| Discipline issues are the biggest barrier to a | | | | education environment not only through his |
| school-wide focus on teaching and learning. | | | | various roles, but has more specifically worked to |
| There is little doubt among education | | | | develop and adopt technology solutions to reduce |
| professionals that safe and orderly learning | | | | costs and create efficiency. In doing so, he has |
| environments are a pre-requisite of effective | | | | also acted as a project manager in the |
| schools. Likewise, schools laden with disruption, | | | | implementation major programs in school district |
| violence and an unstable atmosphere significantly | | | | Human Resources departments as well as |
| hinder student learning and achievement. Is your | | | | school-based environments serving school |
| school doing everything possible to create a safe | | | | administration, faculty, staff and students. |
| learning environment for students? In order to | | | | Richard Golko is a career technology consultant |
| help determine this, here are five signs that your | | | | and engineer. He has served small, medium and |
| school's student behavior management program | | | | enterprise-level companies since 1992. Clients |
| may be ineffective. | | | | include Cargill, Inc. in the United States and CEFAS |
| Sign#1: Little or No Involvement/Communication | | | | in the United Kingdom. Richard is a Microsoft |
| with FamiliesIn today's busy society, schools must | | | | Partner and is fully up-to-date in cutting edge |
| make a focused effort to include parents in the | | | | software architecture and development through |
| communication chain. When students are | | | | the entire project lifecycle. Richard also has |
| disciplined for poor behaviors, every effort must | | | | a keen interest in helping young people make |
| be made to notify the parents immediately, | | | | better decisions which affect their futures. He |
| informing them of the school's response to such | | | | wrote a full-featured goal setting and achieving |
| behavior. At the beginning of each school year, | | | | course with accompanying software called |
| parents and students should be educated | | | | Achieve It! He has presented the course to |
| regarding the student code of conduct and school | | | | individuals and to corporate teams for the |
| policy surrounding infractions that occur. Failure to | | | | YMCA. Contact Information |
| establish the lines of communication results in a | | | | William Shoap |
| loss of opportunity to truly understand the | | | | 615-394-3501 |
| student's background as well as needed support | | | | ghlighting |
| from the home to deter future behavior | | | | References Banks, R. (2000). Bullying in |
| problems. Failure to communicate may also | | | | schools. ERIC Review, 7(1). Bernhardt, V.L. (1998). |
| encourage a more negative response to the | | | | Data analysis for comprehensive school wide |
| school from parents when something more | | | | improvement. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education. |
| serious occurs. Parental involvement and | | | | Brown, C. (2000). How states and systems use |
| support in school activities is also | | | | data. Fairfield, AL: Fairfield Board of Education. |
| important. However, schools serving lower | | | | (Unpublished). Byrd, R. S. and Weitzman, M. L. |
| socio-economic areas will be challenged, as parents | | | | (1994). Predictors of Early Grade Retention |
| of children in these areas are working harder just | | | | Among Children in the United States. Pediatrics, 93 |
| to make "ends meet" and have little time to be | | | | (3), 81-87. California Department of Education. |
| involved with the child's education. Also, schools in | | | | (2001). California safe schools assessment: |
| more poverty prone areas tend to receive little | | | | communications and media relations workshop. |
| or no financial support from parent | | | | Sacramento, CA: California Department of |
| donors. Nevertheless, such schools should still aim | | | | Education. California Department of Education. |
| to blanket these parents with as much | | | | (1997). Challenge toolkit: Safe and healthy schools. |
| information as possible. A good faith effort goes | | | | Sacramento, CA: California Department of |
| a long with way in obtaining future cooperation | | | | Education. California Department of Education and |
| with parents when it is absolutely required. | | | | the Crime and Violence Prevention Center. (1995). |
| Sign#2: Lack of incentives to promote positive | | | | Safe schools: A planning guide for action. |
| behaviorSchool-wide discipline is more than simply | | | | Sacramento, CA: California Department of |
