How Criminal Behavior in Children Affects Teaching & Learning

Criminal behavior by students in a classroom affects the entire class.

Schools and classrooms are supposed to be safe environments where children can learn and feel secure. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. When a student within the class being to show signs of criminal behavior, it can have a detrimental effect on the entire class.

Interruption of Instruction

The most immediate effect of criminal behavior is the disruption of the teaching process. If the teacher has to stop to discipline a student, then he is not teaching the class. The interruptions can add up to a significant loss of time, since teachers will usually use subtle techniques to discourage initial behavior which involves stopping the lesson briefly, then if substantial disciplinary action must be taken it involves the teacher stopping for a significant period of time.

Learned Behavior

Some theories of social psychology hold that aggressive and criminal behavior is something children learn from their caregivers and environment. Criminal behavior by someone in their class, especially at the younger end of the childhood spectrum, can potentially have behavior effects on other students.

Missing Class

While children who attend safe schools will play sick or "hooky" because they are simply giving into childish impulses, those who go to schools with genuine criminal behavior and unsafe environments can play sick or hooky simply because they fear for their safety. If children are not in class, then they can fall behind academically.

References

• NTLF: Strategies For Dealing With Troublesome Behaviors in The Classroom
• "The Social Learning Theory"; Margaret Delores Isom; 1998