Effects on student discipline problems and academic performance.

As a result of the SEA results education has been the focus for the past several days. One particular interview involving the President of the National Parents Teachers Association roused my interest in this topic. In a research paper by Luisellia, Putnama, Handlera, Feinberga(2005) it describes many students attending public schools exhibiting discipline problems such as disruptive classroom behavior, vandalism, bullying, and violence. Establishing effective discipline practices is critical to ensure academic success and to provide a safe learning environment. The authors describe the effects of whole-school positive behavior support on discipline problems and academic outcomes of students enrolled in an urban elementary school. The whole-school model was designed through technical assistance consultation with teachers that emphasized: (1) improving instructional methods; (2) formulating behavioral expectations; (3) increasing classroom activity engagement; (4) reinforcing positive performance; and (5) monitoring efficacy through data-based evaluation.

The whole-school intervention was associated with decreased discipline problems (office referrals and school suspensions) over the course of several academic years. Student academic performance, as measured by standardized tests of reading and mathematics skills, improved contemporaneously with intervention.

It is really disheartening to hear the derogatory statements made by individuals of the public who have no idea of what they are saying as it relates to the field of education. Mind you it is this authors view that everybody is entitled to an opinion. However one thinks that an informed opinion would be much more effective rather than an uninformed one. I think we as a nation have to stop blaming everybody else an take responsibility for our children's' behavior. I may be wrong what do you think?




Feinberga, A. B., Handlera, M.W., Luisellia, J.K., Putnama, R.F., Whole-school positive behavior support: effects on student discipline problems and academic performance(2005). Journal Educational Psychology, Volume 25, Issue 2 & 3 April 2005 , pages 183 – 198. doi:10.1080/0144341042000301265