Early professional development in the Scottish context: pre-service high school teachers and the management of behaviour in classrooms

Abstract

This paper gives an account of an exploratory piece of research focused on understanding more fully the nature of pre-service teachers’ developing approaches to classroom behaviour management on a one-year postgraduate teacher education programme in the Scottish context. Drawing on individual and focus group interviews as well as journaling of significant behaviour management moments experienced by student teachers on school placements, key narratives are outlined and the complex tensions and issues arising from the data are discussed. The powerful narratives of control and compliance around young people and the emphasis on social and relational early professional learning as opposed to cognition are explored and discussed.

Keywords:

• early professional development
• behaviour in classrooms
• narrative identity
• control and compliance

Notes

1. Restorative practices are about restoring good relationships where there has been conflict and developing a school ethos that reduces the possibility of such conflict.

2. Assertive discipline is when the teacher is in control of the classroom and should expect compliance.

3. Social discipline is about social and democratic understanding of pupils and the classroom. There is a strong focus on encouragement and logical consequences of actions.