Demographic and socioeconomic shifts in our nation's population and changes in the family structure have placed increasing demands on the public school systems of this country. Perhaps none is so great as the task of dealing with the increased incidence of aggression and violence perpetrated by the youth of this nation. In this paper, I briefly outline some of the variables related to the increase in youth violence and suggest that teacher education programs must acknowledge the problem and begin to provide their students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address this issue. Specifically, teachers must be prepared to (a) employ instructional techniques and modify existing curricula so as to teach social problem solving and conflict resolution skills to their students, (b) implement verbal and nonverbal intervention techniques aimed at de-escalating resistive and combative students, and (c) physically intervene, when necessary, to protect the students thermelves, and others in crisis situations.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Aronson, E. (1978). The jigsaw classroom. Beverly Hills: Sage.
2.
Becker, D.C. (1983). Impact of crime and violence on schooling: Is there a solution? Contemporary Education, 55, 45-47.
3.
Bullock, L., Donahue, C., Young, J., & Warner, M. (1985). Techniques for the management of physical aggression . Pointer, 29(2), 38-44.
4.
Bullock, L.M., Reilly, T.F., & Donahue, C.A. (1983). School violence and what teachers can do about it. Contemporary Education, 55, 40-44.
5.
Carkhuff, R.R. (1987). The art of helping (6th ed.). Amherst, MA: Human Resource Development Press.
6.
Carr, E.G., Taylor, J.C., & Robinson, S. (1991). The effects of severe behavior problems in children on the teaching behavior of adults. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 523-535.
7.
Conway, R.N., & Gow, L. (1988). Mainstreaming special class students with mild handicaps through group instruction. Remedial and Special Education, 9(5), 34-40, 49.
8.
Cooper, A., & Mendonca, J. (1989). A prospective study of patient assaults on nursing staff in a psychogeriatric unit. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry , 34, 399-404.
9.
Cornbleth, C., Davis, O.L., & Button, C.B. (1974). Expectations for pupil achievement and teacher-pupil interaction. Social Interaction, 38, 54-58.
10.
Curwin, R.L., & Mendler, A.N. (1988). Discipline with dignity. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development .
11.
Deshler, D.D., & Schumaker, J.B. (1986). Learning strategies: An instructional alternative for low-achieving students. Exceptional Children, 52, 583-590.
12.
Durivage, A. (1989). Assaultive behavior: Before it happens. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 34, 393-397.
13.
Egan, G. (1990). The skilled helper. Pacific Grove, CA.: Brooks/Cole.
14.
Eron, L.D. (1986). Interventions to mitigate the psychological effects of media violence on aggressive behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 42, 155-169.
15.
Evans, W.H., & Evans, S.S. (1985). The assessment of school violence. Pointer, 29(2), 18-21.
16.
Federal Bureau of Investigation. (1989). Uniform Crime Reports (Supplementary Homicide Report Files). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
17.
Foxx, R.M. (1985). Social skills training: The current status of the field. Australia and New Zealand Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 11, 237-243.
18.
Gathercoal, F. (1990). Judicious discipline. Ann Arbor, MI: Caddo Gap Press.
19.
Gerbner, G., & Signorielli, N. (1990). Violence profile 1967 through 1988-89: Enduring trends. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, Annenberg School of Communication .
20.
Germain, C.B. (1988). School as a living environment within the community . Social Work in Education, 10, 260-276.
21.
Goodlad, J.I. (1984). A place called school: A prospectus for the future . New York: McGraw-Hill.
22.
Greenbaum, S., & Turner, B. (Eds). (1989). Safe schools overview: NSSC resource paper. Malibu, CA: U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Education and Pepperdine University .
23.
Gresham, F.M. (1981). Social skills training with handicapped children: A review. Review of Educational Research, 51, 139-176.
24.
Haskett, M.E. (1990). Social problem-solving skills of young physically abused children. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 21, 109-118.
25.
Heppner, P.P. (1988). The problem solving inventory: Manual. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
26.
Hodgkinson, H. (1985). All one system: Demographics of education, kindergarten through graduate school. Washington, DC: Institute of Educational Leadership.
27.
Hoover, J., & Hazler, R.J. (1991). Bullies and victims. Elementary School Guidance and Counseling, 25, 212-219.
28.
Hranitz, J.R., & Eddowes, E.A. (1990). Violence: A crisis in homes and schools. Childhood Education, 67, 4-7.
29.
Huesmann, L.R. (1986). Psychological processes promoting the relation between exposure to media violence and aggressive behavior by the viewer. Journal of Social Issues, 42, 125-139.
30.
Huesmann, L.R. (1988). An information processing model for the development of aggression. Aggressive Behavior, 14, 13-24.
Johnson, D.W., & Johnson, R.T. (1975). Learning together and alone: Cooperation, competition, and individualization. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
33.
Kagan, S. (1988). Cooperative learning resources for teachers. Riverside, CA: University of California , Riverside, Reprographics .
34.
Katz, L.G., Evangelou, D., & Hartman, J.A. (1989). The case of mixed-age grouping in early childhood education programs. Urbana, IL: Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education.
35.
Knapp, M.S., Turnbull, B.J., & Shields, P.M. (1990). New directions for educating the children of poverty . Educational Leadership, 21(1), 4-8.
36.
Kochman, T. (1981). Black and White styles in conflict. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
37.
Kulka, R.A., Mann, D.W., & Klingel, D.M. (1980). A person-environment fit model of school crime and disruption. In K. Baker & R. J. Rubel (Eds.), Violence and crime in the schools (pp. 49-60). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
38.
