Satisfaction

Are people satisfied with school?

A definite decline in satisfaction occurs between Kindergarten and Grade 12, and discipline issues appear to be at the heart of the shift.

Although these issues appear most intense at upper grades, discipline matters outweigh other aspects of school life as cause for concern among everyone surveyed.

Satisfaction levels studied

• student-staff relationships
• community-staff relationships
• staff-staff relationships
• student discipline
• school safety

Staff satisfaction with school climate

Among adults, discipline is key concern

• More than 25% of staff are dissatisfied with aspects of school.
• Survey responses clearly highlight student discipline as the greatest reason for dissatisfaction in schools, especially for teachers.
• Dissatisfaction with discipline shows up most often in schools that don't respond consistently to disruptive behaviour.
• Discipline concerns intensify in senior high, where only 43% of teachers say they are satisfied with student discipline.
• Discipline also stands out as an area with difference in viewpoints. Principals indicate more satisfaction with discipline (81% satisfied) than staff as a whole (57% satisfied); regional personnel are even lower (52% satisfied).

Did students like being at school?

Student satisfaction drops at higher grades

• 90% of students in the lower grades, Kindergarten to Grade 6, like school; by senior high school, that figure plummets to 56%.
• 90% of children in Kindergarten to Grade 3 like being with other students and feel safe at school.
• In junior and senior high, fewer than 50% feel comfortable talking to staff.

voices

For the last two years I have changed teaching assignments from junior high grades to elementary. I feel I'm in heaven teaching the lower grades. Teacher stress is down to zero.
- Staff member

As a Grade 4 teacher, I am not dealing with discipline problems of a serious nature, but it is the continuous behaviour management needed that is very draining.
- Staff member

Three Grade 7 boys refused to leave the school after 3:35. When told to leave, they replied, "I don't need to do what you say, fuck you ­ old bitch." This is not untypical
- Female teacher

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