IDENTIFYING SOCIAL ELEMENTARY PROBLEMS A

CLASSROOM TEACHER CAN RESOLVE

By
Anam Alia (M/2018-2115)

Educational Guidance & Counseling in Elementary Schools

INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

1
 INTRODUCTION

The elementary school years are an important period for the development of social skills

in children. Many of these skills are important for successful participation in society. The

elementary years are a time when students begin to develop their academic self-concept and their

feelings of competence and confidence as learners. They are beginning to develop decision-

making, communication and life skills, as well as character values. It is also a time when

students develop and acquire attitudes toward school, self, peers, social groups and family.

Comprehensive developmental school counseling programs provide education,

prevention and mediation services, which are incorporated into all aspects of children’s lives.

Early identification and intervention of children’s academic and social/emotional needs is

essential in removing barriers to learning and in promoting academic achievement. The

knowledge, attitudes and skills students acquire in the areas of academic, career and social

development during these elementary years serve as the foundation for future success.

But there are some social elementary problems that children possess at the elementary

level stopping the social and emotional growth and development in the school setting. It is the

duty of the teacher to identify these social problems in the classroom setting and provide suitable

solutions to their behavioral problems in the class.

Classroom as a “Miniature Society”

Mini-Society is an interdisciplinary instructional system that employs self-organizing,

experience-based learning conditions. In a Mini-Society students actively engage in classroom

learning activities where they make their own decisions; thus the students are able to attribute

2
their successes and failures to their own generative efforts. Knowledge structures are created in

long-term memory, and strong links which foster learning retention (Osborne & Wittrock, 1983;

Wittrock, 1991) are developed between youngsters' constructed meanings and those structures.

Social Interaction

An individual’s behavior depends on the meanings we’ve already created through

experience and interaction. We use an interpretive process to handle and alter these meanings.

Social interactions can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies that limit a person’s outcomes. We place

labels on people in society; individuals then feel as though they must embody those labels.

According to Erving Goffman (1922–1982):

“Social interactions are the building blocks of society. Individuals alter their behavior constantly,

requiring a complex series of actions and reactions.”

Social Problem

An undesirable or unwanted disturbing situation which has no readymade solution is

called a social problem. To a sociologist, a social problem is an issue that negatively affects a

person’s state of being in a society. The Oxford English Dictionary defines crime as “An action

or omission which constitutes an offence and is punishable by law”. According to Lindberg:

“A social problem is any deviant behavior in a disapproved direction of such a degree that it

exceeds the tolerance limit of the community.” Green stated that:

“A social problem is an issue within the society that makes it difficult for people to achieve their

full potential.” According to Horton & Leslie:

3
“It is often defined as condition which many people consider undesirable and wish to correct.”

In other words, social problem is simply an issue that pertains to a particular society

having a bearing on a large scale thereby necessitating prompt attention from appropriate

authorities to sustain, and develop the society.

Types of Social Problems

The real-life personal problems are perceived as interpersonal problems and intrapersonal

problems. The interpersonal problems are difficulties between individuals (e.g., with peers,

parents, teachers, and other people), whereas intrapersonal problems are difficulties within an

individual (e.g., sleep problems, being overweight, low self-confidence). The real-life problem is

perceived here as not only a personal or interpersonal problem, but also a problem of individual-

event/ environment interaction and transaction in which there is a conceived imbalance or

discrepancy between demands and response solutions.

Identifying Elementary Social Problems in the Classroom

In Erik Erikson Psychosocial Development Theory, in the elementary years which are

referred to as industry vs. inferiority usually occurs during the ages 5 to 12 is identified as a

crucial part in parental involvement in relation to their children’s development. During their

elementary school years, children undergo important developmental changes. Their reasoning

becomes more logical, their attention gets more adaptable, their perspective taking grows more

sophisticated, and their reading and math skills blossom. Throughout elementary school, children

begin to integrate knowledge from their interactions with teachers, peers, and families in order to

construct identities based on their understanding of what they are good at and capable of doing.

4
 But at this crucial age, children exhibit some serious social problems that hinder their

growth and effect their social, emotional, academic and intellectual development. It is the duty of

the classroom teacher to take care of sure social problems by proposing some solutions to the

problems. Following are some elementary social problems that classroom teacher can identify in

the class:

 Poor Relationships with Peers

Poor relationships problems with peers occur when students have trouble cooperating with

others and have trouble making friends. Peer relationship problems can lead to friendships with

peers who make poor choices, an inability to maintain quality friendships, being bullied, and

later development of internalizing concerns. Between 5% and 10% of children experience

chronic peer relationship difficulties, such as peer rejection and peer harassment. Peer

harassment refers to a child being exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative treatment by

one or more children.

