Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Judith Merz
Committee Member
John Kellmayer
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
aggressive behavior, classroom management, Communications SLC, conflict resolution, Fitz Simons Middle School, middle schools, physical altercations, quantitative research, qualitative research, role playing, school violence, serious incidents, Small Learning Communities, staff development, student perceptions, surveys, teacher perceptions, verbal threats, violence prevention, Violence in the Schools Prevention Program, violent behavior
Abstract
Aggressive and violent behavior in schools is a growing problem being debated at the national, state, and local levels. Quantitative and qualitative research techniques were used to determine staff and student perceptions regarding aggressive or violent behavior at Fitz Simons Middle School. Fifty-five teachers and staff were surveyed; 110 students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 were surveyed, and 10 students from each Small Learning Community (SLC) were also interviewed.
The results of the surveys indicated a concern about the number of incidents occurring in the afternoon. Quantitative data of reported serious incidents showed an increase of aggressive or violent behavior over a 5-year period. The specific type of negative displayed involved physical altercations and verbal threats of bodily harm.
The intent of the applied dissertation was to reduce the number of reported serious incidents that were the result of aggressive or violent behavior by 5% in the target group of students in the Communications SLC. The intervention was the implementation of the Violence in the Schools Prevention Program (VSPP) at Fitz Simons Middle School. The program was designed to teach students alternative ways to resolve conflicts. Through conflict resolution, role playing, and civics, students would learn to become responsible citizens in and out of school. The applied dissertation also sought to provide teachers and staff with conflict resolution techniques and classroom management skills through focused staff development.
The results included a 28% reduction in the number of reported serious incidents during the course of the implementation of the VSPP. During the same time period, the number of reported serious incidents increased for students in the other, comparable SLCs.