This document discusses behaviour for learning and why students may misbehave. It provides several possible reasons for misbehaviour, including that students may not know what to do, how to do it, or why they should do a task. It also notes that there may not be consequences for misbehaviour or relevant feedback. Additionally, the document discusses adolescent brain development from ages 11-25, noting that the prefrontal cortex, which controls risk and logic, shrinks during this time. This leads teenagers to be impulsive, love risk-taking, and be ruled by emotions over logic.

1. Behaviour for Learning
Why Do Students
Misbehave?

2. Behaviour for Learning
Behaviour for learning is a
method by which a
teacher creates a positive
and productive learning
environment for his or her
students by preventing
and effectively dealing
with inappropriate
behaviour.

3. • Using the dry-wipe boards, list the
possible reasons as to why learners
might misbehave in your class?
• Does the time of day or the day of
week have any impact?
Why don’t students do what we
want them to?

4. Why students don’t do what you
want them to?
1. They don’t know what to do.
2. They don’t know how to do it.
3. They don’t know why they should do it.
4. They aren’t suited or matched to the task.
5. There isn’t any consequence.
6. There isn’t any relevant feedback.
7. They get more attention by not doing it.

5. What’s Going On In Their Heads?
• Brain reconfiguration – “pruning”
of brain cells
• 11 – 25 (girls) & 12 – 25 (boys) –
key phase
• Shrinkage occurs, mostly in pre-
frontal cortex (controls risk, logic
etc.) in order to allow other areas
maximum resources whilst they
develop.
[Geidd in Wallis, C. (2004) ‘What Makes Teens Tick?’ Time Magazine, 7th June, pp 54 – 61]

6. This Means Teenagers…
• Are very impulsive
• Love risk taking
• Cannot easily assess the causes and effects of
their actions
• Are less able to assess threats
– Are peers, friends and teachers?
• Are ruled by emotions more than logic
• Are unable to recover from trauma easily

7. And
As the brain reconfigures…
• Development of attributes
associated with maturity
• A calmer outlook
• More stable moods
• A decrease in risk taking
• The ability to reason and think
things through