Aggressive and Disruptive Students: How do They Affect the Classroom Environment?

       Aggressive and Disruptive Students:

How Do They Affect the Classroom Environment?

 

     We have all had that one difficult student—the one who refuses to follow directions, constantly shouts out, or marches to the beat of their own drum. It is frustrating, but veteran teachers have the experience and classroom management skills to handle these students. We know how to build connections, earn trust, and redirect behavior. However, in today's classrooms, behavior problems are more prevalent and often exceed what a general education teacher is trained to handle. Instead of support, teachers are expected to adapt, manage the escalating behavioral demands, keep their classes safe, and ensure that learning takes place. Nevertheless, how can students learn when they are frequently evacuated from their classroom? How can teachers be expected to return daily with a smile and a "clean slate" after experiencing such disruptions?

     Research supports what teachers already know: 'Misbehaving students disrupt the rights of others to learn, impede teachers' effectiveness, and squander valuable time and energy' (Charles & Senter, 2005). Studies also confirm that disruptive behavior in the classroom significantly hinders learning (Gomez Marmol et al., 2018; Wangdi & Namgyel, 2022), leading to lower academic performance (Granero-Gallegos et al., 2020) (Iqbal & Zahoor, 2024). The solution to this problem is not just a matter of individual teacher skills; it requires systemic solutions to prevent a continued decline in teacher effectiveness and student learning.

     Last week, while assisting the principal for the day, I received a call from the office: "Office to Mrs. Q, can you help in Room 3?" I responded quickly, "On my way," and rushed over. As I entered the classroom, students were already lining up to evacuate. Just as I arrived, an object flew at the teacher's head. As I reached for Student G, another call came in for Room 5. Taking Student G by the hand, I hurried off to support another struggling teacher.

     Approaching Room 5, I could hear the pounding and kicking on the door. Inside, Student A had thrown chairs and crayon boxes, knocked over a trash can, and was now trying to run out. The teacher had blocked the door until I arrived. As I took Student A's hand, I noticed the school secretary escorting Student B down the hall. I thought, "I do not have enough hands," fortunately, Student B just needed a brief timeout with the secretary.

     Student G is in kindergarten and is removed from class daily due to aggression. Student A, a transitional kindergartener, is also removed daily. Student B, a first grader, frequently refuses to work, threatens classmates, stomps around, throws objects, and then runs out of the classroom—requiring staff to track her down daily.

     Meanwhile, teachers are trying to maintain a safe and productive learning environment. In another first-grade class, the teacher evacuates her students weekly, sending them to their designated "Safe Class." The education of 75 students is disrupted by one child who has repeatedly hit, kicked, and bitten her teacher and 1:1 aides.

     What are students learning when they witness their teacher being attacked? When they sit in silence as their classroom and work are destroyed? When they are forced into another classroom, disrupting learning there as well? Research confirms what we see every day: 'Student disruptive behavior can make the classroom atmosphere unsuitable for learning' (Stage & Quiroz, 1997). Such disruptions reduce instructional time, divert attention, and have a negative effect on student engagement and academic success (Sullivan et al., 2014). We must not forget the impact on the students themselves.

     We must examine the classroom environment before blaming teachers for low student achievement. Children in high-stress situations are not focused on learning. Kindergarten and first grade are the foundational years where students learn to read, write, and solve basic math problems. When older students struggle, it often stems from early literacy gaps requiring intensive phonics support. Without intervention, these students fall further behind, making it increasingly difficult to catch up. Research indicates that failing an English course predicts later dropout (Kremer, Flower, Huang, & Vaughn, 2016).

     To support student success, we must address classroom disruptions and provide teachers with the resources to manage extreme behaviors effectively.

References:

Iqbal & Zahoor, 2024  Students' Behavioral Problems in the Classroom and Coping Strategies  files.eric.ed.gov    

Alkhadim, Ghadah, 2024  The Detrimental Effects of Student-Disordered Behavior at School: Evidence from Using the Cusp Catastrophe  frontiersin.org

Kremer, Flower, Huang, & Vaughn, 2016  Behavior problems and children’s academic achievement: A test of growth-curve models with gender and racial differences  pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov