A small‐scale study on student teachers' perceptions of classroom management and methods for dealing with misbehaviour

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify student teachers' perceptions of classroom management and methods for dealing with misbehaviour. In‐depth interviews with nine student teachers at Çukurova University (ÇÜ) in Turkey have been conducted twice, prior to and at the end of their teaching practice. Instructional management, behaviour management, communication, and physical organization of classrooms are the main components of classroom management for student teachers. Student teachers usually tend to use preventive, positive and less intrusive methods, such as non‐verbal messages, warnings, and positive reinforcement involving students' instructional activities, to manage student behaviour. The results of the study reveal that although student teachers feel confident about starting a teaching career, they need improvement in understanding child psychology, in experiencing different teaching situations, and in becoming competent in contemporary teaching methods. Nonetheless, student teachers reported that their sense of efficacy increased from the beginning to the end of the course.

Keywords:

• Classroom management
• Misbehaviour
• Behaviour management
• Student teachers