The Good Behavior Game (GBG, Barrish, Saunders, & Wolf, 1969) and the PATHS Curriculum (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies; Greenberg, Kusche, Cook, & Quamma, 1995) represent 2 universal, elementary school, preventive interventions which have been shown in large-scale, randomized controlled trials to have an immediate and beneficial…

Data-based decision making is enhanced by identifying a precise problem statement or question to explore. When looking at a problem, the nearer we get to the precise problem (e.g., where and when it is occurring, who is involved, and why the problem is continuing in context and location) the more quickly we can build an action plan to effectively…

Together, a school district and a local union are working to ensure that educators are trained in restorative practices in order to improve school climates and keep students in school and learning. This article describes how, in recent years, administrators and teachers have shifted from traditional school punishments, such as suspension, to…

Using data for school improvement is a key goal of Race to the Top, and now is the time to make data-driven school improvement a priority. However, many educators are drowning in data. Boost your professional learning community's ability to translate data into action with this new book from Pam Robbins and Robert T. Hess. "The Data Toolkit"…

This article focuses on the development and implementation of primary and secondary behavior supports at a schoolwide level. The approach described is consistent with previous efforts to address behavior at a systems level (e.g., G. Sugai, R.H. Horner, & F.M. Gresham, 2002). In this article, we illustrate this process through a school-based…

A taxonomy of problems in the environment or evident in student behaviors which impede providing the necessary conditions for pupils to learn was developed by teachers of the educable mentally retarded (EMR) in Wisconsin. Of the teachers, 67% or 487 responded to a request to specify five problems along with their causes and successful and…

The materials in this volume illustrate the complexity of the problem of crime in the public schools and the political, economic, and social difficulties that surround the operation of public schools in this country. These materials also demonstrate the number and variety of school reforms that have been proposed or recently introduced to address…

Youth were found to be responsive to a survey when asked for solutions to provocatively disruptive situations. The general purpose of this study was to determine whether these expressed solutions have some useful application to the problems of disruption. Description was measured through a situational survey and a self-description form filled out…

This research project implemented and evaluated a program in interpersonal skill development designed to increase the use of applied social skills at a middle school located in northeast Illinois. Evidence of inappropriate interpersonal skills was gathered by using observation checklists, teacher and student surveys, and discipline referrals.…

Suggests a comprehensive problem-solving model that addresses discipline from a preventative perspective. Model provides guidelines for problem identification, methods of problem analysis, intervention techniques, and evaluation of discipline intervention. (JW)

This article discusses the author's experiences with the reflective discipline approach. It concludes that for the author, using this system dramatically reduced classroom discipline problems and acting out no longer garners an amused audience of peers. Finally, and the author finds, perhaps most importantly, this solution teaches children to…

Discusses several studies concerning the incidence of disruption and its nature, teacher and pupil attitudes towards class disruption, and areas of disruption (corridors, classrooms). The author concludes that, depending on the individual circumstance, pupils, teachers, and the schools are at fault and all have a responsibility to improve the…

Provides parents, teachers, and counselors with innovative ways to deal with discipline problems and open up communication between child and adult. Innovations discussed include: (1) problem-ownership; (2) I-message; (3) active listening; and (4) brainstorming. Warns against placing labels on childrens' problems. Emphasizes use of positive…

This document is a summary of a book entitled tentatively "Discipline: A Socially Literate Solution" by the same author. The book, based on seven years of research and development, is intended to be a manual for educators and students. The method described takes as its starting point that discipline problems can be reduced significantly if…