Educational policy makers and administrators must choose from a bewildering variety of discipline models and techniques. Legal intervention and contradictory research findings further complicate the matter. There is, therefore, no cut-and-dried solution to student behavior problems. Rather, discipline policies must be based on community values,…

Evidence from research/evaluation studies indicates that the principles underlying law-related education (LRE) programs address the factors that put youth at risk for delinquency. Although rigorous evaluations of LRE are limited, what evidence exists suggests that LRE has potential to prevent delinquency and problem behavior. This digest…

There are many ways to assess the effectiveness of school conflict resolution training (CRT) programs. Some methods require extensive resources, but others, conducted by CRT practitioners themselves, also provide useful information. This digest presents a framework for CRT evaluation by practitioners that enables them to reflect productively on…

Tactics to deal with growing violence in schools have usually relied on removal of the offender by suspension or placement outside of the mainstream classroom. However, educators and psychologists are considering the prevention of violent behavior as both a more humane and cost-effective response to the problem. The relationship between school…

Noting that communication apprehension (CA) is a pattern of anxiety that can profoundly affect oral communication, social skills, and self-esteem, this digest examines some causes and consequences of CA and ways in which it can be diminished. Following an introduction, the digest defines CA and some of its characteristics. Next, the digest looks…

Tactics to deal with growing violence in schools have usually relied on removal of the offender by suspension or placement outside of the mainstream classroom. However, educators and psychologists are considering the prevention of violent behavior as both a more humane and cost-effective response to the problem. The relationship between school…

This digest discusses mediation as a form of conflict management that is receiving widespread attention in schools. Mediation involves a neutral third person, called a mediator, who assists the disputants in resolving their problem with the consent of all parties. It offers a risk-free way to settle disputes for the parties involved. Unresolved…

Disruptive behavior, which can range from tardiness to violence against classmates or staff members, is a growing problem in adult basic education (ABE). Many feel that this is because ABE programs have begun serving young adults below the age of 18 who are quite different from their more mature classmates both psychologically and emotionally.…

Bullying is a serious problem that can dramatically affect the ability of students to progress academically and socially. Bullying is comprised of direct behaviors such as teasing, taunting, threatening, hitting, and stealing that are initiated by one or more students against a victim. Bullying may also be more indirect by causing a student to be…

This digest organizes the complex and interrelated issues concerned with student discipline into four questions, and suggests ways in which colleges and universities can deal with the issues raised. In answering the first question about what might be a proper role for institutions to play in student discipline, it suggests that an appropriate…

Many teens experience a time when keeping up with school work is difficult. Some adolescents are able to get through this time with minimal assistance from their parents or teachers. However, when the difficulties last longer than a single grading period or are linked to a long-term pattern of poor school performance, parents and teachers may need…