NCJ Number
163295
Journal
School Safety Dated: (Spring 1995) Pages: 20-23
Date Published
1995
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article suggests ways in which schools can act to help prevent violent student behavior.
Abstract
Most educators believe that mediation is a central means of addressing violent student behavior. Some school systems have already begun training students to be mediators. Mediation can resolve disputes among and between families and family members, between and among students, and between students and staff. Mediation can also prevent fights, stop bullying, and eliminate student isolation. Teaching students effective communication skills is also important in preventing violence. The Second Step Violence Prevention in the Curriculum program is a resource that includes materials designed to change attitudes and behaviors that contribute to violence, with an emphasis on developing communication skills. Ways must also be developed to deal with problem students while maintaining them in an educational program. This may be done through in-school suspension and school-within-a-school programs. To deal with students who have serious behavioral problems, alternative schools are being provided. Other ways of preventing violent student behavior are mentoring, parent education, early childhood education, victim assistance services, and teacher preparation and training.