Countercontrol: A new look at some old problems

Countercontrol can explain many of the difficulties teachers sometimes have controlling the behavior of students. Despite the potential seriousness of the topic, it is rarely discussed. In this article, the authors describe countercontrol through the use of examples and briefly discuss a large study of countercontrol that was conducted with school students and their teachers. The results of the study suggest possible characteristics of teachers who are countercontrolled and students who countercontrol. Finally, possible courses of action are considered so educators can reduce the extent to which countercontrol occurs.