| establishing rules and consequences for problem | | | | Education. Clay, D. (1996). School safety and |
| behavior. A comprehensive and effective | | | | discipline. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland State University. |
| school-wide discipline program takes preventative | | | | Colorado Trust. (2000). Supporting schools |
| measures, which include a positive behavior | | | | initiative. Denver, CO: Colorado Trust. Cornell, D.G., |
| support component that is designed to | | | | Loper, A.B., Atkinson, A.J., and Sheras, P.L. (1999). |
| demonstrate, promote, and reinforce, positive | | | | Youth violence prevention in Virginia: A needs |
| student behavior. This approach places major | | | | assessment. Charlottesville, VA: Virginia Youth |
| emphasis on the creation of an atmosphere that | | | | Violence Prevention Project. Davis, C., Hammond, |
| is predictable and safe, where successful student | | | | C., and Benson, D. (2000). Florida SESIR Regional |
| learning and academic achievement can | | | | Workshop Training Materials. Tallahassee, FL: |
| flourish. Believe it or not, some students, while | | | | Florida Safe Learning Environment Institute at the |
| having a sense of what's right and wrong, still | | | | Florida A & M University and the Florida |
| may not understand what "good" behavior actually | | | | Department of Education. Dwyer, K., Osher, D., |
| is until it's modeled for them. What better model | | | | and Warger, C. (1998). Early warning, timely |
| could be provided for them in the school | | | | response: A guide to safe schools. Washington, |
| environment than other students (their peers) | | | | DC: U.S. Department of Education. Edmonds, R. |
| who are demonstrating and being rewarded for | | | | (1979). A discussion of the literature and issues |
| these good behaviors? Schools that have been | | | | related to effective schooling. St. Louis, MO.: |
| successful in implementing school-wide positive | | | | CEMREL. Flannery, D. (1998). Improving school |
| behavioral interventions and supports have found | | | | violence prevention programs through meaningful |
| - Increases in attendance, | | | | evaluation. ERIC Digest, 132. Gaskins, B. (1999). |
| - Student reports of a more positive and calm | | | | How to make a difference through site-based |
| environment, | | | | school public relations planning. In K.K. Muir (Ed.), |
| - Teacher reports of a more positive and calm | | | | School public relations: Building confidence in |
| environment, and | | | | education. Rockville, MD: National School Public |
| - Reduction in the number of behavioral | | | | Relations Association. Gottfredson, D.C., Wilson, |
| disruptions (Safe, Disciplined, and Drug-Free | | | | D.B., and Najaka, S.S. (2001). School-based crime |
| Schools Project, 2000). | | | | prevention. In D.P. Farrington, L.W. Sherman and B. |
| Sign#3: No systematic data-based | | | | Welsh (Eds.), Evidence-based crime prevention. |
| decision-making procedures | | | | London, UK: Harwood Academic Publishers. |
| Without systematic, data-based decision-making | | | | Gottfredson, DC (1997). School-based crime |
| procedures, the implementation of a school | | | | prevention. In L. Sherman, DC Gottfredson, D. |
| discipline system is prone to failure. Proper | | | | MacKenzie, J. Eck, P. Reuter, and S. Bushway |
| planning of a school-wide discipline program | | | | (Eds.), Preventing crime: What works, what |
| requires reliable data that allows school | | | | doesn't, what's promising: A report to the United |
| administrators to strategically target student | | | | States Congress Washington, DC: U.S. |
| behaviors, establish preventative measures and | | | | Department of Justice. Hinshaw, S. P. (1992). |
| effectively identify and provide appropriate | | | | Academic underachievement, attention deficits, |
| interventions for students who exhibit these | | | | and aggression: Comorbidity and implications for |
| behaviors."[Schools require] the information | | | | intervention. Journal of Consulting and Clinical |
| essential to solving problems, selecting appropriate | | | | Psychology, 60 (6), 893-903. Holcomb, E.L. (1998). |
| interventions, and providing better support for | | | | Getting excited about data: How to combine |
| student learning (Nakasato, 2000). Incident data | | | | people, passion, and proof. Thousand Oaks, CA: |
| can also be used to assess the effects of | | | | Corwin Press, Inc. Johnson, J.H. (1996). Data-driven |
| interventions (Flannery, 1998). Many types of | | | | school improvement. Oregon School Study Council, |
