A framework for school management teams to handle disruptive learner behaviour

School Management Teams (SMTs) exist amongst others, to ensure the safety of educators and learners, and to nurture a sustainable learning environment. In this study it was found that their job is increasingly becoming very challenging and in need of support, due to the disruptive learner behaviour. It was therefore imperative to design a framework that would assist the SMTs handle disruptive learner behaviour in order to enhance discipline and other educational goals of the school. This study suggested that the use of Critical Emancipatory Research (CER) and Participatory Action Research (PAR) conceptual and operational principles respectively, would create the space for the designing of a framework that would assist the SMTs handle the disruptive learner behaviour. Through the use of interviews (in a PAR discussion group), data was gathered, analyzed, interpreted and the framework designed based on the findings from a college in the Mangaung Metropolis of the Free State Province of South Africa. The study concluded that the integrative framework (which takes into consideration the medical, the needs-based, the deficit, the eco-systemic and the asset based approaches) would form a practicable way of supporting SMTs overcome the challenges faced when handling disruptive learner behaviour. These conclusions were assessed by using the Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis. The current resources of the college under study supports this framework and provides very high opportunities, strengths and add to the health of the SMTs; who are better equipped to handle disruptive learner behaviour.