Challenges teachers face when handling children with aggressive tendencies: a study in Mwingi central sub county, Kitui county, Kenya

Abstract

Children with aggressive behaviours belong to the behaviourally disordered category of children with special needs. These children display negative behaviour tendencies that hurt others either verbally or physically. They manifest such characteristics as quarrelsomeness, vengefulness and destructiveness. It also includes spreading rumours, telling lies, giving dirty looks, insulting others and humiliating others. According to Botha (2014), such behaviour tendencies impedes negatively on learners’ social and academic development of these children. They are also font of interrupting learning activities and lack focus on tasks in class leading to failure to follow instructions from the teacher. Handing these children can be challenging unless teachers are empowered. This article examines challenges teachers face when dealing with children with aggressive tendencies. The objectives of the study were: to find out the challenges teachers face when dealing with aggressive children; to find out the appropriate strategies for helping these children. The research design used in the study was a descriptive survey. Ten schools were sample in Mwingi central sub county, Kitui County, using stratified sampling. A sample size of 20 children with aggressive behaviour tendencies were purposively sampled. Class teachers from pri-primary one to class three (4 teachers in each school) were included in the study, a total of forty teachers. Data was collected through analysis of children’s academic records by summarising them on tables. Questionnaires were used to gather data from teachers. Responses from teachers were analysed through themes with excerpts. Children with aggressive tendencies were found to show poor school attendance but rarely drop out of school. Poor school attendance is a predictor of poor academic performance and negative teacher-pupil attitude. It further established lack of sufficient training for teachers handling aggressive children. This leads to lack of necessary skills of handling these children. Most teachers expressed frustration and lack of adequate support from parents, community, education officers and school administration. It is important that all teachers for young children attends seminars and workshops on ways of handling aggressive children. There is also need to develop guidance and counselling programme in early childhood education. Parents and community should give adequate support teachers when dealing with children who show aggressive tendencies.