The number one area where teachers, children and young people have had problems in school?

The number one area where teachers, children and young people have had problems in school environments for many years is that of managing behaviours.

By Professor Ken Purnell PhD

Responsibility Theory? is a must read book. But more importantly, a must understand book. Children and young people need teachers with substantive professional knowledge and the skill to utilise that knowledge through informed professional decision-making.

The number one area where teachers, children and young people have had problems in school environments for many years is that of managing behaviours. We all need to do a lot of self-management of how we behave to ensure that what is done is reasonable and fair. Sometimes children and adults get it wrong.

One of the reasons why problem behaviours are such an issue today is not only that teachers feel disempowered in some situations, but so too do children and young people.

Ragnar’s book offers fresh and informed insights into how to address fundamental issues in managing student behaviours by the student and the teacher. It empowers the child in particular to realise their responsibility of their behaviour and for their learning.

Through simple processes that children and young people (and teachers) can readily understand, new and usually permanent changes are made so that behaviour is positive and supports student learning.

The simplicity of Responsibility Theory is its ten precepts. Having taken many years to gain informed professional insights from theory and practice, Ragnar provides his readers with these ten precepts which can be applied in an open, flexible and self-directed manner, the goal of which is to empower students with regard to controlling their own behaviour and, at the same time, empower teachers as they support students in their learning and well-being.

Through his life experiences, Ragnar has gained profound insights into a number of things. Clearly, the focus and ability to pay attention to what counts has mattered a lot to him. Ragnar has credentials with his academic qualifications and martial arts expertise, to name just two, that are unique.

Ragnar’s uniqueness extends to his insightful work with children to support positive behaviours in them. The result includes his great wisdom derived from practical experience and informing his Responsibility Theory that he lays out for us in this book. As one who has taught about behaviour management in schools at the university level with preservice teachers for over two decades, I find Ragnar’s book compelling reading.

Reading the book and having the privilege to chat with Ragnar and experience first-hand his passion for helping children learn in an environment where students enjoy demonstrating positive behaviours makes me want to use key ideas in my own sessions with preservice and in-service teachers.

I think that Ragnar’s unique persona, as described in the Foreword, has helped him greatly to achieve unique and informed insights into this complex area of behaviour management. It is refreshing to see practical steps used by Ragnar and others (who have been informed about and taught how to apply Responsibility Theory) in the classroom, school yard, at the bus stop or wherever, with children and young people that actually work.

Many of my university students are well informed on the approaches of various key theorists in behaviour management and have seen some great practices in schools. But I would suggest that the Responsibility Theory that Ragnar developed, that has met with spectacular practical success for teachers and students, is quite unique in the field. 

I have no hesitation in recommending this book to all interested in the well-being of children and young people – including teachers, parents, carers, young people, school administrators, and university professors.

About the author - Professor Ken Purnell PhD

Dip.Teach, B.Ed. (Distinction) (Sydney), M.A. (Hons) (Western Michigan), Ph.D. (UNSW)

CQUniversity Australia 1991 to present.  Associate Dean (Learning & Teaching) 2003 - 2007, Head of School of Education & Innovation 2000 -  2006

St. Andrew's Cathedral School, Sydney until end of 1990

Awards

2014 Outstanding Alumni Western Michigan University - see story at CQU and The Bulletin

President of WMU, John Dunn with Ken    President of WMU, John Dunn with Ken with Award on 19 October 2014

Geographical Society of NSW Prize for Highest GPA

Graduated with Distinction in BEd with high GPA

Graduate with Honours in MA with straight A's - highest GPA possible

Professional associations and professional appointments

For the State of Queensland K-12

Queensland Studies Authority P-12 Curriculum Committee representing Queensland universities 2005 – 2014

Queensland Studies Authority combined meetings of P-12 Curriculum Committee with the Assessment and Moderation Committee 2005 – 2014

Queensland Studies Authority State Review Panel for Economics from 1997 - present - including A/Chair 2017

