MANAGING STUDENTS’ DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOUR IN THE CLASSROOM BEYOND DISCIPLINE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN DELTA STATE

Abstract

The study focused on the management of students’ disruptive behaviour in secondary schools in Delta State beyond discipline. Three research questions and three null hypotheses were raised and tested. The study is a qualitative and quantitative survey employing an ex-post facto design. The population comprised all public secondary school principals, teachers, and students in Delta State. There are currently 479 public secondary schools in Delta State, with 479 principals and 14,877 teachers. The sample for this study comprised 100 principals and 400 teachers from selected public secondary schools in Delta State. The Students’ Disruptive Behaviour Beyond Discipline Questionnaire (SDBDQ) was designed to generate data to answer the research questions. The instrument was validated prior to its administration. It was pilot-tested with professionally trained teachers from two schools that did not form part of the main study. Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess reliability, yielding r-0.87 and r-0.84, respectively. Descriptive statistics, including the mean and standard deviation, were used to analyse the demographic data and the research questions, while inferential  statistics, the independent samples t-test, were used to test the hypotheses. In conclusion, the persistence and complexity of disruptive student  behaviours are classified primarily as verbal, physical, attentional,  aggressive, and relational. Students’ disruptive behaviour poses a significant challenge for the teaching-learning process in secondary schools. However, teachers who have had the privilege of undergoing professional preparation are expected to create a congenial atmosphere for teaching and learning to thrive. There is an urgent need to address students’ disruptive behaviour in secondary schools in Delta State by adopting effective classroom management strategies that go beyond discipline.