The Impact of Teachers’ Strict Classroom Behavior on Students’ Academic Achievement: Exploring Students’ Perceptions

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of teachers' strict behavior in the classroom on academic achievement in terms of students' perceptions. The research design used was quantitative descriptive-correlational research and research method used was cross sectional survey. The target population was the students of Grade 9 and 10 of public secondary schools of Badhber in the city of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a total sample of 137 students. Five schools were selected by the convenience sampling method and 20 students (Grade 9 and 10) were randomly selected from each school. The structured questionnaire on Students' Perceptions of Teachers' Strict Classroom Behavior Scale (SSTSCBS) was developed and used to gather data. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression in SPSS Version 27. The result showed that students in general had positive attitudes towards the strict behavior of teachers in the classroom regarding the discipline, concentration and study habits. It was also correlated with higher anxiety levels in students, however. Through the correlation analysis it is found that the academic achievement of students is significantly positively correlated with teachers' strict classroom behavior (r = 0.211, p < .05). In addition, regression analysis revealed that teachers' disciplinary classroom behavior was a significant predictor of academic achievement (β = 0.607, p < .001) accounting for 36.8% of the variance in students' academic performance (R² = 0.368). The research findings suggest that there is a positive link between strict classroom behavior and academic achievement, but the research also indicates that strict classroom behavior poses emotional difficulties for students, in the form of anxiety. The study calls for a balance in handling students in the classroom, in a way where discipline is implemented in conjunction with emotional support in order to improve the well-being of students and their academic performance.