Preventing School Violence

A Graduate Course for Classroom Teachers

Table of Contents

Course Description

Teachers will learn a comprehensive and proven theoretical model for explaining, predicting and preventing violence. They will acquire the skills and methods necessary to effectively evaluate violence prevention strategies and programs. They will also learn what baseline data to compile for predicting violence in their schools and classrooms.

Preventing School Violence is a forty-five hour course that is typically taught on weekends or over five full days.

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Goals and Objectives

  1. Explain the functional interaction of four variables that are predictors of school violence: (a) propensity to action; (b) situational and contextual factors; (c) precipitating events, or triggers; and (d) violence as a choice of means.
  2. Identify, evaluate and access sources of data to measure these four variables.
  3. Understand the overriding impact of contemporary social context upon school violence.
  4. Evaluate and identify effective strategies for addressing each variable.
  5. Understand a theoretical model for predicting and preventing violence.
  6. Explain operational definitions for these concepts: (a) violence; (b) psychopathology; (c) gangs;, and (d) haters.
  7. Understand and evaluate the impact of drugs in the social context of violence in schools.
  8. Understand and explain the relationships among: (a) concept of the future and short-term behavior; (b) cultural commonalties and social disintegration; (c) legitimate and non-legitimate means; (d) victim and revenge; (e) participation and rejection; (f) aspirations and blocks to achievement; and (g) means and opportunities.
  9. Utilize the theoretical model to create an effective, school-wide violence prevention program, as well as one for your individual classroom.

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Course Readings

  1. The Missing Dialogue: A Model for the Prevention of School Violence, by Robert Hayman Kite, Sr., Ed.D, Teacher Education Institute, 2000.
  2. Practical School Security: Basic Guidelines for Safe and Secure Schools by Kenneth S. Trump, Corwin Press, Inc., 1998.
  3. Safe Schools: A Handbook for Violence Prevention by Ronald Stephens, National Educational Service, 1995.
  4. "Social Structure and Anomie", Robert K. Merton, American Psychological Review, 3, 672-682.
  5. "School Conformity, Deviation and Opportunity Structures", Merton, American Psychological Review, 24 (2) 177-179.

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Session Outline

Session 1: Introduction and Overview

Objective: Identify and practice skills for collaboration and cooperation, with an emphasis upon effective team building.

Content:

  1. I-Cards
  2. Name Game
  3. Attending Exercise
  4. "I Want" List
  5. Course Overview
  6. Personal Goals Setting
  7. Learning Contract
  8. Assignments

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Session 2: It Can Happen

Objective: Develop the ability to remain in control during the escalation of a potentially violent confrontation.

Content:

  1. Escalation and Potential Violence
  2. Behavioral Clues to the Stage of Escalation
  3. Loss of Judgement During an Escalation
  4. Objectification Through Internal Dialogue
  5. How to Create Distractions
  6. Dealing with an Eruption
  7. Third Party Facilitation
  8. Mediation
  9. Assignments

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Session 3: Toward an Explanation of Violence

Objective: Learn an explanation of school violence that classroom teachers can use to predict and prevent school violence.

Content:

  1. Toward An Explanation of Violence
  2. Introduction to Alienation
  3. Presenting a Model for Predicting and Preventing Violence
  4. Propensity to Act - Motivational Strength - Aspirations
  5. Situational Variables
  6. Assignments

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Session 4: Precipitating Events

Objectives: Apply the explanation to identify those things in the school culture that contribute to a student choosing violence as means to achieve their aspirations.

Content:

  1. Precipitating Events
  2. Choice
  3. Model Building
  4. Data Collection
  5. Assignments

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Session 5: Gang Violence and Schools

Objective: Develop a system for classifying gang violence along with a rationale for understanding gang participation by students.

Content:

  1. A Definition of a Gang
  2. Gang Violence Scale
  3. Model Applications
  4. School Security Professionals
  5. Mid-term Exam

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Session 6: School-Wide Violence Prevention Issues

Objective: Assessing the data necessary to monitor and prevent school violence, and developing a school wide crisis management plan.

Content:

  1. The Causes of Gangs
  2. School Security Assessment and Gangs
  3. Collecting Data in the School
  4. Crisis Management
  5. Planning School and Community Events

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Session 7: Psychopathy, School Violence and the 'Law'

Objective: Understand and distinguish the difference between school discipline and criminal acts. In addition, characteristics of the psychopathic personality, along with appropriate treatments, will be covered.

Content:

  1. Legal Issues
  2. Psychopaths
  3. Treatments
  4. Possible Treatments
  5. Treatment Context
  6. Assignments

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Session 8: Blocks

Objective: Gain the knowledge and skills to identify systems blocks between student aspirations and means. Also, a review of the status of "Haters" in society will be provided.

Content:

  1. Loss of Commonalties
  2. Systems Blocks
  3. Haters
  4. Instruction Blocks
  5. Assignments

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Session 9: Steps to Prevention and Control School Violence

Objective: Develop the skills to compose embedded curriculum that promotes peace in the classroom and school.

Content:

  1. Review
  2. Violence Prevention Curriculum Development
  3. Parent Education
  4. Guided Development
  5. Violence, Technology and "The Future School"
  6. Back Home Strategy

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Session 10: Final Exam: Project Presentations

Objective: Demonstrate the ability to apply the explanation of violence to predict and prevent students choosing violence as means to achieve their aspirations.

Content:

  1. Presentations
  2. Feedback and Evaluation
  3. Final Exam

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Grading Criteria

Assignment Weighting
Attendance and Participation 15%
Paper 10%
Mid-Term Exam 20%
Violence Prevention Strategy 35%
Final Exam 20%

Grading Scale

93 - 100 A
85 - 92 B
77 - 84 C

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Student Requirements

  1. During Session Nine you will complete a Violence Prevention Strategy for your school or classroom. During Session Ten you will present and defend your strategy. This activity will account for 35% of your grade.

    Your Violence Prevention Strategy will include:

  2. A mid-term exam will count as 20% of your grade.
  3. Attendance and participation will count as 15% of your grade.
  4. A paper, following academic guidelines, will count as 10% of your grade. This will be required on one of the following topics or a topic approved by the instructor:
  5. A Final Exam will count as 20% of your grade.

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