The Violence Continuum: Creating a Safe School Climate

Front Cover
R&L Education, 2012 - Education - 155 pages
We expect schools to be a safe haven, but after more than a decade of targeted school violence prevention laws and safety plans, students are still marginalized and bullied to the point of despondence, retaliation, and even suicide. This thoughtful exploration of what makes a school a safe place is based on the understanding that violence is a continuum of acts and attitudes-subtle to overt-that have a negative effect on how students feel and learn.
A school's climate-how it feels to be a member of the learning community-depends on how each student is treated. We are challenged to recognize the often overlooked, yet pervasive, forms of emotional and physical violence that students face every day. After conducting an honest assessment of our own school's climate, we learn how to nurture supportive relationships between students and adults and embed pro-social skills and respect for diversity in everything we do.When done, we are equipped with the understandings, tools, and commitment necessary to create a safe, positive school climate that is systemic and lasting.
 

Contents

Chapter 01 Why Should Schools Teach Students to Be Smart and Good People?
1
Chapter 02 How Are School Climate and Violence Prevention Linked?
13
Chapter 03 What Do We Mean by Violence and Is It Really a Problem in Our School?
29
Chapter 04 What About Issues of Diversity and Equal Protection Under the Law?
41
Chapter 05 Is School Violence the Same for Everyone?
57
Chapter 06 What Are the Elements of a Safe School Climate?
77
Chapter 07 How Do We Intentionally Teach Our Children to Be NonViolent?
99
Chapter 08 What is the Role of School Staff?
111
Chapter 09 How Can Diverse Communities Work Together to Improve School Climate?
123
Chapter 10 How Do We Take Our Vision and Make It Happen?
129
Chapter 11 How Do We Ensure the Changes Are Real and Lasting?
141
Glossary of Violence Terms
147
References
149
About the Author
155
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About the author (2012)

Elizabeth Manvell has spent her career as a teacher and administrator focusing on the unique role teachers and principals play in setting a positive school climate. She spends her time thinking, researching, and writing about education, and is the author of two other books, Teaching is a Privilege: Twelve Essential Understandings for Beginning Teachers and Story Power! Breathing Life Into History.