New teachers left unprepared to tackle pupil aggression
Too many schools are failing to support teachers new to the profession
in dealing with poor pupil behaviour, which can have a negative impact
on teachers’ mental well-being.
This is one of the major findings of a five-year research project commissioned by teachers’ union NASUWT. The final stage of the research investigated the impact of pupil behaviour on the recruitment and retention of newly-qualified teachers (NQTs) and recently-qualified teachers (RQTs), and the training and support they received before and after entering the classroom.
The study found that low-level bad behaviour among pupils was very common and that more disruptive behaviour, such as swearing, shouting, and throwing equipment, was also a customary experience for some staff. Those NQTs who had encountered physical violence were less likely to intend to stay in the profession for more than five years.
Almost half of the NQTs surveyed were dissatisfied with the training they had received in behaviour management and dealing with indiscipline once they had been in post for two terms. More than half felt unprepared to deal with physical violence in the classroom and more than a third with verbal aggression.
To tackle the problem of poor pupil behaviour, the study suggests the implementation of school-wide behaviour policies and that a best-practice example of such a policy should be made available to all schools to replicate.
Commenting on the findings, NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: “This research report confirms the feedback we have received from many NQTs that pupil indiscipline has a significant adverse impact on them. It is clear that pupil indiscipline has a detrimental impact on their ability to teach, has led in some cases to poorer educational outcomes, and has a negative impact on teachers’ emotional well-being.
“It is also clear that pupil indiscipline affects career choices and, in some cases, particularly where teachers had experienced physical violence, it was a key factor in decisions to leave the profession.”
He concluded: “Too often, new teachers are thrown in at the deep end and left to sink or swim. This is no way to induct new recruits into the profession. New teachers are a precious resource and must be nurtured. Without appropriate support, the future of the profession is being jeopardised.”
The study was carried out for NASUWT by Perpetity Research Consultancy International.
New teachers left unprepared to tackle pupil aggression
Too many schools are failing to support teachers new to the professionin dealing with poor pupil behaviour, which can have a negative impacton teachers' mental well-being.
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