This book is a tell-all guide to the euphoric highs and unimaginable lows of teaching. Mahoney and Purr present the naked truth of their own blunder-laden first few years in order to help new teachers, those who think they might want to become teachers, and those in the business of training and hiring new teachers, see the realities that cannot be…

The seeming increase of violence in American society and its schools has become a pressing issue. Some researchers argue that the American education system mirrors the dynamics of society. The articles in this book address the following issues: the extent of violence in American schools; the forms that violence takes; its root causes; the effects…

Cites incidents of assaults against teachers and offers some safe-school tips, a plan that helps cut crime, and advice to school executives to provide support and consolation to battered teachers. (MLF)

Television has a pervasive presence in our lives and connects us to a larger world. Children spend more time watching television than any other activity (except sleeping). According to Bernard Percy, television can have a positive effect on children: it can build vocabulary, stimulate interests and motivate actions. Parents should consider doing…

Discusses the possible causes of violence by students in the secondary classroom. Outlines steps that teachers and administrators should take to prevent or reduce the impact of students who do exhibit violent behaviors. (HB)

The use of physical violence on students affronts democratic values and infringes on individual rights; furthermore, a study of school violence found a high correlation between physical punishment and violent behavior of students. (Author/MLF)

Suggests actions that teachers can take to challenge the use of violence by children. Actions include providing early intervention and teaching specific skills to help children resolve conflicts. Discusses adaptation to children's developmental levels and creation of classroom contexts supportive of nonviolence. (LB)

Discusses domestic violence as a social issue and the roles of school, social worker, and teacher in combating domestic violence. Focuses on teachers' roles in identifying domestic violence and includes questions to assist in identification. Suggests ways to respond to a child's disclosure of violence, and classroom strategies to establish a…

Explains what security officers do, how to hire and utilize them, and how they can help schools. (JM)

Television is a pervasive part of American culture and has the potential to make significant contributions to children's development. The quality of children's programming is the responsibility of the television industry, parents, educators, and society, all of whom must work together to control violence on television. (SM)

A task force was appointed by the California School Boards Association to investigate the increase in violence and vandalism and to recommend courses of action. The task force found four changes in society contributing to the increase: (1) the breakdown of the home and family unit, (2) the lack of self-discipline in children and the absence of…

As administrators contemplate installing metal detectors, different legal issues must be considered. Five lessons learned from past litigation are listed to aid administrators in their decision. A sample policy outline concerning weapons and metal detectors is provided. (KDP)

This article reframes school violence in the context of educational mission goals so that teachers can understand their role in responding to it and acknowledge their skills in addressing it. The article examines types of violence that occur most frequently in schools, evaluates what is known about teacher preparedness, and encourages educators to…

This article examines issues related to school violence and disruption. It discusses the sociocultural context within which school violence occurs, balancing educational rights within an orderly school environment, and the role of students with disabilities in school suspensions. Violence prevention initiatives and guidelines for parents and…

This paper discusses the importance of a school's having procedures in place to deal with possible biological terrorist threats. It begins with a discussion of biological terrorism. It then provides the symptoms of anthrax, treatment options for anthrax, and precautions to take when suspicious of an attack with a hazardous material. The paper goes…