Expert consultant for Queensland Studies Authority Senior assessment 1995 - present

Member of QCAA Learning Area Reference Group (LARG) for new Senior Assessment System 2016 - 2018

Member of the Governing Authority, Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies (QBSSSS) - now QCAA. Appointed by the Minister of Education to represent Queensland universities 1992-1995

Member of the Queensland Moderation Committee 1992 - 1995

Evaluator for the delegation from VETEC to the Board of Senior Secondary School Studies for vocational education and training 1997-1998 

Chief Evaluator for the State to Queensland of the Studies of Society and Environment, Geography, History, and Civics and Citizenship syllabuses, Sourcebook modules, Sourcebook guidelines and Initial in-service materials. 1998 - 2000

For the Australian Government

? Chief evaluator of School to work in rural and remote areas involving Queensland, of South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory 1998 – 2000

? ACARA expert panel for the Australian Curriculum: Geography Foundation to Year 10   2010 to 2012

Journal appointments

Geographical Education editor 2001 - 2014

Chief Editor, Commission for Geographical Education June 2006 Conference Proceedings (approximately 100 refereed papers from around the world were published in the Proceedings)

International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education (IRGEE) reviewer 2005 to present 

Australian Journal of Environmental Education (AJE) reviewer 2005 to present

International Journal of Instruction (IJI) 2010 to present

Journal of Global Education and Research (JGER) 2016 to present

Neurotransmitters and Brain Studies 2017 to present

Other professional appointments

Chair of the Taranganba State School Council (approximately 800 students) 2000 - 2007

Member North Keppel Island Environmental Education Centre Council representing CQUniversity 1998 - 2012

Priority Country Area Program (PCAP) Preservice Teacher Education Forum member 2002 - 2012

Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) Panel for Program Approval 2006 -2008

Male Teacher Strategy Reference Group of Education Queensland for the Minister of Education (subsequently State Premier), Brisbane 2002-2005

Member of the Organising Committee for the Commission for Geographical Education June 2006 Conference 

Education and Training Reforms for the Future (ETRF) Management Group, Rockhampton, representing CQUniversity  2003 - 2005

CQ A New Millennium Steering Committee -  representing CQUniversity on this  industry and government body 2003 - 2006

Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) representing CQUniversity 2004 - 2005

Central Queensland University

Associate Dean Learning & Teaching (2003 to 2007)

Head of School of Education (2000 to 2006)

Chair, CQU HREC (Human Research Ethics Committee – Chair 2001 to 2007 and a member since 1997 - Deputy-chair 1997 - 2000)

Chair, Learning and Teaching Research Grants Committee (2004 to 2006)

Chair, Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Awards Selection Committee (2004 to 2006)

Academic Board (elected member) (2003 to 2007)

Chair Faculty Education Committee (FEC) for the Faulty of Arts, Humanities and Education (2003 to 2007)

Chair, Faculty Assessment Committee (2003 to 2007)

Program Review Group (PRG) (2003 to 2008)

Education Committee of Academic Board (ECAB) (2003 to 2007)

Associate Deans Learning & Teaching committee (2003 to 2007)

Heads of Schools committee (2000 to 2006)

Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Education Executive Group (2000 to 2007)

Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Education Research Committee (2006 to 2007)

Bachelor of Learning Management Governance Committee (2000 to 2007)

Bachelor of Learning Management; Management Committee (2000 to 2007)

Chair, Criteria for Supporting Students Working Party (2005)

Member Student Learning Journey Committee (2005 to 2006)

Member Assessment Working Party (2006)

Member Program and Course Approval Policy Working Party (2006)

Chair, School of Education Working Party (2011 to 2012)

Acting Dean of Education and Creative Arts at various times 2000 to 2007 and Acting Dean of Education and the Arts during December 2013 and January 2014 

Business background involved seven family companies including Purnell Motors in Sydney.  Ken's father, Norm (b.1905 d.1984), founded that company in 1951.