Teachers’ personal constructs on problem behaviour: towards professional development & Personal constructs on (problem) pupils: a teacher’s view

This study focuses on revealing and developing personal constructs regarding problem behaviour in classrooms. Twenty-nine teachers (initial and in-service students) took part in the project. The main idea is that teachers’ opinions about their pupils and themselves influence the way they act in their classrooms. Their thoughts and ideas about students - their personal constructs - are generally unconscious. To clarify and to develop teachers’ constructs, we used Kelly’s repertory grid technique and Garman’s reflective approach. Both methods give a powerful impulse to the development of thinking and acting of teachers. They can use the experiences as an integral part of their own action research. & I am one of the teachers who took part in the constructs research.A personal set of fifteen constructs on twenty-eight pupils was collected. These constructs showed me what kinds of constructs I have (mainly social-emotional and cognitive ones) and made me reflect. They also made clear to me that I think less positively on problem children. Participation in this research includes coaching, theoretical orientation and continuous reflection, making me conscious of what (problem) behaviour I like or dislike and what I should change to get a professional, holistic view. Then problem behaviour will be more easily tolerated by me and I can teach my colleagues about my new insights in intercommunicative sessions and by personal counselling.