 Ineffective Study Habits

Husain (2000) stresses that lack of effective or positive (good) study habits is a critical social

problem among students at all levels. Mark and Howard (2009) are of the opinion that the most

common challenge to the success of students in all ramifications is a lack of effective or positive

(good) study habit. They further maintain that if students can develop a good study habit and

with good discipline, they are bound to perform remarkably well in their social and academic

pursuit. Lack of study habits clearly puts students at a disadvantage, and is one of the main

reasons students need remedial classes, fall behind in coursework and drop out of school.

5
Behavioral problems such as skipping classes and poor time management are also the causes of

ineffective study habits.

 Financial Stress

Financial stress is associated with problem behavior in adolescents through the lives of their

parents. The association between financial stress and problem behavior in adolescents is

mediated by depressive symptoms, inter-parental conflict, and positive parenting. Financial

stress has direct and indirect effects on inter-parental conflict. Financial stress of parents is

associated with the problem behavior of adolescents through the lives of parents.

 Lack of Decision Making Skills

Children who show poor decision-making skills at age 10 or 11 may be more likely to

experience interpersonal and behavioral difficulties that have the potential to lead to high-risk

health behavior in their teen years, according to a new study from Oregon State University

psychology professor. The less-refined decision skills early in life could potentially be a

harbinger for problem behavior in the future," said Joshua Weller, an assistant professor in the

School of Psychological Science in OSU's College of Liberal Arts.

 Dropout

The term dropout means that any student who leaves school for any reason before graduation

or completion of a program of studies or specific cycle of education (Khan, Azher, & Shah,

2001). It also refers to children who abandon the education system without completing the

academic year they started. There are many factors of high dropout rate in general and

particularly at elementary level in Pakistan. These include economic or social status/condition,

6
parental illiteracy, and mal-nutrition, poverty, illiteracy, ignorance of parents about importance

of education, distance from home to schools, early marriages of girls’ and security/safety of

children.

 School Violence

Violence is generally defined as the use of force toward another that results in harm.

"Violence refers to the threat or use of physical force with the intention of causing physical

injury, damage, or intimidation of another person". (Elliott, Hamburg, and Williams 1998: 13)

School violence is the exercise of power over others in school-related settings by some

individual, agency or social process, that denies those subject to it their humanity to make a

difference, either by reducing them from what they are, or by limiting them from becoming what

they might be.

 Indiscipline Problems

Denga (1999) in his study identified indiscipline problems such as stealing, truancy, sexual

offence, vandalism and cheating as destructive practices. It is a violation of school rules and

regulations which is capable of obstructing the smooth and orderly functioning of the school

system (Edem, 1982). An undisciplined child is an uncontrollable child and can do any damage

in school when he does not get what he wants (Asiyai, 2012).

 Media’s Negative Influence

Media play Importance role in child socialization processes and it play role to teach child

cultural values and beliefs. The issue of the media‘s negative effects on children is violence in

the media. By far the greatest amount of psychological research on the media has concerned the

7
impact of televised violence and violence contained within video games on children and

concluded that exposure to Media and video game violence leads to increased aggression, an

effect that has been demonstrated both as a short term consequence and longer-term effect of

excessive exposure.

 Disruptive Behavior in the Class

Disruptive is not merely a naughty behavior of student but it goes beyond the normal the

routine disturbance in the classroom. Disruptive behavior can be presented by children in a

number of ways, ranging from wanting control and power in the classroom, being consistently

late, talking when they shouldn’t be, arguing with the teacher unnecessarily, challenging the

teacher on certain issues, ignoring instructions, etc. Student’s disruptive behavior is

disadvantageous to the educational society because it interferes with the learning process for

other students, retards the ability of teachers to teach most effectively, diverts the energy and

resources of teachers and school away from their objectives and educational mission, and may

designate a significant height of personal problems or anguish on the part of the disrupter.

 Communication Problems

Language plays an important role in children's emotional and behavior functioning and

children with subtle and unidentified language problems are at risk of developing behavior

problems, which are often more salient and overshadowing the language problems. Children of

various diagnostic backgrounds have been found to experience difficulties with communication

because of their immature social and emotional level, children feel shy and are unable to

communicate with the teacher or other peers in the class.

