Teachers who understand anxiety and its effect on a student's learning and behavior, and use a few common strategies in different and more effective ways, will be less frustrated and more effective in their work with anxious or emotionally fragile students.

Every community has individuals or groups who manage to find better solutions to problems than their peers, although everyone has access to the same resources and challenges. Those are the positive deviants.

Dealing with difficult behavior is a matter of awareness of the factors involved in prediction, prevention, and instruction. This means three things: Teachers know, or can be assisted in thinking through the environmental events and contexts that are associated with higher probabilities of problem behavior. Second, teachers can actively manipulate…

Explains proper and improper interpretations of the author's assertive discipline program. Teachers need to communicate clear rules for the classroom, teach students how to follow them, employ positive reinforcement, and use firm and consistent negative consequences for rule-breakers as a last resort. Includes five references. (MLH)