1.

0 INTRODUCTION

Discussing about physical and psychosocial environment concept of a classroom

Learning environment is a major aspect in the teaching and learning process and is
crucial to determine pupils learning. Learning environment stimulates pupils
engagement in the learning process and influences their behavior. Besides that, it also
assists in the development of pupils skill and cognitive abilities. Learning environment is
also defined as the social context, psychological and pedagogical which can affecting
learning, achievement and attitudes of the pupils.
Two major components of the learning environment are physical component and
psychosocial component (Fraser, 1994; Kilgour, 2006). Physical component includes all
physical aspects such as classrooms, teaching material and learning facilities, both
inside and outside the classroom. While psychosocial component is related to the
interaction that occurs between pupils and pupils, pupils with teachers and pupils with
the environment. Both of these components complement each other in creating and
shaping the learning environment and affect the learning process that occur in it.
1.1 Classroom Management and classroom misbehaviours
Classroom management is a term used by teachers to describe the process of ensuring
that classroom lessons run smoothly despite disruptive behavior by pupils. The term also
implies the prevention of disruptive behavior. According to Moskowitz & Hayman (1976),
once a teacher loses control of their classroom, it becomes increasingly more difficult for
them to regain that control. Also, research from Berliner (1988) and Brophy & Good
(1986) shows that the time a teacher has to take to correct misbehavior caused by poor
classroom management skills results in a lower rate of academic engagement in the
classroom. From pupils perspective, effective classroom management involves clear
communication of behavioral and academic expectations as well as a cooperative
learning environment.
In addition, classroom management is an important element of teachers overall
leadership role and it can be separated from other aspect of teaching. Teacher need to
plan and conduct the lesson of the subject and interesting activities for pupils, develop
basic skill and others. All these aspect are important to maintain its progress in

classroom as it can build a positive learning environment to engage pupils in learning.

So, it also can minimize behavioral problems and can avoid disruption in lessons.
Even though teacher put a lot of efforts in managing the classroom effectively, some
behavioral or disciplinary problems still occur among the pupils as they want to get
attention from teacher. So, as a good teacher, we must have some knowledge and skills
in order to control and solve those kinds of problems. As we know, discipline model is
most suitable model to practice as to reduce the uneasiness of beginning teacher. There
are five discipline models such as behavior modification by Skinner, Assertive discipline
model by Canter, Logical Consequences by Dreikurs, Group Management by Kounin
and lastly reality therapy by Glasser.
All these discipline models are important to practice in classroom as teacher need to
promote and maintain positive learning environment in which pupils can learn effectively
and efficiently without any obstruction of behavioral problems occur. Teacher can play
their roles in managing classroom for pupils who misbehave by applying these selected
discipline models.

2.0 The role of a teacher in managing a classroom for pupils who misbehave.
2.1 Teacher as Social Skills/Behavior Counselor, Role Model and
Motivator {Behavior Modification (Skinner)}
Teacher plays a very important part in everyones lives. The main role that teacher
focusing on is to be a good role model and motivator to everyone especially to
their pupils. To be a good role model and motivator, teacher can apply the Behavior
Modification in the classroom. B.F was an interesting psychologist who founded
behaviorism and made important contributions to learning theory and principles of
behavior modification. This modification model consists of restructuring the
environment so that undesired behavior is eliminated.
Behavior is shaped by its consequences, by what happens to the individual
immediately afterward. Teachers should use this model in the class as it helps
in shaping pupils behavior by conducting the class in positive manner.
Behavior Modification Model is based on the reinforcement of desired behavior
being exhibited. The simplest example of positive reinforcement is when a pupil

