Date of Award
9-1-1986
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Educational Specialist
Department
Center for the Advancement of Education
Advisor
Dr. Joan Horn
Keywords
academic failure, appendices, discipline, elementary education, exceptional student education, incentives, internal suspension room, middle schools, motivation techniques, Saturday School, secondary education, suspension
Abstract
The author developed and implemented a model program to reduce the number of external suspensions in a middle school. The program's aims were to make sure that disciplinary actions such as suspension did not interfere with a handicapped student's rights to an appropriate education, and to reduce the total number of external suspensions focusing on exceptional students.
The program contained three basic components: a suspension module, suspension red,1ction techniques, and computerizing data base management of all suspension data. After school staff were inserviced on proper suspension procedures a consistent administrative discipline plan was implemented. This plan consisted of non-violent crisis intervention techniques, Saturday school and the provision for a counseling component added to the internal suspension room. Collected data concluded that the targeted school was able to reduce their number of suspensions through the use of this administrative plan. The model was recommended to be used in other schools where suspension was excessive. Several writing teams were developed to enhance this program. The counseling component of this practicum will be piloted in 5 middle schools as the peer counseling component of internal suspension. (Appendices include suspension data, schoolwide discipline guidelines, a point card for internal suspension rooms, agenda items, and computerized data sheet.)