ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the complex issues of behaviour seen by schools to be ‘challenging’, linking these to values and professional practice. It draws on the personal experiences of a teacher in a secondary school 30 years ago and the process of labelling two young people whose behaviour was seen as ‘challenging’ by the school, questioning whether values and attitudes have changed. As we explore issues of ‘challenging behaviour’ within the context of schooling, questions arise about where these behaviours are actually located, that is, how they are created, and by and onto whom the behaviours are attached. As we reflect critically on personal experiences and schooling contexts, it is hoped that we will generate a discussion about how teaching assistants can contribute to current understandings of ‘challenging behaviour’ and militate against some of the more negative consequences that arise for all members of the school community when such behaviours are created.
