english grade 10 learners module

Literature Review

Running head: LITERATURE REVIEW

Literature Review

Scott C. Hellman

Grand Canyon University

EDA 570

July 26, 2010

1

Literature Review

Table of Contents

I. Abstract…………………………………………………………………………….3

II. Statement of the problem…………………………………………………………..5

III. Purpose of the Study……………………………………………………………….5

IV. Research questions…………………………………………………………………5

V. Definition of terms…………………………………………………………………8

VI. Literature Review…………………………………………………………………..9

VII. Delimitations……………………………………………………………………….

VIII. Limitations…………………………………………………………………………

VIV. References…………………………………………………………………………12

2

Literature Review

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to give a literary review of the information found supporting the

questions referenced in this study. Each source found has reference to, and supporting facts of

the failure of discipline in school systems and what steps are needed to help correct this problem.

3

Literature Review

Research Study: Determine a Well-Balanced and Consistent Discipline Policies for Schools

Literature Review

Introduction

Discipline has always been an issue in schools. Dealing with different students with

different personalities, home lives, and family support set school districts up for failure. Basic

school discipline plans are vague and general in nature. Yancey (2001) quotes Lemmons “No

one consequence works for all students” (p.1). Students and parents often complain about school

discipline plans either being too strict or unfair.

School rules need to be fair and consistent, but also keep the school climate flowing

smoothly. “Everyone has an opinion when it comes to the lack of discipline in schools. Parent

blame teachers; teachers blame administrators; administration blames the Department of

Education. Basically, everyone’s pointing a finger, but no one is taking responsibility” (Kistler,

2010, p.1). In addition, schools must discipline in a manner that corrects unwanted behavior and

keeps the students in the classroom. Hymowitz (2000) states

“But today principals lack the tools they used to have for dealing with the unruliest kids.

Formerly, they could expel such kids permanently or send them to special schools for the

hard-to-discipline. The special schools have largely vanished, and state education laws

usually don’t allow for permanent expulsion” (p.1).

Teachers should have their own classroom management in place and be exhausted before

sending students to the office. When a teacher has to send students to the administrator, it

should be for insubordination and the stopping of other students from learning. “Students’

disrespect for authority figures (teachers included) is reaching epic proportions, and if something

4

Literature Review

isn’t done soon, our education system as we know it will completely collapse” (Kistler, 2010,

p.1).

Statement of the Problem

The problem with school discipline policies is that there is a lack of discipline plan in

place in schools, which reinforces bad behavior. Many students can figure out where the holes

are in a discipline plan when the administrators, teachers, and parents are not enforcing it. In

addition, if students dislike school and hate to be in the classroom, they will do whatever it takes

to get out of it. They become a discipline problem, get kicked out class, and that is how they can

beat the system.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to determine what school discipline strategies work in school

districts and to develop a well-rounded discipline plan that is consistent for all students,

unbiased, fair, and will be enforced. The study will determine if a well-balanced discipline plan

will reduce unwanted behavior and keep students in the classroom.

Research Questions

Sagor (2000) “states that action research is a disciplined process of inquiry conducted by and for

those taking the action. The primary reason for engaging in action research is to assist the

“actor” in improving and/or refining his or her actions” (p.3). The following are questions that

will help identify the direction of the action research project. They will focus on the reasons why

there is discipline problems in school districts, how to identify them and what can be done to fix

them.

5

Literature Review

Research Question #1:What can school districts do to make their discipline policies more

effective?

Fenning, P. Theodos, J. Benner, C. Bohanon-Edmonson, H. (2004). Integrating proactive

discipline practices into codes of conduct. Journal of School Violence, 3(1). Retrieved

July 27, 2010, from Eric database (15982822)

Goodman, J. F. (2007). School discipline, by-in and belief. Ethic and Education 2(1) 3-23.

Retrieved July 27, 2010, from Eric database (24756666)

Rosen, L. (1992). School discipline practices: A manual for school administrators. Guides-non-

Classroom Use. Retrieved July 27, 2010, from Eric database (ED357440)

Ruder, R. (2006). Frour steps to address student discipline. National Association of Secondary

School Principals. Retrieved July 27, 2010, from Eric database (220017542)

Washburn, S., Stowe, K., Cole, C., Robin, J., (2007). Improving school climate and student

behavior: A new paradigm for Indiana schools, Center for Evaluation & Policy, 5 (9).

Retrieved July 27, 2010, from Eric database (ED500604)

Research Question #2: How can school administrators and teachers discipline students without

removing the students from the classroom?




6

Literature Review




Research Question #3: How can school administrators discipline students fairly without

jeopardizing their education?







Research Question #4: What are the problems with school policies that are currently being

used?






