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.…

A practicum was conducted at a small, private elementary school to introduce strategies that would reduce kindergarten classroom disruptions and playground disturbances due to fighting, verbal confrontations, and disregard for authority and rules. A survey conducted at the school revealed that kindergarten teachers handled a daily average of 10…

A practicum project was developed and implemented to reduce the incidents of aggressive behavior and impulsive actions among kindergarten students by means of win-win situations for conflict resolution. The objectives for the program were to achieve: (1) a 25 percent decrease of impulsive and aggressive behavior; (2) 50 percent of the target group…

This practicum project addressed the need to improve antisocial behavior in disruptive elementary school children, using a skill deficit perspective. Six student participants were selected on the basis of a high number of school suspensions and their identification as disrespectful, confrontational, and self-absorbed, as well as behaviors that…

Outcomes of an inschool suspension program implemented at a New England elementary school are described in this practicum report. Because out-of-school suspension may place children at educational and physical risk, the inschool program was developed to reduce school absences, provide continuing instruction, and serve both rehabilitative and…

Outcomes of a high school inschool suspension program are presented in this practicum report. Because students associated the former discipline program with unfair treatment and inconsistent sanctions, a new program was developed. Goals were to improve student behavior, attendance, morale, self-esteem, and academic achievement in grades 9 through…

This program was developed and implemented to resolve conflict among administrators, staff, and students, thereby reducing suspensions in a teen-parent school. Ranging from 12 to 20 years old, the target population was 160 female teen parents. The objectives for the program were for suspensions to be reduced by 15%; that 35% of the students would…

This practicum describes a method developed to address a high school problem involving grade 9-12 students who verbally and/or physically abused other students. In order to enable these students to interact appropriately, without abusive behaviors, a structured support group curriculum was written, the high school administrative staff and a…

Counselors at one middle school would see the same students repeatedly for disruptive behavior in the classroom. The counselors' efforts did not appear to reduce these repetitive referrals. This study used group counseling to address the maladaptive behavior of the students and to improve their self-esteem. Students were selected by six teachers…

This paper describes a social studies unit which addresses the problem of cultural dissonance in black, inner city kindergarten children who enter school without adequate classroom social interaction skills. In order to avoid using extensive academic time to orient children toward cooperative behavior and discipline procedures throughout the…

This practicum report describes a program in which strategies for improving self-managing behavior skills of second graders were designed and implemented. The goals of the Self-Management and Responsibility Training (SMART) Program were to improve students' behavior and encourage development of students' critical thinking skills. The four basic…

This practicum was designed to reduce the frequency of disruption occurring in a class of emotionally disturbed students, aged 6-10. Objectives were to have the students remain on task and attentive to teacher instruction during 80 percent of a morning classroom session and to reduce the need for crisis intervention outside the classroom. Three…

A practicum project implemented a program designed to reduce negative behavior in the hallways and cafeteria of an urban middle school. The objectives of this program were to reduce by 15% the number of infractions in the cafeteria and in the hallway and to reduce by 15% the number of students suspended out of school. The target population was a…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a 12-week program using cooperative learning and Multiple Intelligences to increase student motivation for learning. The targeted population consisted of elementary and middle school students in a low-socioeconomic community in northern Illinois. The problem of motivation was documented in the…

This practicum was designed to reduce the instances of negative behavior exhibited by students in a special education setting. Various interventions were initiated and implemented, such as engaging students in conflict resolution workshops, involving student in extracurricular activities so as to help them use leisure time constructively, and…