Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
EdD Program for Educational Leaders
Advisor
Madelaine Ramey
Committee Member
Gloria Wolfson
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
academic success, action research, behavior management, citizenship education, community involvement, community service learning, culturally diverse students, discipline plan, discipline referrals, elementary schools, experiential learning, inner-city schools, Nevada, poverty, public service, schoolwide discipline plan, service learning, social skills, staff development, student behavior, student misbehavior, teacher support, Twin Lakes Elementary School
Abstract
Action research methods were used to examine the effects of behavior management strategies on the rate of discipline referrals at Twin Lakes Elementary School, an inner-city elementary school in Nevada. A review of archival records revealed that during the 3-year period from 1997 through 2002, the number of discipline referrals at Twin Lakes Elementary School increased from 73 to 170 referrals while enrollment showed no significant increase.
Some possible causes of the large number of discipline referrals were identified as: (a) inconsistencies in the referral process, (b) lack of support for teachers experiencing difficulty with student misbehavior, (c) lack of understanding of the needs of culturally diverse students from poverty, (d) poor student academic success, and (e) lack of appropriate social skills.
The goal of this project was to implement and evaluate strategies to reduce the frequency of student discipline challenges and consequently student behavior referrals. Data were collected from October 2001 until June 2002 to determine the effect of behavior management strategies at Twin Lakes Elementary School. Teachers met during the above time frame to discuss and to put into place a schoolwide discipline plan that included (a) input from the entire community, (b) a monthly social skills education program, (c) a support team for teachers experiencing difficulty, and (d) staff development to assist teachers with understanding the needs of culturally diverse students from poverty.