Classroom Management Problem And Its Relevance To The Jamaican Context

The problem statement in article one was the different misbehaviors in the classroom from both the teachers’ and students’ points of view. Two of the findings found in relation to the problem statement of the article examined are disrespecting teacher and verbal and physical aggression. These were classroom management problems observed by both the student and the teacher in the Chinese classroom. These classroom management problems can also be seen in the Jamaican classroom as well. “There are many behavioral issues plaguing the school system. These include: punctuality, dress code violations (including grooming), possession of weapons, disrespect for staff, expletives used in class, and truancy. Added to this are the constant disruptions of class through loud talking, throwing of papers and bottles, and sometimes verbal/physical confrontation between students. This often results in incomplete lessons or, even if the lesson is completed, the teacher may have to re-teach because many students were not focused and did not adequately grasp the content”.

Disrespecting respecting teacher is a major issue in the Jamaican classroom. This is because student tend to talk back to the teachers, engage in arguments, disobeying the teacher as well as refusing to follow instruction. Students come from various socio-economic background and are exposed to different levels of disciplinary values at home. Some students are taught to be respectful to others while for other student this was not the same. Teachers in Jamaica have to deal with all these students. In a letter to the editor published in The Gleaner, a teacher expresses their disgust over the bashing of teachers and the unappreciative attitude society has for the profession. The writer added that teaching in Jamaica is not a bed of roses as teachers are constantly being disrespected and many other things from students daily. This classroom management problem is relevant to the Jamaican context as it is like a cancer that is plaquing many of our schools. This impedes the teaching and learning process in many schools across the country. If Jamaican teachers can find an effective classroom management strategy to cope with this behavioral problem then more time will be spent in teaching instead of disciplining students.

Verbal and physical aggression is another classroom management problem observed in the Jamaican classroom. In some schools in Jamaica which are said to be violent, teachers are afraid to attend. Schools that are in volatile areas where gang activities are dominant, students are recruited from an early age. They are taught how to defend themselves such as carrying weapons to school. Often time verbal aggression leads to physical aggression. In many schools across the island, students are getting in arguments with students as well as teachers. These arguments often times lead to fighting. In Jamaica, research found that almost 90 percent of students in 11 Kingston based schools were worried about school violence. Their concern was justified as a survey found that 21 percent of the students had attacked teachers or staff, and 22 percent had suffered violence from other students.

The Ministry of Education showed that in the 2011 – 2012 academic year, there were 1288 reported incidents of violence in Jamaican schools including “915 fights, 160 robberies and three murders. Jamaica has been faced with this problem for many years. The schools are turning into a war zone instead of a place for learning. Some of these schools are understaffed because no one wants to work there. This finding is relevant to the Jamaican context as many schools are faced with it. If the teachers find an effective management strategy to deal with verbal and physical aggression then the number of fights may reduce. Academic achievement may increase as student will spend more time learning instead of fighting.

The findings in the article are relevant in Jamaican contexts as the Jamaican classrooms are faced with the same dilemmas. The disrespecting of teachers and verbal aggression are major concerns in the Jamaican society. Some students do not respect school rules and their teachers. The home background and community also help to contribute to these misbehaviors in the classroom as they were not taught moral values.