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"Build stronger systems. Develop staff capability. Improve student outcomes."
Classrooms in Crisis: Unpacking Australia's Student Behaviour Challenge - Blaise Joseph
In this episode of the Behavioural Deep Dive, I am joined by Blaise Joseph, Director of the Education Program at the Centre for Independent Studies, to explore the state of student behaviour in Australian classrooms and what schools can do to create more positive learning environments.
Drawing on Blaise's recent report, Classrooms in Crisis: Australian Teachers' Perspectives on Student Behaviour, the conversation examines the impact of everyday classroom disruption, the importance of explicitly teaching behaviour, and the schoolwide systems and practices that support both teachers and students.
Show Notes
The hidden cost of low-level classroom disruption
One of the central findings discussed in this episode is the amount of instructional time teachers report losing to student behaviour.
Blaise's research surveyed almost 400 Australian teachers, who estimated losing an average of nine minutes for every 30 minutes of teaching time to managing classroom disruption.
Importantly, this isn't necessarily the result of serious behavioural incidents. Much of the disruption comes from relatively low-level behaviours such as calling out, talking during instruction, arriving late and not following directions.
Although these behaviours may appear minor in isolation, their cumulative impact can significantly reduce opportunities for teaching and learning.
The conversation also explores an interesting contrast in the findings: many teachers described behaviour at their schools as generally positive, despite reporting substantial amounts of lost instructional time.
Blaise poses an important question: Have we become so accustomed to everyday classroom disruption that we underestimate its impact on learning?
Measuring behaviour beyond suspensions and serious incidents
A significant focus of the conversation is how schools measure student behaviour and whether the information currently collected provides an accurate picture of what is happening in classrooms.
Blaise explains that suspension rates and formal incident records provide important information, but they primarily capture more significant behavioural concerns. They tell us relatively little about the frequency of low-level disruption or the instructional time lost managing it.
The discussion explores the value of regularly surveying teachers about their experiences, including the types of behaviours occurring, their frequency and their impact on teaching and learning.
Blaise recommends that schools and education systems consider incorporating behaviour-specific questions into existing staff surveys.
Rather than simply introducing new behaviour programs or practices, schools need to be able to answer another important question: How do we know whether what we're implementing is actually working?
The conversation highlights the importance of using multiple sources of information to identify areas of need, monitor improvement and make more informed decisions about behaviour support.
Explicitly teaching behaviour: Never assume, teach
One of the strongest messages throughout the episode is that appropriate behaviour needs to be explicitly taught rather than simply expected.
Blaise discusses the importance of developing a schoolwide behaviour curriculum, where students are systematically taught the rules, expectations and routines that apply across different school settings.
This doesn't mean introducing another subject into the timetable. Instead, it involves embedding behaviour instruction into everyday classroom and school routines.
The conversation explores the difference between having expectations displayed around a school and ensuring students can actually demonstrate them.
We discuss the importance of developing expectations that are observable, positively stated, understandable and applicable to the setting in which they are used.
However, developing expectations is only the starting point. Schools also need to deliberately teach, model, practise, prompt and reinforce the behaviours they want students to demonstrate.
Just as students require different amounts of instruction and feedback to develop academic skills, they may also require different levels of support to develop social, emotional and behavioural skills.
The central message is simple: We cannot assume students know how to meet our expectations. We need to teach them.
Consistency, consequences and understanding behaviour
The conversation examines the importance of consistent schoolwide expectations, routines and consequences, while recognising that students may require different levels of support.
We discuss the concept of behavioural function, explaining how the same behaviour can occur for different reasons and why understanding these differences can inform more effective responses.
Blaise raises the practical challenges of expecting teachers to identify and respond to the function of every behaviour while managing an entire classroom.
The discussion highlights the importance of balancing consistent schoolwide responses with individualised support, including the role of school leadership and specialist staff in addressing more complex behavioural concerns.
What high-performing disadvantaged schools can teach us
Blaise discusses his earlier research, Overcoming the Odds, which examined schools achieving strong academic outcomes despite serving disadvantaged communities.
A common feature of these schools was the presence of clear behavioural expectations, established routines, consistent responses and strong leadership support.
He also shares findings from his doctoral research in New York City, where improvements in student behaviour emerged as a strong predictor of improvements in academic achievement in schools serving low-income communities.
The discussion reinforces the important relationship between behaviour and learning, highlighting how positive, predictable classroom environments create the conditions for effective instruction.
School leadership and the importance of Tier 1 systems
A recurring theme throughout the episode is that improving student behaviour cannot rest solely with individual classroom teachers.
Blaise highlights the importance of strong school leadership, clear expectations and consistent systems that support teachers in responding to behavioural concerns.
The conversation also connects these ideas to a multi-tiered system of support, where effective Tier 1 practices establish the foundation for more targeted and individualised interventions.
Strong universal systems help schools support the majority of students while ensuring additional support is available for those who need it.
Resources
1. Classrooms in Crisis: Australian Teachers' Perspectives on Student Behaviour: Blaise Joseph's research examining Australian teachers' experiences of student behaviour, classroom disruption and lost instructional time. Includes the teacher survey questions discussed in the episode.
2. Overcoming the Odds: A Study of Australia's Top-Performing Disadvantaged Schools: Research exploring the common practices of high-achieving schools serving disadvantaged communities.
3. AERO - Classroom Management Resources – Evidence-based guidance for establishing expectations, teaching routines, responding to disruption and creating positive classroom environments.
4. AERO - Foundational Classroom Management Resources Handbook – Practical guidance for teachers and school leaders on implementing effective classroom management practices.
5. CESE - Classroom Management: Creating and Maintaining Positive Learning Environments – Research review examining preventative and responsive classroom management practices.
6. CESE - Classroom Management Professional Learning Discussion Guide – A practical resource for school teams to reflect on and strengthen classroom management practices.
Contact Blaise Joseph
Blaise Joseph is the Director of the Education Program at the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS), where his work focuses on education policy, student behaviour and school effectiveness. A former secondary school teacher, Blaise brings both classroom experience and research expertise to his work examining the challenges facing Australian schools.
Blaise is the author of Classrooms in Crisis: Australian Teachers’ Perspectives on Student Behaviour, which explores the impact of classroom disruption on teaching and learning. His research also includes Overcoming the Odds, examining high-performing disadvantaged schools in Australia.
Through his research and policy work, Blaise advocates for evidence-informed approaches to improving student behaviour, including explicit teaching, consistent schoolwide expectations and strong leadership support to create more effective learning environments.
Email: cisoffice@cis.org.au