Difficult-to-Teach Junior School Children

Even in the very first year at school a few pupils are disruptive. They are called 'disruptive', 'immature', 'aggressive', 'lacking in concentration' and 'hyperactive' and in moments of stress a lot of worse names! I prefer to call them 'difficult to teach'. A week or more was spent in each of five Christchurch primary schools with above average numbers of difficult-to-teach pupils. Of the 90 pupils initially nominated by the Senior Teachers of Junior Classes (STJC) and the class teachers there was clear agreement on 24 so these became the experimental group. With each child the teacher then matched a well socialized control classmate of the same age, sex, and intellectual capabilities.