Kupersmidt, J.B., & Coie, J.D. (1990). Preadolescent peer status, aggression, and school adjustment as predictors of externalizing problems in adolescence. Child Development, 61, 1350-1362.
39.
Langan, P.A., & Innes, C.A. (1985). The risk of violent crime (Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, NCJ-97119). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
40.
Lion, J.R. (1987). Training for battle: Thoughts on managing aggressive patients. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 38, 82-884.
41.
Long, N., Morse, W.C., & Newman, R.G. (1976). Conflict in the classroom: The education of emotionally disturbed children (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
42.
Massachusetts Medical Society. (1991). Weapon-carrying among high school students - United States, 1990. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 40, 681-684.
43.
Moldin, S. (1984). Episodic weekend psychosis on an intensive care unit. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 35, 1230-1232.
44.
Moriarty, A.R., & McDonald, S.P. (1991). Theoretical dimensions of school-based mediation. Social Work in Education, 13, 176-184.
45.
National Institute of Education. (1978). Violent schools-safe schools: The safe schools study report to Congress . Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
46.
Nattiv, A. (1988). Cooperative learning: An overview. Journal of Humanistic Education, 12, 2-7.
47.
Nelson, C.M. (1988). Social skills training for handicapped students . Teaching Exceptional Children, 20(4), 19-23.
48.
Nigrosh, B. (1983). Physical contact skills in specialized training for the prevention and management of violence. In J.R. Lion & W.H. Reid (Eds.), Assaults within Psychiatric Facilities (pp. 115-132). New York: Grune & Stratton.
49.
Quinsey, V. (1979). Assessments of the dangerousness of mental patients held in maximum security. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 2, 389-406.
50.
Ramsey, P.G. (1987). Teaching and learning in a diverse world. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University .
51.
Rist, R.C. (1970). Student social class and teacher expectations: The self-fulfilling prophecy in ghetto education. Harvard Educational Review, 40, 411-451.
52.
Robinson, A.W., & Hyman, I.A. (1984, April). A meta-analysis of human relations teacher training programs. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the National Association of School Psychologists, Philadelphia, PA.
Sabatino, D.A., Sabatino, A.C., & Mann, L. (1983). Discipline and behavioral management. Rockville, MD: Aspen Systems Corporation .
55.
Schmuck, R.A., & Schmuck, P.A. (1983). Group processes in the classroom. Dubuque, IA: Brown.
56.
Schultz, E.W. (1985). Aggression: Some thoughts on its expression and therapeutic meaning. Pointer, 29(2), 5-8.
57.
Schumaker, J.B., Pederson, C.S., Hazel, J.S., & Meyen, E.L. (1983). Social skills curricula for mildly handicapped adolescents: A review. Focus on Exceptional Children, 16, 1-16.
58.
Shakoor, B.H., & Chalmers, D. (1991). Co-victimization of African-American children who witness violence: Effects on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development . Journal of the National Medical Association, 83, 233-238.
59.
Shantz, C.U. (1987). Conflicts between children. Child Development, 58, 283-305.
60.
Sharan, S. & Sharan, Y. (1976). Small-group teaching. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
61.
Sheridan, M., Henrion, R., Robinson, L., & Baxter, V. (1990). Precipitants of violence in a psychiatric impatient setting. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 41, 776-780.
62.
Singer, J.L., & Singer, D.G. (1986). Family experiences and television viewing as predictors of children's imagination, restlessness, and aggression. Journal of Social Issues, 42, 107-124.
63.
Slavin, R. (1980). Using student team learning. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Organization of Schools.
64.
Smith, P. (1981). Management of assaulttvelphysical aggressive behavior . Unpublished manuscript, Los Angeles County Schools, Los Angeles.
65.
Solomon, D., Watson, M.S., DeLucchi, K.L., Schaps, E., & Battistich, V. (1988). Enhancing children's prosocial behavior in the classroom. American Educational Research Journal , 25, 527-554.
66.
Spivak, H., Hausman, A.J., Prothrow-Stith, D. (1989). Practitioners' forum: Public health and the primary prevention of adolescent violence: The Violence Prevention Project. Violence and Victims, 4, 203-212.
67.
Staub, E. (1971). Helping a person in distress: The influence of implicit and explicit "rules" of conduct on children and adults. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 17, 137-144.
68.
Strauss, M.A., Gelles, R.J., & Steinmetz, S.K. (1980). Behind closed doors: Violence in the American family. New York: Anchor Books.
69.
Turner, C.W., Fenn, M.R., & Cole, A.M. (1981). The social psychological analysis of violent behavior . In R.B. Stuart (Ed.), Violent behavior: Social learning approaches to prediction, management, and treatment (pp. 64-91). New York: Brunner/Mazel .
70.
Turner, C.W., Hesse, B.W., & Peterson-Lewis, S. (1986). Naturalistic studies of the long-term effects of television violence. Journal of Social Issues, 42(3), 51-73.
71.
Van Acker, R., Grant, S.H., & Henry, D. (1992). The impact of consultant and peer monitoring on behavior change in the classroom. Manuscript submitted for publication.
72.
Wayson, W., & Lasley, T. (1984). Climates for excellence: Schools that foster self-discipline . Phi Delta Kappa, 65, 419-421.
73.
Wimberley, L. (1985). Guidelines for crisis management. Pointer, 29(2), 22-26.
