather than to create rights in the future. Managing by looking in the rear view mirror is a poor use of corporate strategy and is not supported by our research which shows that shareholders wish their directors to spend time on forward-looking strategy tasks more than on auditing. We believe the focus on compliance management may come at the expense of providing long term vision, sound strategic planning and competent leadership from the boardroom. An over-emphasis on compliance issues introduces the risk that directors spend more time and effort investigating the actions of senior executives and becoming absorbed in operational matters. This means that boards become caught up in micro-management rather than debating and formulating long term strategic plans and providing appropriate stewardship to the organization and support to the CEO and senior executives. Requirements for short term reporting exacerbate the problem by driving board executives to rely more on financial results rather than securing the viability of the organization over the long term. Whilst the increased attention to governance issues is aimed at protecting shareholders, we argue it is likely that shareholders are being exposed to even greater future risks given the limited time being spent on long term planning and strategic change. This paper explores the concept of a balance point where directors effort needs to be appropriately focused on both governance issues and providing leadership from the boardroom. It also discusses some of the leadership attributes and roles of executives in long term high performing organizations in Australasia and explores how these attributes impact positively on organizational excellence and sustainability.

text: The seesaw of the governance: getting the balance right The increased demand by institutional investors and regulators that corporate directors focus on compliance and internal auditing appears to be driven by a motivation to right the wrongs of the past rather than to create rights in the future. Managing by looking in the rear view mirror is a poor use of corporate strategy and is not supported by our research which shows that shareholders wish their directors to spend time on forward-looking strategy tasks more than on auditing. We believe the focus on compliance management may come at the expense of providing long term vision, sound strategic planning and competent leadership from the boardroom. An over-emphasis on compliance issues introduces the risk that directors spend more time and effort investigating the actions of senior executives and becoming absorbed in operational matters. This means that boards become caught up in micro-management rather than debating and formulating long term strategic plans and providing appropriate stewardship to the organization and support to the CEO and senior executives. Requirements for short term reporting exacerbate the problem by driving board executives to rely more on financial results rather than securing the viability of the organization over the long term. Whilst the increased attention to governance issues is aimed at protecting shareholders, we argue it is likely that shareholders are being exposed to even greater future risks given the limited time being spent on long term planning and strategic change. This paper explores the concept of a balance point where directors effort needs to be appropriately focused on both governance issues and providing leadership from the boardroom. It also discusses some of the leadership attributes and roles of executives in long term high performing organizations in Australasia and explores how these attributes impact positively on organizational excellence and sustainability.

year: 2009-01

title: Developing an effective education reform model for indigenous and other minoritized students

authors: Bishop, Russell

subjects: indigenous

abstract: Educational disparities between indigenous Maori students and those of the majority continue to be a major issue in New Zealand. Te Kotahitanga, an iterative research and development programme, which commenced in 2001, supports teachers to implement a relationship-based pedagogy in their classrooms in order to improve Maori students' achievement in mainstream secondary schools. This article addresses the question of how gains in Maori students' achievement can be sustained and expanded. Schools, from an earlier phase of the project, in their 6th and 7th year of the programme were examined, using a theory-based model designed to evaluate and promote dimensions necessary for effective institutional support of the teaching innovation. This article demonstrates that schools that have been the most effective implementers of the intervention have seen the greatest gains made by Maori students in the 1st year of national assessments. This article then discusses effective leadership for addressing problems schools encountered while implementing the pedagogic reform.

text: Developing an effective education reform model for indigenous and other minoritized students Educational disparities between indigenous Maori students and those of the majority continue to be a major issue in New Zealand. Te Kotahitanga, an iterative research and development programme, which commenced in 2001, supports teachers to implement a relationship-based pedagogy in their classrooms in order to improve Maori students' achievement in mainstream secondary schools. This article addresses the question of how gains in Maori students' achievement can be sustained and expanded. Schools, from an earlier phase of the project, in their 6th and 7th year of the programme were examined, using a theory-based model designed to evaluate and promote dimensions necessary for effective institutional support of the teaching innovation. This article demonstrates that schools that have been the most effective implementers of the intervention have seen the greatest gains made by Maori students in the 1st year of national assessments. This article then discusses effective leadership for addressing problems schools encountered while implementing the pedagogic reform.

year: 2012