Hyman, I., Weiler, E., Dahbany, A., Shanock, A., Britton, G. (1994). Policy and practice in

school discipline: Past, present, and future. Speeches/conference paper. Retrieved July

27, 2010, from Eric database (ED383960)



7

Literature Review




Definition of Terms

The definitions of terms listed below are consistent with the topic of research based upon

discipline policy issues.

1. Behavior: “Manner of behaving, whether good or bad; mode of conducting one’s self;

conduct; deportment; carriage” (Websters Dictionary, 1913)

2. In-School Suspension (ISS): “The operant definition in this paper for ISS is a

discipline model where a student is removed from the classroom and compelled to

stay in an ISS center for a variable length of time, ranging from part of a day to

several days in a row. The ISS center is a specific staffed room where various

behavior changing strategies, ranging from punitive to rehabilitative actions that

attempt to stop or change student misbehavior without having the student removed

from the school environment” (Blomberg, n.d., p.2)

3. Out of School Suspension: “The operant definition for OSS in this paper is, “the

removal of a student from the school environment for a period not to exceed ten days”

(Mendez, Knoff & Ferron 2002 p.259). OSS succeeds in its short-term objective of

removing a problematic student from school and stalls or, in many cases, prevents any

future serious misbehavior. However, there are serious questions about the long-term

goals for students and the effect of OSS on those goals. These problems with OSS are

outlined in the research below”(Blomberg, n.d., p.2).

8

Literature Review

4. Student Referral Center (SRC): “SRC is a centralized district room where students go

after creating problems in the regular classroom” (Blomberg, n.d., p.7).

5. Expulsion: “When a student is permanently removed from a school system”

(Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts, 2010, p.1)

Literature Review

A number of articles, and publications support the fact that there needs to be changes in

school discipline policies. There also cannot be a uniform policy that is slapped together for

every school to follow.

Fenning et al. (2004) explains that school should not remove policies that deal with the

removal of students if they are endangering themselves or other students in the school. There is a

time and place for student removal from the classroom. “There is ample evidence to conclude

that the current state of affairs in the area of discipline policies is in need of great reform and

restructuring” (Fenning et al., 2004, p. 56). She also suggests that Positive Behavior Support

(PBS) needs to be integrated in to discipline policies. “In collaboration with key stakeholders

(parents, students, community members, office personnel, security guards, school support staff,

classroom assistants), prosocial disciplinary policies must emphasize PBS strategies and the need

for integrated behavioral and academic support” (Fenning et al., 2004, p. 56)

Rosen (1992) There is a need for every school to develop it’s own set of discipline codes

and rules. Because of the differences in geography, student population, ethnic background, and

economical background to make any standardized set of rules is impossible. Rosen continues to

stress that it is important to have a discipline plan that is fair and just to every student, keeping in

mind their backgrounds, handicaps, or ethnicities.

Goodman (2007) suggests that discipline in schools is failing and needs to change.

9

Literature Review

Discipline policies need to be fair and consistent for students to abide by them. “The argument is

made that if discipline is to succeed, students must believe in and identify with the goals it is

designed to support” (Goodman, 2007, p.1). Placing more and more rules onto students

provokes disobedience. Goodman (2007) states:

The backbone to a well-functioning disciplinary system is authority premised on and

sustained by collectively endorsed values, rules that directly express those values and

teachers who are conduits of them. The more moralized and idealized the values, the

greater the likelihood of winning over children’s commitment as they come to unite their

sense of self with the moral mandates (p.11).

When all the members involved come together as a group, being open to the group

purpose, this is the ideal base for a disciplinary system. The students are then willing to work for

the good of the whole group (Goodman, 2004 p.11).

“Adults in the school community also must take responsibility for their part in the

process. Parents must be cognizant of the program, support the school's discipline initiative, and

accept the consequences for their child's inappropriate behavior” (Ruder, 2006 p. 34). It is also

up to the teacher to use professional judgment when it comes to sending a student from the class.

Administrators then must use a system that will address the discipline issues in an effective

manner while using school time efficiently to correct the issue (Ruder, 2006 p.35).

Washburn, Stowe, Cole, and Robinson (2007) indicate that discipline policies are

centered on the situation of changing behavior through consequences. Indicating that discipline

practices are punishment based. The discipline practices are doing little to address the problems

of school violence, disruption, or juvenile crime. “In fact, such practices can be

counterproductive by exacerbating problem behavior” (Washburn, et al., 2007, p.1). Using

10

Literature Review

School-wide Positive Behavior Support (PBS) could change the way we look at discipline. PBS

is a preventative approach to discipline, and a process to implementing a wide range of

strategies. These strategies are geared to ward preventing problems in behavior with all students.

“The “positive,” in Positive Behavior Support, references a profound focus on desired behavior,

including: clarifying expected behaviors, explicit teaching of those behaviors, and developing

procedures that promote student demonstration of those behaviors” (Washburn, et al., 2007, p.3).

