This dissertation explores the perceptions of administrators, teachers, and other school personnel regarding the effectiveness of restorative practices in addressing disciplinary infractions within school settings. Grounded in a phenological design approach, the study investigates lived experiences to understand how individuals perceive and engage…

For this study, an alternating treatment single-case research design was used to evaluate and compare the impacts of student-led and teacher-led Tootling on individual student's disruptive behaviors and academic engagement. Student-led Tootling, teacher-led Tootling, and baseline conditions were alternated daily following a systematically blocked,…

Chinese principals play a significant role in recontextualizing the U.S. principals' practices in leading their school reform and student outcomes in Chinese social, cultural, and educational contexts. The purpose of this basic qualitative study is twofold: (1) to describe and interpret how Chinese principals make meaning of their experiences as…

Although teachers are ideally positioned to support increasing social-emotional needs of their students, they may not always have knowledge or confidence in implementing strategies to support the student's mental health needs. This can lead to negative perceptions of students with challenging behaviors and misunderstandings of so-call…

During the school closures associated with COVID-19, researchers found student engagement decreased, partially due to the concurrent increase in the number of adolescents diagnosed with problematic internet use and internet addiction. At the time of this study, there was limited research related to student engagement after students returned to…

Through semi-structured interviews with teachers and semi-structured interviews-turned-"testimonios" of students, I have sought to understand the purposes and consequences of Disciplinary Alternative Programs (DAP). Four different locations from across the state of Nebraska were utilized with 16 teachers and two students participating.…

"Statement of the Problem": Almost half of children in the United States have been exposed to childhood trauma (McIntosh, 2019). Discipline practices in many schools are often ineffective with and inappropriate for students who have experienced trauma. For example, students who are disciplined in traditional ways often continue to…

There is an established importance of classroom community, particularly for inclusive education (Kunc, 1992; Osterman, 2000; Sapon-Shevin, 2010). There is also a breadth of research around students who are most vulnerable to exclusion and othering in public schools and in classroom settings. Demographic factors such as race, socioeconomic status,…

Middle school students lack coping skills which cause misbehaviors and disruptions to their education. The misbehaviors are higher among middle school students with disabilities and middle school special education teachers are struggling to implement effective strategies to address the disruptive behaviors of their students in a suburban…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to focus on teachers' perceptions regarding professional development training for early childhood education. The problem addressed in this study was the inadequate amount of professional development training available for early childhood teachers to address children with challenging…

The purpose of this study was to explore how teachers perceived challenging behavior in contrast to behaviors that exemplify social-emotional competence, while attending to how descriptions of behavior varied based on child demographics such as gender, race/ethnicity, and disability status. Using a DisCrit lens, this study was conducted under the…

The problem of exclusionary discipline and the negative impact on students of color has been documented in the literature for many years. This pragmatic, qualitative dissertation examined teachers' and school administrators' practices and interventions they utilized to avoid exclusionary discipline. A structured interview process was used to…

The purpose of this study is to better understand why a school avoidant student has a difficult time staying attached to a school community. For a school avoidant student, the school environment is too challenging to manage resulting in an emotional and physical disengagement from school. A school avoidant student will seek to protect themselves…

Disciplinary intervention is an important responsibility for teachers and administrators. Undesirable behavior must be addressed as it can cause disruptions to the learning environment and ultimately impede student learning and progress. A variety of punitive disciplinary interventions, ranging from time out to exclusionary practices such as…

What do teachers perceive to be the impact of positive behavior management systems on supporting teachers, students, and families? This research investigated the implementation and impact of school-wide positive behavior support systems as a crucial approach to addressing behavior challenges and supporting both teachers and students. Recognizing…