Discusses how teachers can deal with student misbehavior by ignoring negative behavior that is motivated by a desire for attention. Practical techniques are described for pinpointing attention seekers, enlisting classmates to deal with misbehaving students, ignoring misbehavior, and distinguishing behavior that responds to this technique from…

Assessed factors contributing to 152 preservice teachers' choice of a helping or restrictive strategy to manage social immaturity and social defiance behavior among children. Regression analyses indicated that the costs of problem behavior significantly predicted the type of strategy the teachers would choose. (Author/TE)

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)

Tells the story of a disruptive student who refuses to follow directions from the teacher and finds various ways of undermining classroom activities. Suggests that the student nevertheless sees his own work as "excellent" and believes his policy of "daring to be different" is really paying off. (TB)

Administration of the School Social Behavior Scales to 81 elementary-age gifted students indicated that subjects had higher levels of social competence and lower levels of antisocial behavior than did a comparison group. Findings also indicated the presence of a small subset of gifted students with extremely poor social competence and high levels…

To reduce problem behaviors in the classroom, teachers should emphasize the desired behaviors they want students to exhibit, through differential reinforcement of zero rates of behaviors, incompatible behaviors, lower rates of behavior, and communicative behaviors. This paper discusses the advantages of differential reinforcement, potential…

The use of functional analysis is demonstrated with a case study of a preschool child with behavior problems in the classroom. Discussion focuses on the steps of a functional analysis: interview, direct observation, systematic environmental manipulations, and development of intervention procedures. (DB)

As part of a larger study, researchers collected campus codes prohibiting hate crimes, which were then reviewed to determine whether the codes presented constitutional problems. Based on this review, the authors develop and present a model policy that is content neutral and does not use language that could be viewed as unconstitutionally vague or…

Utilizes the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale to examine 230 high schoolers and juvenile offenders. Youth were categorized as nondelinquent, noninstitutionalized delinquents, and institutionalized delinquents. Results indicate a strong connection between negative self-concept and delinquency, suggesting that these two variables are tightly…

Investigates the effect of randomizing both contingencies for reinforcement and reinforcers to decrease classroom disruptive behavior in five adolescent students with serious emotional disorder. Results reveal that the percentage of observed intervals of disruptive behaviors decreased immediately and dramatically in all students. (Contains 24…

The principle of "behavior traps" to change student behavior is explained, and examples of 25 such "traps" are suggested. The "traps" lure the child into a "success circle" of increasing positive knowledge and skills. Examples include incorporating student interests in heroes, special interests, and clubs into curricular activities; utilizing…

Kentucky teachers (N=209) were given scenarios of students exhibiting problematic behavior to determined whether they considered the function of a behavior when determining a classroom intervention. Results found that few teachers considered the behavioral function when deciding upon an intervention. Discusses implications for school…

An article by Peg Dawson condensed from Principal Leadership (Jan 2005) is presented. Dawson discusses the research on the impacts of the lack of sleep towards students. Lack of sleep is associated with academic and behavior problems, tardiness, and absenteeism, reduced alertness, and heightened irritability.

In this article, the author responds to a teacher's request for advice on what she can do about the bossy behavior of one of her students which she is worried may escalate to bullying. The author provides some strategies on how to help the child who constantly tries to control others. She also suggests finding other attributes besides the child's…

The ability to shape appropriate behavior while extinguishing misbehavior is critical to teaching and learning in physical education. The scientific principles that affect student learning in the gymnasium also apply to the methods teachers use to influence social behaviors. Research indicates that reinforcement strategies are more effective than…