There is no doubt that the safety of children in schools and in communities is paramount. Incidents of school violence in the United States have motivated researchers and practitioners to explore and employ effective methodologies and strategies to promote safety in classrooms and schools. Still, issues of disruptive behavior top the list of…

Bullying has become an increasingly serious problem in today's schools. Many states have passed legislation to ensure schools do all they can to prevent and address bullying. Even though the school is a place that is to be safe for all children, in some instances this is not the case. This paper discusses bullying and focuses on the different…

Many schools and educational programs are successfully responding to the problem of student violence. This article explores a variety of techniques that include school or program-wide initiatives, partnerships, or collaborations with outside agencies; partnerships with families; and classroom curricula that help youth learn to resolve conflicts…

Adventure programs and philosophies can be an effective means for realizing violence prevention programming goals. Collaborative, noncompetitive activities help children develop a heightened sense of empathy and perspective, create and apply supportive behavioral norms, and in turn, improve conduct and climate in schools. Sample programs include…

This theme issue focuses on programs and strategies aimed at developing crime-free, nonviolent, drug-free schools. "Alternative Education Programs: Resolution or Exclusion?" (Albert Cortez) describes alternative education programs mandated by Texas state legislation for serious student offenders, and related issues of assessment, due…

Bullying in schools is a widespread phenomenon that has been largely ignored by professional investigators. It is often a covert problem, but once it is put into the context of social interaction, schools are able to respond to it in productive ways. A multifactorial response is best, and prevention is far better than crisis management. One of the…

This guidebook describes the components involved in proactively developing a comprehensive crisis-management plan. Chapter 1 explains the philosophical underpinnings of a crisis-management plan and discusses the importance of vision and staff development. Chapter 2 answers the questions: Why do we need a crisis-management plan? Who needs to be…

School violence in British Columbia (Canada) is directly related to youth alienation and disconnectedness. The Native concept of connectedness or sense of belonging can be a useful guide for assessing the effectiveness of school violence programs. Connectedness, in this context, indicates that humans are part of a seamless web of creation in which…

Classroom management is a topic of enduring concern for teachers, administrators, and the public. It consistently ranks as the first or second most serious educational problem in the eyes of the general public, and beginning teachers consistently rank it as their most pressing concern during their early teaching years. Management problems continue…