| incident reporting are also required by districts, | | | | 39(5). Kame'enui, E.J., And Simmons, DC (1998). |
| states, and the Federal Government. Well | | | | Beyond effective practices to schools as host |
| designed incident reporting systems will save time, | | | | environments: Building and sustaining a school-wide |
| a limited resource, when schools and districts are | | | | intervention model in reading. OSSC Bulletin, 41(3), |
| required to complete these reports." | | | | 3-24. Kaminski, R.A., And Good, R.H., III (1996). |
| Sign#4: Lack of strict enforcement of | | | | Toward a technology for assessing basic early |
| rulesWithout a strong commitment from | | | | literacy skills. School Psychology Review, |
| administrators, teachers and staff, having a well | | | | 25,215-227. Kinder, J.A. (2000). A short guide to |
| constructed school-wide discipline plan on paper | | | | school public relations. Phi Delta Kappa Fastbacks, |
| means nothing. At the beginning of each school | | | | 464, 7-44. Lezotte, L.W. (1991). Correlates of |
| year, students should be thoroughly informed of | | | | effective schools: The first and second generation. |
| the school-wide student code of conduct, which | | | | Okemos, MI: Effective Schools Products, Ltd. |
| should clearly display a list of behavioral | | | | Linquanti, R., and Berliner, B. (1994). Rebuilding |
| expectations. The code of conduct should | | | | schools as safe havens: A typology for selecting |
| provide a list of negative behaviors and their | | | | and integrating violence prevention strategies. |
| consequences. However, it should likewise display | | | | Portland, OR: Western Regional Center for |
| a list of positive or acceptable behaviors that will | | | | Drug-Free Schools and Communities. Muir, K.K. |
| be rewarded. This initial communication to | | | | (Ed.) (1999). School public relations: Building |
| students (and parents), whether it occur at an | | | | confidence in education. Rockville, MD: National |
| open house, classroom meeting or parent | | | | School Public Relations Association. Nakasato, J. |
| conference should occur before or on the very | | | | (2000). Data-based decisionmaking in Hawaii's |
| first day of student attendance. Administrators | | | | behavior support effort. Journal of Positive |
| should assign top priority to making sure that all | | | | Behavioral Interventions, 2(4). National Center for |
| members of the faculty and staff are well versed | | | | Education Statistics (2001). Digest of Education |
| in the contents of the student code of conduct. | | | | Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of |
| Additionally, this education process needs to occur | | | | Education. Nelson, R.J., Martella, R.M., And |
| each year, even for veteran staff members. If | | | | Marchand-Martella, N. (In press). Maximizing student |
| the faculty does not know the code of conduct, | | | | learning: The effects of a comprehensive |
| how will they be able to enforce it? Not | | | | school-based program for preventing problem |
| understanding the student code of conduct only | | | | behavior. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral |
| leads to arbitrary and possibly legally indefensible | | | | Disorders. Pennsylvania Department of Education |
| punishments as well as contributes to a less | | | | (2001). Ridge awards nearly 9 million in safe-school |
| predictable and unstable school atmosphere. | | | | grants. Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Department |
| Finally, each member of the faculty and staff | | | | of Education. Pepperl, J.C. And Lezotte, L.W. |
| should commit to maintaining a resolute | | | | (1999). What the effective schools research says: |
| determination to follow-through with enforcing the | | | | Safe and orderly environment. Okemos, MI: |
| rules. Each member of the faculty and staff | | | | Effective Schools Products, Ltd. Price, J. (1999). |
| should see themselves as the most important link | | | | Customer service. In K.K. Muir (Ed.), School public |
| in the chain of student achievement. One weak | | | | relations: Building confidence in education. Rockville, |
| link can break the entire chain. Therefore | | | | MD: National School Public Relations Association. |
| consistency among all faculty and staff is required | | | | Riley, P., and McDaniel, J. (1998). Safe school plans |
| for a successful school-wide discipline program. | | | | begin with information gathering. School |
| Sign#5: Cumbersome and Disorganized | | | | Administrator, 8(55). Ross, V.M. (1999). Internal |
| ProcessesA well written school-wide discipline | | | | Communication: PR Training. In K.K. Muir (Ed.), |
