Rude behaviour spiked in Ontario classrooms, Brock University researchers say

Talking over teachers, texting in class or packing up before a lesson is complete is the kind of disruptive behaviour that researchers out of Brock University say has increased.

New survey results suggest incivility has spiked since students returned to in-class learning following pandemic disruptions.

“I absolutely think that students themselves see that classrooms have definitely changed,” said Jeff Pelich, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Waterloo Region.

He adds the rise in rude behaviour is taking a toll.

“It's not just teachers taking time off because they've been experiencing increases in incivility or violence. it's also teachers actually resigning and leaving the profession. I think we're in a bit of a perfect storm,” said Pelich.

Jeff Pelich, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Waterloo Region, posed for a photo on Nov. 27, 2024. (Spencer Turcotte/CTV News)

That perfect storm is highlighted through the new data, which included a survey of more than 300 students aged nine to 14, and about 100 elementary school teachers in 2022.

“We were lucky in the sense that we had data from fall 2019 already self-reported, and we went back to schools in fall 2022. We had their self-reported data again,” said Natalie Spadafora, lead researcher and postdoctoral fellow at Brock University.

There was a consensus from both sides that there is a lack of respect in the classroom and it seems pandemic disruptions are still at play.

“After a couple of years in Ontario, anyways, of interrupted learning they were pretty clear to say they felt like the online learning did exasperate some of these things,” said Spadafora.

Incivility is something 42 per cent of the teachers surveyed reported happening daily.

The Waterloo Region District School Board’s associate director, Scott Miller, says at the very least the board has seen an improvement in one area.

“I would say certainly this year in particular is with the implementation of the new policy and procedure reducing the use of cell phones and things in class,” said Miller.

Nearly all teachers – 95 per cent – reported students’ socio-emotional skills were “lower” or “much lower” than past cohorts.

Teaching those skills can be a fine line and some parents don’t want educators “parenting” their children. So Miller says it requires a team effort with families.

“They too can see what we’re working on. The kind of social skills that we’re working to build, the expectations we have about their children,” said Miller.

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board also noted the pandemic disrupted routines and socialization opportunities for students.

“To support our schools, we have prioritized investments in mental health resources and behavioural intervention strategies. This includes hiring additional child and youth workers and expanding professional development opportunities focused on classroom management and de-escalation techniques,” a statement reads in part from Lema Salaymeh, a spokesperson for the Catholic board.

While rude behaviour in the classrooms spiked in 2022, researchers behind the study say there’s no indication that civility will return to pre-pandemic benchmarks any time soon.