Does clothing make the person or does the person make the clothing? How does what attire a student wears to school affect their academic achievement? In 1996, President Clinton cited examples of school violence and discipline issues that might have been avoided had the students been wearing uniforms ("School uniforms: Prevention or suppression?").…

This book presents essays written by school reformers that discuss the reform movement and examine the partnership that inspired the creation of small, intimate school communities known as charters. They also reflect on the comprehensive changes that inform each charter and the personal and collective struggles to institutionalize these new…

Student punishment has received increased scrutiny; one of the concerns is that not all students are punished equally. This paper presents findings of a study that investigated whether race, gender, or existence of student disability affected punishment practices in an eastern Kentucky school district. Since corporal punishment had been banned in…

This research paper critiques the philosophical basis, developmental appropriateness, and effectiveness of a school honor system and questions whether a school honor system is still an appropriate tool for character instruction in the twenty-first century. Characteristics which induce a subculture of academic deceit, as well as attributes which…

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 handbook recognizes the growing trend away from traditional disciplinary tactics to a discipline policy that encourages student responsibility. This edition, published by the Oklahoma Department of Education, contains three sections. The first describes methods for creating a positive learning climate, some of which include evaluating teacher…

In response to growing public concern over declining educational quality and discipline problems in today's schools, this paper reviews research on the causes of school disruption and student misbehavior, identifies promising ameliorative strategies, and examines specific research-practitioner collaborations that have successfully reduced school…

The role of personality make-up of those involved in problem solving, conflict resolution, classroom management, and school discipline is discussed. Three studies are presented which demonstrated personal characteristics which may appear to invite, or provide opportunity for, antisocial behavior. In the first study, psychological profiles were…

This handbook is designed to assist vocational teachers in maintaining effective classroom and laboratory control. Following an introduction to the topic, the importance of effective control and teacher attitude are overviewed. The third section offers definitions of discipline and "in loco parentis", a perspective on discipline, and reasons for…

The findings of a study into the nature and extent of violence in the New Jersey public schools are reported in this document. A mailed questionnaire elicited 1,387 responses from 56 percent of the school principals queried. The first section of the questionnaire sought an in-depth profile of the reporting school concerning type of school,…

THE AUTHOR SUBMITTED THAT NEGATIVE PRECONCEPTIONS OFTEN HINDER THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS IN CULTURALLY DEPRESSED AREAS. MOST DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN ARE NOT SPECIAL DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS, NOR EXCEPTIONALLY HOSTILE OR UNRESPONSIVE. THEY AND THEIR PARENTS HAVE HIGH, EVEN UNREALISTIC, EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS. TEACHERS SHOULD…

It is proposed that a disciplinary Saturday school may be a good alternative to student suspension because it solves many of the problems involved with suspending students from school. Allowing students to attend Saturday school rather than being suspended gives them an opportunity to improve their grades and to attend all their regular classes.…

This Research Action Brief describes five studies designed to test techniques for decreasing disruptive student conduct in the secondary school classroom. The two behavior modification studies discussed showed strong positive results. Questions remain, however, concerning the permanence of behavior changes that are dependent on reward systems and…