A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Knowledge, Skills, and Support Needed by Teaching Personnel for Managing Challenging Situations with Pupils
Authors: Markkanen P., Anttila M., Välimäki M.
Publisher: MDPI
Publication year: 2019
Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Journal name in source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Journal acronym: INT J ENV RES PUB HE
Article number: ARTN 3646
Volume: 16
Issue: 19
Number of pages: 14
ISSN: 1661-7827
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16193646
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/43788933
It is not uncommon for teachers to face challenging behavioral issues in their classrooms, including disruptive, aggressive, or insulting behavior toward peers or adults. In this paper, we describe what knowledge, skills, and support is needed among teaching personnel to manage challenging situations with pupils. This study was carried out in one comprehensive school in Southwest Finland. Two focus group interviews were conducted with teaching personnel (schoolteachers and classroom assistants, N = 16). The participants also wrote short texts about challenging situations they had experienced. The qualitative data were analyzed with inductive content analysis. According to the results, the teaching personnel needed better knowledge about the factors affecting pupils' behavior and about good practices to apply with pupils in challenging situations. Moreover, the personnel lacked the skills needed to anticipate and recognize pupils' moods and signs of mental distress, and expressed the desire for support from mental health professionals. Teachers with adequate knowledge about the factors linked to behavioral issues are more capable of promoting environments conducive to positive interactions with their pupils, thereby limiting challenging situations. When developing education and support for teaching personnel, collaboration between education and mental health professionals is essential.
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