8
  Poor Attention in the Class

According to Perez Julian P. and Gardey A. (2008):

“The inability of the child to focus his attention for a period of time during exercising

activities accompanied with instability and excessive movements without calm or comfort,

making him rush into doing things without prior thinking and this is reflected in the degrees of

the child.” It refers to the lack of attention and how easily some children are distracted from any

task.

 Competence

In the contemporary society, children are confronted with a variety of situations which are

frequently associated to negative consequences on the social-emotional and academic

development, and also on the long term well-being. Moreover, it seems that the emotional and

social competences present a relatively stable pattern through time, from preschool years to

adolescence (Abe &Izard, 1999).

Cause of Social Problems in Elementary Children

Biological, psychological and social factors at multiple levels in different social domains

(i.e. within the individual and in the family, school, peer group and community) are associated to

some degree with the development of antisocial behavior. However, some individuals do not

become involved in antisocial behavior despite exposure to high levels of these factors.

Investigators have sought to identify factors that protect these individuals from undesirable

outcomes. (For reviews of such factors see, for example, Kandel et al., 1986; Simcha-Fagan et

al., 1986; Rutter, 1990; Hawkins et al., 1992, 1995; Newcomb, 1995.)

9
 Usually, the children’s behavioral problems are derived from the lack of emotional and

social competences and are conceptualized as internalizing and externalizing problems.

Externalizing problems, including aggressive, defensive and hyperactive behaviors, are displayed

when the child cannot control, self-regulate or inhibit the disruptive behaviors. These children

have difficulties in understanding others’ emotions and motivation (Rubin, Bream & Rose-

Kasnor, 1991) and in social relations (Milich & Landau, 1989). Externalizing problems are

related to lack of social functioning and academic problems in adolescence (Hinshaw, 2002).

Effects of Elementary Social Problems

Social problems in our elementary schools may be a reflection of larger societal

problems, there are clear indications that school discipline problems extend far beyond the

classroom, affecting individual students, teachers, and the society at large and possibly having

serious developmental implications. For example, research indicates that maladaptive aggressive

responses (breaking rules, truancy, and fighting) to classroom social demands, occurring as early

as first grade, predict a host of maladaptive behaviors, including antisocial behavior, criminality,

and heavy intravenous drug use later in life.

Techniques to Solve Social Problems

Following are some counseling techniques that a classroom teacher can use in order to

solve social problems in the classroom setting:

1. Social Problem Solving Technique

10
 D’Zurilla and Nezu (2001) defined social problem solving as “the self-directed cognitive

behavioral process by which a person attempts to identify or discover effective or adaptive

solutions for specific problems encountered in everyday living”.

2. Personal Social Guidance

Problems including personality and life in general are taken care of here. It is concerned with

individuals’ positive behavior that enables such an individual to live and adapt himself

peacefully and positively in any community/society he or she finds himself or herself in the

world.

The personal – social guidance facilitates knowledge of self and others. Students undergo so

many problems in their homes, schools, streets and with their peer groups. Some of these

problems includes stress, drug abuse, anxiety, exam malpractice, suicide, inferiority complex,

frustration, depression, rejection, failure, indiscipline, peer pressure, waywardness,

experimentation, lack of information, financial problem, media influence, lack of decision

making, no goal setting, lack of vision, poor relationships, grief over a loss of a loved one,

loneliness and many others. These problems among the adolescents especially can be quite

disturbing. The goal of personal –social guidance is the prevention of behavioral mal-adjustment.

Conclusion

Based on the above discussion, it is stated that the social problems at the elementary level

are crucial to be taken care of and it is the responsibility of the classroom teacher to identify

these social problems and formulate a suitable solution so that the development of children can

foster again and they can understand the problem in order to face it and ready to solve it.

11
References

James J. Muro, Terry Kottman(1995). Guidance and Counseling in the Elementary and Middle

Schools: A Practical Approach Brown & Benchmark

Clapp, B. 1989. The discipline challenge. Instructor 99:32-34. Elam, S., and L. Rose. 1995. The

27th annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll. Phi Delta Kappan 77( 1): 41-49

Kellam, S., X. Ling, R. Merisca, C. Brown, and N. Ialongo. 1998. The effect of level of

aggression in the first grade classroom on the course and malleability of aggressive

behavior into middle school. Development and Psychopathology 10: 165-85

Foshee V, Bauman KE (1992) Parental and peer characteristics as modifiers of the bond

behavior relationship: an elaboration of control theory. Journal of Health and Social

Behavior 33(1): 66–76.

12