A successful inservice program designed to improve teachers' classroom discipline procedures and establish school-wide policies for behavior and conduct in an elementary school is described. The program's positive effects on both teachers and students was attributed to the following reasons: (1) The program was school-based, school-wide, and…

Myths often associated with behavioral disorders are examined, and for each myth, strategies that can be implemented by teachers and systems to dispell the myths are identified. It is suggested that the myth that parents caused the child to be behaviorally disordered (BD) can interfere with the child's programing and growth and effective…

Joint teacher and student development of a contingency management plan to help control disruptive behavior was explored with a class of 13 mildly mentally retarded elementary school children after several less extensive teacher directed contingencies were unsuccessful. All students in the self contained classroom had extensive school histories of…

Studies on the problems of vandalism and violence in the schools have focused on societal changes, school behaviors, and the attitudes and behavior of the school principal in their efforts to understand the causes of such problems. This study examined recent trends in rates and costs of vandalism, and in rates of assaults by students on other…

This paper reports a study directed toward educational improvement through individual and group change. It is a 3-year naturalistic case study centering on 9 experienced science teachers, 13 novice science teachers, 64 secondary science students, and 4 researchers. The three aims of this study are to know more about: (1) what it is to be a teacher…

This research brief reviews selected 1986 publications concerning the effects of class size on student achievement, attitudes, and behavior. The following points are made: (1) smaller classes in the lower grades have a positive effect on student learning attitudes and behavior; (2) minority, disadvantaged, and low-achieving students perform better…

This study evaluated the acquisition of study skills in high-risk college freshmen enrolled in a developmental course, "Introduction to University Studies." The construction of the 30-item multiple choice instrument was described. The test reflected the objectives of the course, covering traditional study skill topics such as…

This report reviews studies on social interactions in desegregated schools and synthesizes reports on differences in the experience of schooling of black females as compared to schooling of white females. The literature on the subject, though sparse, indicates that in the early grades both white and black females have a lot in common, despite some…

Classroom discipline is one of the biggest difficulties in teaching. This book describes a system of classroom management that combines the characteristics of a good teacher with those of a successful disciplinarian. The main message is that responsibility for good behavior belongs with the students and that teachers should spend more time…

Counselors at one middle school would see the same students repeatedly for disruptive behavior in the classroom. The counselors' efforts did not appear to reduce these repetitive referrals. This study used group counseling to address the maladaptive behavior of the students and to improve their self-esteem. Students were selected by six teachers…

Three approaches to classroom management--assertive discipline, cooperative learning, and behavior management/mastery learning theory--are described. Assertive discipline was observed in a fifth-grade class taught by a teacher who would not allow students to interfere with her teaching or another child's learning. The assertive discipline approach…

Meta-analysis of 17 studies was conducted to determine the effectiveness of retaining elementary school students in grade. Calculations with data from the 17 studies produced 217 effect size measures, most of which were measures of differences in reading and mathematics achievement. Some measures of differences in social adjustment, behavior, and…

A brief questionnaire examining how teachers' rules of conduct facilitate learning was answered by 20 teachers in a Northeastern urban elementary school. Only two of these, from the upper levels, posted written rules. Verbal rules regarding inappropriate talking and seat leaving behavior were most frequently issued across all grades. Also issued…

This curriculum allows students to learn about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) at their own pace. The Instructor's manual presents the goals of AIDS education in a three-session lesson plan. The manual also outlines eight learning opportunities to reinforce in students the personal health behaviors and attitudes emphasized in the guide.…

The result of interviews with 77 students on California state university campuses, this paper explores a set of guidelines designed to facilitate communication between white faculty and minority students. The paper is divided into three sections, each dealing with one of the three areas of the guidelines: classroom interaction, advising, and…