In this retrospective commentary on "Acceptability of Behavioral Interventions Used in Classrooms: The Influence of Amount of Teacher Time, Severity of Behavior Problem, and Type of Intervention," I first examine the concept of social validity and related measurement challenges per Wolf's concerns about consumers' subjective reactions to…

When Alexis Wiggins returned to full-time teaching after having a baby, she took with her an idea from the book "A Path With Heart" by Buddhist Jack Kornfield. The idea was that each day might go better if she viewed everyone she encountered during that day, including any student or parent who seemed to make her teaching life harder, as…

Responds to M. Stanton's comments on the current author's original article. One of the puzzles of motivational interviewing is why it works at all. How can it be that an individual interview or two yields change in a long-standing problem behavior even without any effort to alter social context? The time involved is such a tiny part of the…

Growing concern about the quality of public education in the United States has driven numerous educational reform efforts across the last three decades. These reforms include increased accountability as exemplified by various requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the introduction of new curriculum and instructional methods in…

The ecological approach to working with young children with behavior problems is described. A hypothetical case study is offered to demonstrate the shortcomings of nonecological approaches and the benefits of a broader outlook when intervening with children with behavior problems. (DB)

Every professor encounters difficult students. Some students are simply uninterested, while others are more troublesome. The aggressive passive-aggressive student, the interrupter, the hijacker, the shy student--most faculty members are familiar with them all. In this article, the author offers a few tips on how faculty members should approach…

Application of the ecological model to children with behavioral problems focuses on the degree to which behavior matches the demands, expectations, or levels of tolerance of individuals in the environment. Such individuals as well as the child may need to change their behaviors. (DB)

In an intriguing account, the hypothesis is proposed that elevating effects of quantity of childcare on aggression might not, as other research has suggested, be dissipating over time, but instead be diffusing across groups of children. Paradoxically, this diffusion may also affect children with little or no experience with non-maternal care. If…

Suggests a distinction between understanding and indulging when dealing with children resisting rules or limits. Recommends an expressive environment, in which children's right to express their views--in appropriate and respectful ways--is protected, even though compliance is still required. (HTH)

In this article, the author responds to a teacher's request for advice on how to handle students who are loud and aggressive in the classroom. The author provides some suggestions on how to establish a smooth-running classroom. She firmly believes in creating well-thought out policies and procedures and politely, but firmly, insisting that…

This article describes a teacher's experience with a child who had emotional and behavioral problems in the regular classroom. At the beginning of first grade, the student had a negative reputation with the staff based on his previous behavior. The teacher shares ways in which the child was given support in school. Generosity, belonging, mastery,…

This policy brief discusses legislative efforts to create separate, alternative schools for students with behavior problems. The first section of the brief identifies the following three problems with placing disruptive students in alternative schools: (1) a focus on problem students may obscure or ignore real problems in the educational system;…

Student attitudes fundamental for achievement of certain kinds of learning are identified: tolerance for delayed gratification, a certain measure of respect for and fear of authority, and a willingness to accommodate one's individual desires to the interests of group cohesion and purpose. (MLW)

Research findings on the early precursors of substance use and related adjustment difficulties have led to interest in developmental models to explain problem behavior. This paper examines five major themes that characterize the relationship among social context, individual disposition, and syndromes of problem behaviors that include substance use…

This article addresses ways that schools and communities can be a protective influence by helping students to overcome the difficulties of destructive home and inner-city environments. Topics discussed include the school as a protective influence, neighborhood organizations that buffer and protect children and teenagers, the protective value of at…