shows good response and good behavior in the classroom during teaching and
learning process, a teacher will reward them with praise. This is one of a simple
example of positive reinforcement that can be used in this model. Apart from praise,
there are also other different ways to implement positive reinforcement as giving a
tangible reinforcement or rewards such as stickers to put on a chart or tokens to be
turned in for a prize. The positive reinforcement will motivate pupils in changing and
improving their behavior as they can control their behavior.
In contrast of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement is also popular among
teachers in school in shaping pupils desired behavior. Teachers usually use this kind
of reinforcement in making sure that pupils have good discipline. According to
Raymond G.Miltenberger in his book entitle Behavior Modification: Principle and
Procedure, negative reinforcement is known as punishment which is the
consequences of negative behavior done by pupils that help in changing their
behavior from bad to good slowly and indirectly through punishment. For example,
when pupils do not finish their homework several times, teacher should punish
them by asking them to finish their homework during recess time. The result of
this punishment the pupils will change their behavior and will not repeat the same
thing in future as they want to go for recess. As noted earlier, it proves that positive
and negative reinforcement are equally important as it is used for maintaining or
increase the occurrence of desired pupils behavior.
Teacher can manage the misbehavior of pupils by implementing this model in
the classroom through communicate his or her rule to the pupils since the
first day he or she enter the class. This is because the teacher should tell his or
her pupils of what he or she wants from the pupils and knowing what pupils wants in
their class through their response. It is teachers behavior to providing pupils with
guidance and information to teach them the correct behavior required. Teacher can
use stories and role playing as the easiest way in teaching actions such an
asking permission to leave a seat. When pupils follow rules, teacher should
praise or reward them by telling them that they did a great job. But if the pupils do
not follow the rules, give one warning. If the rule is broken again, then the
consequences are implemented. The teacher should remember that they should not
shout or react to the pupils undesirable behavior. Teacher must give a reason for
why the consequence is being implemented. For example, when a pupil always

make noise in the class during the teaching and learning process and did not care
about the warning, the teacher can implement the consequences of pupils behavior
by telling him or her to clean the class with the reason of pupils behavior which is
always make noise in the class. This will only work with consistency and follow
through from the parents, and consistency of reward and consequence.
Reinforcement is consequence that strengthens behavior. Punishments are
consequences that weaken behavior. Teacher can manage and change pupils
behaviors by the consequence of classroom behavior. To manage behavior through
consequences, teacher can use the multi-step process which has four steps. The
first one is the problem must be defined, usually by count or description. Second,
design a way to change the behavior. Third, identify an effective reinforcement and
lastly apply the reinforcement consistently to shape or change behavior. A teacher
can plant positive behavior by introduce, teach, and reinforce through a
reward system. Inappropriate behaviors are dejected by not rewarding them and
by teaching consequences. This will helps the pupils realize their mistakes and
learn that acting out is not acceptable.
2.2 Teacher as Behavioral Coach, Mentor, Guide and Instructor {Reality
therapy (Glasser)}

Moreover, teacher also plays an important role as a good guider in managing

behavior of pupils. This role of the teacher can be implemented by using Reality
therapy model (RT) which is an approach to psychotherapy and counseling. Reality
therapy is method of counseling which teaches people how to direct their own lives,
make more efficient choices, and how to develop the strength to handle the
stresses and problems of life. Frequently, teachers need to make sure that pupils
will make good behavioral and they also can be a responsible person who
able to satisfy their needs in the real world. In other words, teacher should
guide pupils towards reality. Pupils must acknowledge their behavior, and they
should make value judgments regarding that behavior. For example, when
disruption occurs, instead of asking why pupils are behaving like that, teachers will
ask pupils, What are you doing?. The stress is put on the you so that there is no
misunderstanding as to who is responsible. This question is followed up with
queries such as Is the behavior against the rules? or Is this behavior helping you

