Stop school violence before it starts
by Lori Barrett | June 4, 2008 at 5:58 am
Posted in Baltimore, education
Experts and administrators attended the “Summit on School Safety Solutions” yesterday at UMBC. Their conclusions: focus more on preventing school violence and less on punishing it.
According to the keynote speaker, students are looking for “structure, high academic expectations, and teachers who understand and can communicate with them.” Just by providing these things, a school can become safer, he said. Others called for early behavioral intervention (at the elementary school level) and the involvement of outsiders like parents, church, and police to serve as mentors.
The speaker also suggested that teachers need to learn how to communicate effectively with students on their level, in order to convince students — particularly the classroom leaders — that there are better choices than violence.
Some teachers in attendance did not agree with the suggestions offered. Said one: “You have to take back your schools…. Make the parents responsible for their [children’s] bad behavior.”
So for those of you who work with children, what do you think of these suggestions? Will they be effective when implemented, or does Baltimore need a more innovative method to stop the violence?
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June 4th, 2008 at 2:19 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
I like where they are going - prevention is always the more successful route. And costs less in the long run. However, I think they need to focus on the alarmingly low moral of the teaching staff right now as well. They don't feel supported, and that translates into less effective teaching and ultimately higher turnover.
It's a great START to a plan...but keep in mind, teachers are on the front line, and they need to be part of the plan...not just given new directives. That insinuates that they are in the wrong.
!
June 5th, 2008 at 3:21 am | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
If the stupid parents were educated then it would be condusive to having a good learning evnvironment for the student. But instead nope. Its like animals teaching fresh minds.