| program can also be ineffective if procedures | | | | School public relations: Building confidence in |
| cannot be executed in a timely and organized | | | | education. Rockville, MD: National School Public |
| manner. This "process" component generally | | | | Relations Association. Sack, J.L. (1999). An ounce |
| lies on the shoulders of the school administration | | | | of prevention. Education Week, 19(9). Safe, |
| and office staff. In a typical school environment, | | | | Disciplined, and Drug-Free Schools Project (2000). |
| a teacher responds to a classroom discipline | | | | Developing schoolwide discipline plans. Safe, |
| incident by completing a form which identifies the | | | | Disciplined and Drug-Free Schools Notes, 3 (3). |
| student and provides the details of the infraction. | | | | Shinn, M. (1997). Instructional decisionmaking using |
| This form is then hand-delivered to the | | | | curriculum-based measurement. Unpublished |
| administration, usually to an administrator's mailbox | | | | workshop materials. Sprague, J., Sugai, G., Horner, |
| where the administrator retrieves it and initiates a | | | | R., and Walker, H.M. (1999). Using office discipline |
| response to the student and parents. After the | | | | referral data to evaluate schoolwide discipline and |
| response, the administrator must make sure the | | | | violence prevention interventions. Oregon School |
| teacher is notified of the response and must file | | | | Study Council Bulletin, 42(2). Squires, D.A., Huitt, |
| the form. While some schools are generally | | | | W.G., And Segars, J.K. (1983). Effective schools |
| effective with this process, there remains much | | | | and classrooms: A research-based perspective. |
| room for improvement, especially with response | | | | Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and |
| time. As general rule, a shorter response-time | | | | Curriculum Development. Stephens, R. (1994). |
| preserves the integrity and impact of the | | | | Planning for safer and better schools: School |
| consequence. Why is this true? A delayed | | | | violence prevention and intervention strategies. |
| response not only gives the student more of an | | | | School Psychology Review, 23(2). Stephens, R.D. |
| opportunity to continue the misbehavior before | | | | (2000). Safe School Planning. In Elliot, D.S., |
| the correction takes place, but can | | | | Hamburg, B.A., and Williams, K.R. (Eds.) Violence in |
| psychologically diminish the effectiveness of the | | | | American schools. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge |
| applied consequence. In the student's mind, a | | | | University Press. Sugai, G., Sprague, J.R., Horner, |
| delayed response-time implies that the infraction | | | | R.H. And Walker, H.M. (2000). Preventing school |
| was not that serious. Furthermore, teachers, who | | | | violence: The use of office discipline referrals to |
| are the front line workers, do not perceive that | | | | assess and monitor schoolwide discipline |
| they are receiving the administrative support they | | | | interventions. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral |
| need when the response time is delayed. In | | | | Disorders, 8(2). Sugai, G.M., Kame'enui, E.J., Horner, |
| Conclusion: Without a well written and properly | | | | R.H., And Simmons, DC (1998). Effective |
| executed school-wide discipline program, a school's | | | | instructional and behavioral support systems: A |
| number one goal of student academic | | | | schoolwide approach to discipline and early literacy. |
| achievement cannot be met. Now, more than | | | | Eugene, OR: University of Oregon. Uniform Crime |
| ever, a plethora of tools and knowledge exist that | | | | Reporting Program. (2000). National incident-based |
| can assist schools in taking dramatic strides in | | | | report system, volume 1: Data collection guidelines. |
| reaching their academic achievement goals. If | | | | Washington, DC: Criminal Justice Information |
| you would like more information regarding how | | | | Services Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, |
| your particular school can achieve more, please | | | | U.S. Department of Justice. Valle-Greene, A. |
| visit or send a message to About Us William | | | | (2000). Schools Tackle Discipline in Classrooms. |
| Shoap is a 13-year public school educator holding | | | | Lakeland Ledger, May 21, 2000. Yoshikawa, H. |
| positions in teaching, school administration and | | | | (1995). Long-term effects of early childhood |
| district level administration. William has remained | | | | programs on social outcomes and delinquency. |
| committed to enhancing the public school | | | | Future of Children, 5 (3), 51-75. |