A Case Study of the Perceived Impact of Disruptive Behavior among Grades 9 and 11 Students on their Academic Performance at a Corporate High School

Abstract

Educators in schools for the past two decades have been faced with the problem of disruptive behavior in classrooms. The rate and extent to which schools in Jamaica and elsewhere have been experiencing disruptive behavior among students has generated the attention of many within the classrooms and in another places. The present study examined school personnel perceptions of the causes of disruptive behavior among a set of grades 9 and 11 students in a corporate area high school and the impact that disruptive behavior had on their own and their classmates’ achievement. It also examined how educators respond to students who are consistently disruptive in the classroom. The primary data collecting instruments used to conduct this case study comprised: semi-structured interviews, observation, and the reviewing of archival data on students’ academic performance. The results of the study revealed that school personnel hypothesized several causes of disruptive behavior in classrooms. These were inclusive of parental influence and home environment, community environment, peer influence, socioeconomic status, difficult personal circumstances, illiteracy, learning disability (ADHD), attention seeking, and problems with teaching. Also mentioned, were attitudes of teachers, and structural classroom dynamics. All the participants believed that disruptive behavior had a strong impact on students’ performance, a belief borne out by achievement data. The observations revealed that although teachers used a variety of approaches to respond to disruptive behavior, those approaches were almost exclusively responsive. The study suggested that specialized training, regarding classroom disruptive behavior, should be implemented to better equip school personnel with the techniques to deal effectively with classroom disruptive behavior. Keywords: Academic achievement, Disruptive behavior, Academic Performance