School reform for positive behaviour support through collaborative learning: utilising lesson study for a learning community

Abstract

Recent research has emphasised educating children about positive behaviours to overcome delinquency issues, but there is little clarification of what factors lead to positive behaviours. This study analyses factors that led to children’s positive behaviours at a junior high school in Japan, which experienced a dramatic turnaround after implementing school reform using Lesson Study for Learning Community (LSLC). In this study, the results of a mixed-methods analysis show that if children receive psychological support they are likely to psychologically support others and, similarly, those who receive concrete help tend to offer concrete help to others. To foster learning cultures in which this happens, it is critical to engage the entire school in appropriate changes: for example, teachers’ positive attitudes towards children and learning are important factors encouraging children to support others.

Keywords:

• positive behaviours
• school reform
• lesson study for learning community
• delinquency