Date of Award
1-1-1992
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Child and Youth Care Administration
Advisor
Polly Peterson
Committee Member
Joel Novitch
Keywords
counseling, discipline policy, elementary school, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, parent involvement, school misbehavior, student behavior, student supervision, student suspension, suspension alternatives, teacher satisfaction
Abstract
This practicum was developed to address the staff concerns at an elementary school of frequent out-of-school suspensions (OSS) resulting from misbehavior referrals to the principal's office. The staff felt that suspended students were often rewarded by OSS, at risk on the streets, interrupted in their schooling and that they often continued to be repeatedly suspended.
With the school principal's permission, the writer developed an in-school suspension program (ISS) which served as a better alternative to sending students home. ISS was more punitive, safer, more instructive and more rehabilitative.
Collected data over a four-month period reveal that the school principal suspended 24 students. 19 of whom were suspended in ISS where students were monitored and counseled daily. Reports from the principal. staff members and parents were positive. Despite the relative ease of OSS, compared with staffing and supervising the ISS room, the principal was so impressed with the fewer resultant referrals and teacher satisfaction that he fully supported the ISS when feasible. Teachers were happy knowing more effective disciplinary strategies were in place and parents liked ISS because their children were supervised at school in a learning environment. Moreover, the students' self-reports generally indicated they disliked the ISS. Most of them claimed they preferred being sent home where they would generally be unsupervised by their parents and not have to do any school work. Due to its success. ISS will continue in this school and be fully supported.