or this class?. If the misbehavior persists, the teacher has to see the pupils
privately in order to design a commitment for change. If the original plan proves
inadequate, the teacher and pupils have to re-examine, renew, or revise the plan. If
the disruptions continue, the consequences should become progressively more
severe where teacher should take action by doing a principle conference and
parent conference.
The teacher should act as a facilitator who assists pupils to become
responsible and productive classroom members. Instead of punishing pupils,
teacher should continually stress pupils responsibility for their own
behavioral choices. Specifically, reality therapy model is built in order to satisfy
one or more of four basic needs. Glasser identifies these basic needs as love, fun,
power and control and freedom. Every people in this world need love in their life.
Pupils who are young children are the most sensitive creature in the world that
needs care and love from people around them. Even though, pupils have freedom
to choose their action, teacher need to control it by guiding and giving
appropriate amount of freedom in order to control them from misbehave.
Teacher also should be more caring and loving towards the pupils to make
them feel secure and comfortable. Fun is another basic need that fulfills ones
feeling. Pupils loves things that fun. They want both fun and learning to combine so
it will make them happy. As a teacher, they need to prepare an interesting
lesson in order to attract pupils attention in the teaching and learning
process and the most important thing is making the teaching and learning
process if fun. This will make the pupils to concentrate in lesson and misbehaving
problem can be control. Through all the basic needs, we know that all the basic
needs must be equally satisfy pupils.
According to Glasser, when a pupils misbehaves, the teacher should use 5 steps of
discipline. The first step is teacher must help pupil identify their inappropriate
behavior and the most important things is do not accept excuses. Teacher
should not ask excuses by asking pupils why they behave as they do but must ask
questions to the misbehaved pupil to identify what they have done to cause
problems. The teacher should deal with the present, not with the past. Second,
teacher need to help pupils identify various consequences if pupils
inappropriate behavior continues. Third, teacher should let the pupils to make

value judgments about his or her behavior and its consequences. After the
consequences have been identified, pupils are asked to decide whether he or she
wants the consequences to occur or not or whether he or she judges the behavior
to be inappropriate or not. The next step is teacher need to help pupils create
plans to eliminate inappropriate behavior. Because when pupils accept their
behavior is inappropriate, they will avoid consequences associated with it, a plan
can be created to overcome the problem. The pupils should formulate a specific
strategy for eliminating his or her misbehavior and the last step is teacher should
help pupils stick to his plan of suffer the consequences if he or she fails to do
so. Sometimes pupils make a commitment not to misbehave and are
unmanageable anyway. These pupils should be cycled again through the steps of
Reality Therapy. They may also be required to suffer the consequences they have
already identified.
If pupils refuse to cooperate with reasonable classroom expectations, or if they
break the rules they have previously agreed to accept, they may be candidates for
isolation from the class. When pupils are threatening to the educational process, it
is appropriate to exclude them. First they should be isolated from the class but
within the classroom. But if they continue to misbehave, then will be isolate from the
class and out of the classroom. They are expected to stay in isolation only as long
as it takes to produce a workable plan for returning to the classroom. During time
out, teacher should direct pupils to create a written plan that they believe will
solve their discipline problems. The purpose of requiring a written plan is to help
pupils to achieve a greater sense of commitment. The plan becomes contract
between the teacher and the pupils. From this reality therapy, teacher can guide
pupils on how to direct their own life, make more effective decision and able
to handle the problems of life.
2.3 Teacher as a controller {Assertive Discipline (Canter)}
Teacher also should play the role of controller which takes complete charge
of the class, what students do, what they say and how they say it. First and
foremost, teachers need to gain the respect and attention of their class. During the
first week of school, be firm and set rules that you will stick to throughout the rest of
the year. Teacher can apply another discipline model for classroom management

which is assertive discipline by Lee Canter to gain pupils attention. When the
teacher use assertive model in managing the classroom, the teacher have
own authority to establish the rules that clearly define the limits of acceptable
and unacceptable pupils behavior, teacher teach these rules to the pupils and
teacher should ask for assistance from parent and school administration to support
in handling the behavior of pupils. According to Canter, as the teacher have the
rights to make sure their teaching process flow smoothly without any disruptions
misbehavior from pupils. Teachers also want the best for their pupils to gain the
knowledge and to obey the rules as to behave properly in classroom. In addition,
pupils have the rights to learn in a calm, orderly classroom. Behavior of pupils is the
important element as the teacher must to make sure that behaviors do not bring
any problems and negative effect to other pupils. To get successful for this goal,
teacher must react assertively in their teaching process. Teacher must give firm,
clear, concise direction to pupil who is in need of outside guidance to help
them behave appropriately.
In the Assertive Discipline Classroom, the teacher is in full high control of the
class in firm but positive manner and no pupil has the right to disrupt it in any
way. It is assumed that pupils are capable of proper behavior, and choose to break
rules and misbehave (Charles, 2008).

