KEY POINTS:
A new report on student behaviour suggests deteriorating classroom conduct reflects the rising number of dysfunctional homes.
The report, commissioned by the New Zealand Foundation for Character Education, said the family unit was not as strong, cohesive and functioning as it once was and the focus on raising children had weakened.
Foundation chairman Rod Galloway said too many teachers were, on a daily basis, dealing with students who were disruptive to learning processes and had no regard for the rights of others.
While living standards seemed to be improving, there was now evidence that significant changes in the values systems of the community had come at a social cost and affected children.
"Nowhere is this more dramatic than in the change to family life," Mr Galloway said.
"The number of New Zealand parents who share an evening meal and spend time talking to their children is among the lowest in developed countries."
Declining marriage rates and increasing divorce rates now meant half of all New Zealand families were a blended unit.
Statistics showed New Zealand had an epidemic of absent fathers with the second highest rate of single parenthood in the OECD - a figure that had tripled in the last 30 years.
"While many of these families are doing a fine job, the combined effect of older, busier, and often emotionally, physically and financially stressed parents is having a significant impact on classroom teaching and learning."
The report identified New Zealand's increasingly violent society as influencing classroom behaviour and principals identified disruptive behaviour as the most common obstacle to learning that they have to deal with.
Mr Galloway said he believed more New Zealand parents than ever before were unable to provide a home environment where children were safe, nurtured, and provided with clear moral guidance.
He said a stronger emphasis was needed in schools to make what was once taught in every home more intentional in the classroom.
Over 100 teachers and principals are expected to attend the national character education symposium Connecting Character to Conduct at the National Library in Wellington tomorrow.
- NZPA
