A substantial amount of controversy surrounds the issue of class size in public schools. Parents and teachers are on one side, touting the benefits of smaller class sizes (e.g., increased academic achievement, greater student-teacher interaction, utilization of more innovative teaching strategies, and a decrease in discipline problems). On the…

This paper seeks to provide a starting point for a broader discussion on the development of a critical research agenda in the field of "Education and Conflict Studies." We begin the paper with a brief overview of the field of Education and Conflict drawing on a series of recent "overviews" of the field and locate this within…

Behavior support in schools is increasingly viewed as a three-tier prevention effort in which "universal" interventions are used for primary prevention, "targeted" interventions are used for secondary prevention, and "intensive" interventions are used for tertiary prevention. A growing body of research has demonstrated the effectiveness of…

Designed to provide comprehensive, research-based coverage of classroom issues, this book is a synthesis of the research base on classroom management and discipline. Factors for establishing an effective classroom management system are presented, and specific actions are offered to restore order if misbehavior occurs. The content is applicable for…

This practicum report describes a 15-day in-room suspension strategy designed to reduce the increasing number of principal-initiated student suspensions resulting from inappropriate conduct. The program's distinguishing features entailed a central figure who predetermined the candidates by means of a pre-suspension interview, parental-student…

Describes discipline program initiated by the principal of a "tough" midwestern rural junior-senior high school. Includes ethnographic methodology; community characteristics; principal's background, self-concept, and leadership qualities; aspects of the program; and faculty, parent, and student perceptions of the principal and his…

This revised 1997 ex post facto study attempted to identify a lifelong adaptability curriculum from a cultural literacy perspective. It investigated students' lifelong adaptability ratings of 15 general school subjects as predicted by family structure, parental age, parental educational level, student cultural literacy, and student gender;…

The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, December 3, 2004, (IDEA '04) and its implementing federal regulations, October 13, 2006, prompted the need to revise Virginia's special education regulations. Input was received from a Stakeholders Group that included school personnel, parents, consumers,…

Socially problematic and violent behaviour of pupils in and around schools is undesirable from pedagogical, social and societal perspectives. The motives underlying violence between different social actors in school may help explain and improve this behaviour. The aim is to investigate the relationship patterns between characteristics of secondary…

In 1994, about 60 to 70% of Americans supported parental spanking. This paper examines student misbehavior, school discipline, prevention, treatment, and punishment in U.S. society Currently, 23 states still allow paddling in schools, and most states do not allow the spanking of foster children. As of 1994, all but a few of the national…

This study sought to examine strategies of teams of teachers who have established their own discipline plans and compare them to teams of teachers who have not developed discipline plans. It is based on interviews with 28 team leaders from 5 middle schools in northwest Georgia, 9 of whom indicated that they had organized, written discipline plans…

Lee Canter's Assertive Discipline method was studied using a survey of 72 high school teachers' attitudes. Assertive Discipline calls for firm but fair rules, negative consequences for inappropriate behavior, and positive consequences for positive behavior, all set by the teacher. After a lengthy literature review, the survey is discussed.…

One of the more perplexing problems facing middle schools is the use of in-school suspension (ISS). So as to understand better the effects of this practice, one middle school's ISS program was studied and evaluated. Current research on ISS polices and practices is limited, and there is little evidence that supports its use or reform; however, in…

Every child has "ornery" moments, but more than 1 in 20 American children exhibit behavioral problems that are out of control. This book was written to help parents struggling with an unyielding or combative child. The book's eight-step program emphasizes consistency and cooperation, promoting changes through a system of praise, rewards,…

Findings from a principal survey on safety, discipline, and drug use prevention are presented in this report. A national questionnaire mailed to 884 public elementary and secondary school principals yielded 830 usable returns, a 94 percent response rate. Respondents were asked about the extent of discipline problems within their schools and the…