Teacher should stress positive

reinforcement for good behavior and consequences for misbehavior. Teacher

also need to create positive relationship between teacher and pupils as to
pupils compliance in following the rules that stated by the teacher. If there
have no good relations between pupils, teachers will expose to the misbehavior of
pupils as maybe teacher cannot control temper and address the pupil in abusive
way. Second, teacher can create and teach a discipline plan with 4-5 rules and
specific consequences. Teacher also can implement positive consequences to
reinforce good behavior and positive punishment to remove the misbehavior
of pupils. Teacher cannot give the bad punishment to the pupils as this action will
lead that misbehavior become worst and another problem will occur too.

2.4 Teacher as a prompter and assessor {Logical Consequences (Dreikurs)}

In addition, a teacher also should play the role of prompter and assessor. The
role of a prompter is to encourage pupils while assessor gives teachers an
opportunity to correct behavior. In order to play the roles in classroom, teacher can
apply The Logical Consequences Model which was established by Rudolf Dreikurs.
According to Dreikurs, pupils that always create behavior problem in classroom are
motivated by they want to gain attention, exercise power, exact revenge or to
display inadequacy. If the need of pupils is satisfied, they will stop their misbehavior
in classroom. The Logical Consequences Model is all about setting up a democratic
classroom, instead of autocratic classroom where the teacher dominates, punishes,
criticize and imposes ideas. For a democratic classroom to be successful there
needs to be equality, cooperation, mutual respect, flexible curriculum, and
encouragement of creative thinking.
Dreikurs explained briefly about four main motives for inappropriate misbehave
of pupils:
2.4.1 First, sometimes when pupils feel they are isolated by other pupils or teacher,
they will think to create something that can make teacher give full attention
towards their misbehavior. Normally, this attention seeking is always
happened in classroom as the pupils actively provokes or annoys their
teacher in many ways that teacher cannot ignored it. They will use different
ways to gain attention such as they disturb other friends by calling name
many times, tapping a pencil on the desk, talking to other friend and other
misbehavior that can disrupt teaching and learning process in classroom.
These misbehavior will also make teacher feel become annoyed and irritated.
So, the teacher cannot ignore those kinds of problem because that
problematic pupil will continue their misbehavior until teacher give special
attention to them. Teacher must know and ask the problems that pupils
face and teacher should create situation where pupils may find
legitimate ways to satisfy their need for attention (Balson, 1992).
2.4.2 Second motive that pupils always do as to create discipline problem is
power struggle. This motive happened when the pupils feel not satisfied with
seeking attention as teacher ignored their misbehavior. According to Dreikurs,
many disciplinary problems happened because of the pupils create power

