School behaviour management reform: Toward a sociocultural understanding of prosocial development, self regulated learning and emotional well being

This chapter provides a grounded discussion for applying a sociocultural understanding of prosocial human development, self regulated learning and emotional well being to address the ongoing challenges associated with school based antisocial behaviour and the negative impact of this on educational and life outcomes. It is suggested that current behaviour management policy and practice continues to be unsuccessful in addressing the needs of school aged children and has a negative lasting impact on their school engagement and mental health resulting in an unacceptable level of marginalisation, disaffection and school exclusion especially amongst our most vulnerable children. Therefore, a sociocultural approach is discussed to enhance school based behaviour management policy and practice so that schools can constructively meet the needs of all children in a humanistic approach. An approach that employs mediated learning experiences specifically designed to develop rational and ethical decision making, problem solving and conflict resolution, which is seen as the most effective strategy to breaking the cycle of persistent disruptive, aggressive and disrespectful behaviour that undermines the teaching and learning process.