Why Do Students Misbehave? An Exploration of Teacher and Administrator Perceptions of Elementary School Students' Problem Behavior

ABSTRACT Problem behavior is on the rise in schools, resulting in worsened outcomes for students and teachers. Limited research has examined administrators' causal attributions of problem behavior or alignment between teacher and administrator perceptions about student behavior; this is important given literature indicating that teacher and administrator perceptions are often misaligned. However, little is known about how much teacher and administrator share similar perspectives on the causes of student misbehavior, which has implications for behavior management. This study aims to address these gaps using qualitative methods. Nineteen teachers and six administrators, sampled from three schools in a suburban public school district in the Northeast of the United States, were interviewed about their perceptions of the causes of student problem behavior and effective behavior management methods. Results of thematic analyses suggest both alignment and misalignment in perceptions. For example, teachers and administrators indicated agreement within schools about perceived causes of student problem behavior; however, regarding effective behavior management strategies, teachers and administrators emphasized different approaches. Perceptions also varied across schools, highlighting the importance of contextual factors. Importantly, these findings suggest that educator training may be more effective if teachers and administrators develop a shared vision for behavior management, taking into account school‐wide programs, student needs, and teachers' expertise grounded in classroom experience.