Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
James Ann Lynch
Committee Member
Dennis Triplett
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
academic achievement, academic climate, classroom management skills, control group, counseling, discipline plan, discipline referrals, disruptive behavior, early intervention program, elementary schools, experimental group, in-service training, parental involvement, Project RIDE, Sandersville Elementary School, school climate, teacher dissatisfaction, teacher training, Washington County School System, student discipline, students in grades 3-5
Abstract
This applied dissertation was designed to improve discipline and academic achievement at Sandersville Elementary School. This school, located in the Washington County School System, serves students in Grades 3-5. An analysis of data collected in the 2001-2002 school year revealed that 53% of the teachers were dissatisfied with student discipline, and 55% were dissatisfied with the academic climate at Sandersville Elementary School.
Planned solution strategies included a 2-part discipline and academic achievement improvement program. The program focused on helping teachers to understand and address the needs of Early Intervention Program students. The program included in-service training for teachers on specific aspects of Project RIDE as they related to SES and classroom application of these concepts from topic areas including (a) classroom management skills, (b) disruptive behaviors, (c) counseling, and (d) academic achievement.
Results revealed a decrease in discipline referrals from 66 in 2001 to 41 in 2002 in the experimental group in comparison to an increase from 54 in 2001 to 68 in 2002 in the control group. Data on academic achievement showed no improvement.