struggle with their teacher in classroom. When the power struggle happened,
it will lead to another conflict that becomes worst. Teacher should know
how to control that situation as teacher needs to maintain positive
learning environment in classroom. Example of conflict that will occur such
pupils will not give cooperation and disobedient towards teacher. They will
refuse to complete their homework given by teacher, refuse to clean up the
room, continue with disruptive behaviors, and others conflict that can make
teacher lost temper and cannot think rationally when they want to punish
pupils. So, teacher should be composed and deal with the problem in a
trusting and caring way. Teacher also needs to make the pupils know
their motive and help the pupils to explore why they behaved in that
way. So, the pupils will realize that their misbehavior is not giving good
benefits for them.
2.4.3 Third motive is exacting revenge. This motive will occur when the pupils feel
that they are unfairly treated by the teacher as teacher asks them to stop that
misbehavior. The pupil will think another way to seek revenge against their
teacher, friends and other people around them. Usually, they exact revenge
by stealing things, violence, and destruction of property (Balson, 1992).
These kind of problematic pupils do not care about their punishment as they
only want to feel satisfied to gain attention from people around them
especially their teacher. They also can exhibit their revenge by sullen,
morose, moody or depressed. Pupils who misbehave like that, it will make
difficulty in cooperating with their group because they will only disrupt other
pupils to learn. If teacher face this situation in classroom, teacher need to
understand and assist the pupils concerned in a caring manner.
Teacher also needs to ensure other pupils in the class do not isolate the
problematic pupils.
2.4.4 Fourth motive is the pupils are displaying inadequacy in classroom. It
means that, when the pupils feel they cannot gain any attention from teacher,
they will decide to isolate themselves from other people. The pupil will avoid
in participating any activity group, avoiding mixing other friends, and avoiding
any kind of public display such as presentation of their work in front of class.
They act misbehaving like that as they want to be left alone and have nothing

asked or expected for other people. So, they try to achieve that situation by
displaying inadequacy.
According to Dreikurs, teacher must have higher degree of autonomy and
responsible

towards

their

pupils

by

making

them

understand

the

consequences of their misbehavior. When the pupils know and understand their
motive, discipline problems will be at minimum level. This logical consequences
model can use in classroom as it can correct the misbehavior of pupils. The main
key of logical consequences is pupils should be given a choice to know and
understand their misbehavior and be forced to behave as directed.

3.0 Conclusion

In conclusion, behavior and classroom control must be handled properly by the

teacher. It is also essential for the pupils to understand that for every action that
they did will produce consequences that they have to be responsible with. It is only
the matter of positive and negative consequences. It is the teachers job to assist
pupils to learn what we call self-reflection and self-discipline. This is the only way
teacher could implement in pupils so that they will be responsible towards
themselves for doing that particular action. Whether the discipline actions are
successful could be measured based on how teacher could produce the desired
behavioral, which means the positive result. Therefore, we could see that the
connection between the pupils behavior is highly dependent on effective teaching
and discipline done by the teacher.
As a teacher, we hold a lot of responsible need to be done with successful objective
or aims. Besides, teacher also always face many problems that occur at school
especially in classroom. Teacher needs to think critically and always to analyze any
approaches in how to ensure teaching process flow effectively and efficient, how to
create good environment of the classroom, how to manage the behavior of pupils
and others. For example, teacher can monitor pupils carefully and frequently so that
misbehavior is detected early before it involves many pupils or becomes a serious
disruption. Other than that, moving close to the offending pupil or pupils, making
eye contact and giving a nonverbal signal to stop the offensive behavior. If the
teacher can handle and solve the entire problem occur, teacher can create positive
and conducive learning environment.
So, discipline models are important to practice in classroom as teacher need to
promote and maintain positive learning environment in which pupils can learn
effectively and efficiently without any obstruction of behavioral problems occur.
Teacher can play their roles in managing classroom for pupils who misbehave by
applying these selected discipline models.

REFERENCE

Andrius, J . (2013). The Skinner Model of Discipline. Retrieved March 31, 2015, from
Teacher Matters Advancing Knowledge for Teachers:
http://www.teachermatters.com
Bose, D. (2000). Behavior Modification Techniques. Retrieved March 29, 2015, from
Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com
Lorinda. (2012, January). Positive Reinforcement and Behavior Modification. Retrieved
April 3, 2015, from Lorinda-Character Education: http://www.lorindacharactereducation.com
Miltenberger, R.G. (2001). Behavior Modification: Principle and Procedures. United State:
Wardsworth Cengage Learning.
Myint Swee Khine, A. Q. (2005). Classroom Management Facilitating Teaching and
Learning. Singapore: Pearson Education South Asia.
Balson, M.(1992). Understanding Classroom Behavior. Hawthorn, Victoria: A C E R.