In recent decades, research and practice have shown that investing in a positive school-wide social culture is a key component of effective education. Evidence demonstrates that educators and students succeed when students are present, engaged, socially secure, and academically successful. Developed by 2M Research in conjunction with an expert…

Gang affiliation is not something that students leave behind when they come to school. Gang members do not leave their behaviors, attitudes, and conflicts outside the school environment. Gangs, unchecked and unidentified in a school setting, often engage in threat and intimidation; physical and cyber bullying; fighting; recruiting; and criminal…

School communities in both urban and rural settings need trauma-informed (TI) supports; however, the adversities experienced and access to student supports may be unique to rural school communities. In addition, the contextual challenges experienced by rural schools and communities, as well as the strengths that can be drawn from them, will…

This handbook provides solid, detailed guidelines for implementing and sustaining schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS). Full of engaging anecdotes from expert PBIS coaches, this comprehensive resource helps PBIS teams overcome the obstacles of staff buyin and offers solutions for sustaining a successful program at your…

Whole-school or whole-class programs designed to promote positive behavior can enhance the likelihood that effective teaching and learning occur for all students. This practice guide is intended to help elementary education educators, as well as school and district administrators and parents, implement and support effective prevention-focused…

Our nation's schools should be safe havens for teaching and learning, free of crime and violence. Any instance of crime or violence at school not only affects the individuals involved, but also may disrupt the educational process and affect bystanders, the school itself, and the surrounding community (Brookmeyer, Fanti, and Henrich 2006;…

This state-of-the-art practitioner resource and course text provides a comprehensive view of adolescent development and spells out effective ways to help teens who are having difficulties. The book illuminates protective and risk factors in the many contexts of adolescents' lives, from individual attributes to family, school, neighborhood, and…

Twenty suggestions for teachers address ways to identify and reduce bullying in the school setting. Examples include knowing the definition of bullying, watching for warning signs, having good communication with students' parents, creating a support team for the bullied child, taking a proactive preventive approach, using buddies to deter…

This article uses a question-and-answer format to provide early childhood educators with specific strategies for organizing both the physical classroom environment and the instructional environment to prevent problem behaviors such as running, fighting, getting distracted, or difficulty with transitions. Sample classroom layouts, a sample daily…

One approach to student behavior that may be particularly useful in exclusionary settings is school-wide positive behavior supports (PBS). Increasingly, evidence shows that PBS is an effective approach to student behavior in regular public schools (Sugai & Horner, 2005). While the data on behavioral systems in exclusionary schools are…

School-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) has been identified as an effective and efficient method to teach students prosocial skills. It requires both effective behavior support practices and systems that will support these changes, including data-based decision making among the school leadership team. There are many practical and systemic…

The current intervention trend for many of the mental health and behavioral problems faced by today's youth is an integrative approach that involves the community, families, and schools. Clinical assessment for serious mental health and behavioral problems can be an important component in the development of school-based screening programs. The…

Twenty suggestions for building community and empowering students stress the role of community in facilitating inclusion, influence, and openness. Suggestions include mapping the community, finding common threads, conducting community interviews, matching compelling literature with student characteristics, conducting classroom meetings, providing…

Case study of a new principal who turns around an elementary school with a misbehaving student body and and apathetic staff by setting, publicizing, and consistently enforcing clear rules; documenting infractions; involving parents; encouraging student responsibility; and requiring lesson plans. (DCS)

This monograph was written to accompany a four-part inservice training program for early childhood educators and caretakers in Maine concerning behavioral problems in early childhood settings. It was developed as part of the LEARNS Early Childhood program, Maine's statewide initiative for inclusive education. The focus is on preventing problem…