The team identified a problem of practice in education concerning student discipline. The problem was school leaders are following the local Board of Education adopted discipline policy which does not align with currently recommended discipline methods or research-based best practices. To determine if school leaders are incorporating new…

Given that behavioral challenges contribute to learner exclusion in schools, there is a demand for behavior support strategies and practices that (a) extend beyond punitive measures, (b) aid the development of school customs and mores, (c) are based on nonviolence, and (d) promote positive self-discipline. This column explores behavior management…

This research occurs in a specialized primary school for students having emotional and behavioural disorders (EBD) in a suburb of Montréal in Canada. The aims were to a) evaluate the impact of a schoolwide de-escalation intervention plan on the use of de-escalation and seclusion-restraint measures throughout the school year and b) to identify the…

The My FRIENDS Youth Skills for Life programme is a group cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) based programme and was used with a group of five young secondary students who had previously experienced difficulty with emotional regulation, peer relationships and discipline at school. A mixed method approach was used and included screening…

A task force authorized by the Executive Council of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) generated the statement below concerning the techniques called "restraint" and "seclusion." Members of the task force independently reviewed the scientific literature concerning restraint and seclusion and agreed unanimously to the…

This article attempts to replicate how Fritz Redl and David Wineman might have handled an "unmade bed" situation with the youngsters at Pioneer House, the treatment program in Detroit that was the subject of their classic work, "The Aggressive Child" (1957) which encompassed two books, "Children Who Hate" and…

Schools remain one of the safest environments for children. However, in far too many schools, a lack of respect for the authority of teachers and other school employees, as well as for the rights of other students, is undermining the ability of schools to provide students with a quality education. Even in the best schools, employees often…

This article features Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a systems-based method for improving student behavior. PBIS was developed at the University of Oregon and has been shown to work at all grade levels and be effective in districts with greater concentrations of poverty and higher percentages of "at-risk" students. It has…

The major themes of three books based on behaviorist psychology are examined critically, noting that behavior modification has significant limitations. Four of these limitations are identified and briefly discussed. Teachers must realize that discipline approaches must increase the transfer value of behavior learned in school and foster…

Subjects monitored either a target behavior or a competing response, namely, its nonoccurrence. Predicted interaction between style of monitoring and deficit or excess status of target behavior did not occur. Monitoring target behavior was the most effective tactic, producing lowest drop-out rate and greatest maintenance of self-monitoring.…

This parent and teacher guide considers discipline for children with Tourette Syndrome (TS) who have difficulty with behavioral compliance. Discipline is defined primarily as "training to act in accordance with rules," and is not punishment but involves teaching self-control and observance of societal expectations. Controversy and…

Practical techniques for the teacher to help the child deal with behavior problems and learn to establish self-control include: (1) positive reinforcement; (2) ignoring unpleasant behavior; and (3) setting realistic short-term goals. Methods for helping the student to develop better work habits and for squelching disruptive behavior are described.…

A long-established agency for troubled children was following a philosophy based on behavioral control and treatment of pathology. As staff examined their beliefs about the process of change, the climate evolved from enforcing behavior control to empowering youth to develop positive strengths. A charter school was created and new behavior…

A group process can allow teachers and students to deal openly with sources of conflict causing surface behavior problems and enhance self-control among students. Specific guidelines for group meeting structure and teacher behavior are given. A table summarizes the variety of functions and goals for which groups can be used. (VW)

Schools have widely used suspension and related punitive practices, in spite of their proven ineffectiveness. This article discusses the role of Aggression Replacement Training (ART) as part of a schoolwide positive behavior support initiative. Grounded in theory and research, ART focuses on the proactive teaching of acceptable behaviors to…