Young students starting school for the first time (e.g., kindergarteners) often benefit from more than typical intensity of behavioral support. Learning new social expectations, routines, and interaction patterns can be daunting. This is an important concern for schools implementing positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS). Learning a…

Creating classroom rules together can be a very meaningful experience for children and teachers and can help establish a positive sense of classroom community. Student participation in rule-making encourages active involvement, reflection, meaningful connections, respect for rules, a sense of community, problem solving through negotiation,…

An administrator's first year as an elementary school principal provided unexpected problems that could not be solved by applying clearcut rules or logical thinking. Among the problem areas were student and staff discipline, relations with parents and the PTA, and teacher evaluation. (PGD)

Identifying an instructional leader as a principal who engages in activities that significantly affect the learning that goes on in the school, this article profiles an elementary school principal recognized by the Oregon Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development as one of the state's most effective instructional leaders. The author…

This book about classroom management provides teachers with information on how to help students become the kind of people they want them to be. It offers a guide to the Responsive Classroom approach, a social and emotional learning program that creates an ideal environment for learning. Section 1, "Building a Learning Community,"…

The article presents 10 tips for developing an effective conflict resolution program that provides students with the necessary skills to work issues out peacefully between themselves. Conflict resolution warmup activities from classroom teachers and a guide to conflict resolution resources and programs are also included. (SM)

This report describes a program to establish a positive school climate. The targeted population consisted of elementary students in a low socioeconomic area. The problems of poor interpersonal skills and inappropriate social behaviors were documented through structured observations, surveys, and school records. Analysis of probable cause data…

This book is about managing a responsive classroom and teaching children to care. The aim of every chapter and technique is the creation of self-controls and community, defined as the capacity to care about oneself, others, and the world. The 16 chapter topics are: (1) goals of self-control and community; (2) techniques of the first 6 weeks of…

Elementary teachers' responses to vignettes depicting twelve types of student problem behavior (instructional concerns: failure syndrome, perfectionist, underachiever, and low achiever; aggression problems: hostile aggressive, passive aggressive, and defiant; activity issues: short attention span, hyperactive, and immature; and peer relation…

Several teacher motivation variables were examined for relationships to stategies teachers use for responding to problem students. During interviews, 98 elementary school teachers described general strategies to twelve types of problem students: (1) failure syndrome; (2) perfectionist; (3) underachiever; (4) low achiever; (5) hostile aggressive;…

This practicum report analyzes a driver and student training program developed at an elementary school to improve students' bus conduct. Seventy percent of students require transportation by school bus. Except for chronic bus misconduct, discipline has not been a school concern. It was hypothesized that the lack of a comprehensive program…