Hyman (1994) suggests that a discipline policy should be well organized.

“Organizational approaches to school discipline and violence offer the best long term solutions”

(Hyman, 1994, p.8). He also suggests that each discipline problem should be organized on a

discipline matrix. Hyman’s (1994) research suggests that:

(1) Discipline is a complex problem, (2) here are few simple solutions, (3) there are no

data to prove that any one-discipline program is always better than other approaches in

all situations, (4) that the best solutions must take into account the total ecology of the

school situation (p.4).

Hyman (1994) explains that without having a very organized discipline matrix a variety of

discipline problems can occur, such as misbehavior, violence, and sexual harassment.

Delimitations

There are many reasons on why school discipline policies do not work. Discipline

policies begin with individual teacher’s classroom discipline policies and the steps they take

before sending them to the office for administrative action. Teacher’s classroom management

will not be addressed. Each teacher has a right to design his or her own classroom discipline

policy to allow a positive setting. Due to that, classroom management will not be addressed in

this study.

11

Literature Review

Family involvement in discipline policies will also be excluded from this study. Parents

all have a different opinion on school discipline policies, especially when it deals with their own

children. Parents will think one way when it comes to other students in the school, but will have

a completely different opinion when it is their child. With that being said, the consistency with

family involvement is not valid, so this topic will not be included in this study.

Limitations

Since there are many reasons on why discipline policies do not work, there are variables

that could skew the study. Living in small town, everyone knows everybody. When something

happens in schools, everyone knows what happened, or they have their own opinion on what

happened. Unfortunately, because of all the hearsay, people may feel that even a very successful

discipline policy is in fair or inconsistent. With that being said, when students hear from their

peers that an administrator disciplined in a certain, they may feel that the process was

inconsistent, bias, or inconsistent. In addition, students often do not tell the whole story to their

peers, so some students have a false assumption on what actually happened.

Other weaknesses in this study is that with all the different opinions from teachers and

parents on what is a good policy is, is that with all the research I have found, it seems that this is

huge concern. There are too many people that have a say in what is right when disciplining, all

of which are different. That concept is what creates the inconsistency, bias, and validity.

Summary

This discipline study has created a lot of confusion with very little positive conclusions. There

are many studies that have been done on discipline, but most the research was completed at least

twenty to thirty years ago. Not saying that the results of those studies are invalid, but times have

changed as well as our students. Discipline policies twenty to thirty years ago would not work in

12

Literature Review

today’s society. Corporal punishment seemed to be mentioned often in the older studies, as well

as the transition of discipline policies when corporal punishment was being eliminated as far as

excepted discipline action. When corporal punishment was eliminated from discipline policies, is

where discipline in schools started to decline in effectiveness. There are a variety of different

ideas that people have on how a discipline policy should be. Unfortunately, there are not that

many studies testing out those theories. In conclusion, for a discipline policy to be effective there

has to be a discipline policy matrix in place. For that matrix to work, everyone in the school

needs to follow and enforce the policy regardless if they agree with it or not. If everyone is on

the same page, students will know exactly what the consequences will be without question.

13

Literature Review

References

Blomberg, N. (n.d.). Effective discipline for misbehavior: In school vs. out of school suspension

Retrieved July 12, 2010 from

http://www.publications.villanova.edu/Concept/.../Effective_Discipline.pdf

Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts (2010). School suspension and expulsion. Retrieved

July 12, 2010 from http://www.cicm.org






Hyman, I., Weiler, E., Dahbany, A., Shanock, A., Britton, G. (1994). Policy and practice in

school discipline: Past, present, and future. Speeches/conference paper. Retrieved July

27, 2010, from Eric database (ED383960)

Hymowitz, K.S. (2000). Who killed school discipline? Retrieved June 27, 2010 from http://city-

journal.org/html/10_2_who_killed_school_dis.html

Kistler, L. (2010). High schools and the lack of discipline in our education system. Retrieved

June 27, 2010 from http://www.helium.com

Rosen, L. (1992). School discipline practices: A manual for school administrators. Guides-non-

Classroom Use. Retrieved July 27, 2010, from Eric database (ED357440)



14

Literature Review

Sagor, R. (2000). Guiding school improvement with action research. Alexandria, VA:

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Stoner, E., Shaw, R., McClay. (2000). Reviewing your student discipline policy: A project worth

the investment. Guide-Non-Classroom. Retrieved July 26, 2010, from Eric database

(ED444074)




Webster’s 1913 Dictionary (2010). [Electronic version]. Retrieved July 12, 2010, from

http://www.webster-dictionary.org

Yancy, T. (2001) Voluntary corporal punishment reduces suspension rates. Retrieved June 27,

2010 from http://www.corpun.com/yancey.htm

15

Documents

english grade 10 learners module