Teachers' Conceptualization of Pupil Control in Elementary School Physical Education

Abstract

Management of conduct has been considered the most important problem facing schools in America during 16 of the last 20 years (Gallup, 1988). Yet little is known about specific techniques teachers use to achieve pupil control in physical education. One purpose of this work is to describe the development of a conceptual framework for pupil control techniques. The framework was derived from 64 live observations and audiotapes of elementary school physical education lessons. A second purpose is to describe how teachers may potentially foster pupil self-control. Data were reduced through analytic induction, constant comparison, and topological analysis. The investigator placed 23 categories into three classifications as perceived by teachers: anticipatory, tutorial, and punitive. Teachers confirmed frequency of using techniques during interviews and on surveys. Intraobserver agreement tests yielded 88% for distinguishing among categories. Interobserver scores ranged from 83 to 86% agreement. Categories may serve to increase teachers' repertoire of control techniques in accordance with their ideological beliefs. For teachers in this study, facilitating self-control involves (a) selecting tutorial control techniques, (b) using indirect forms of techniques, and (c) conveying reasons for using techniques.