Tuncay Ergene, Ph.D. Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey Preventing School Violence in Turkey: Good Practices and Innovative Policies Tuncay Ergene, Ph.D

Tuncay Ergene, Ph.D. Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

Preventing School Violence in Turkey: Good Practices and Innovative Policies

Tuncay Ergene, Ph.D.

Hacettepe UniversityFaculty of Education

Ankara, Turkey


Number of Schools, Students and Teachers

Type of School Number of Schools

Number of Students Number of Teachers

Pre-School 13,692 358,499 19,122

Primary School 36,117 10,479,538 384,029

High School 2,831 1,983,998 86,051

Vocational School

3,681 1,050,394 73,998

Higher Education

72 1,841,546 78,804

Total 56,393 1,5713,975 642,004


Schools in Turkey


What is violence?

Diffrent deffinitions exists, Violence in educational environments is a

deliberate physical, psychological or social attack or intervention towards students or teachers and result in physical or psychological pain in individuals.


What is violence?

“the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against onself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation” (WHO)


SCHOOL VIOLENCE IN TURKEY INCIDENCE TOTAL %

Pyhsical Abuse 814 32,9

Alcohol and Drug Abuse 84 3,4

Bullying 491 19,8

Gender Violence 65 2,6

Vandalism 234 9,5

Stealing 184 7,4

Use of Weapons and rifles 196 7,9

Forming Gangs and Gang Membership 27 1,1

Using knifes 47 1,9

Gossiping and Name Calling 323 13,1

Killing at Schools 9 0,4

TOTAL 2474 %100

TOTAL NUMBER of Students who involve

these incedence = 6224

* the data collected after 26.04.2006


Problem Areas in Relation with School Violence in Educational System

Low school attendence Low rates of primary school completion High drop-out rates especially for girls Early marriage for girls Teen-age pregnancy Traditional and religious beliefs Gender stereotypes


Type of School Based Prevention Programs

Educational Student Support Services School – Home – Community Linkages Environmental / Technological School Policies and Procedures The Others


Type of School Based Prevention Programs: Educational

Pece education Cooperative learning Conflict resolution Peer mediation Gang prevention / reduction Crime prevention and law-

related education Handgun violence

prevention education Life skills training / social

competence Relationship / family

violence prevention

Prejudice reduction / cultural awareness

Stress management Positive anger release Street-smart kids Personal power Self-esteem Dealing with death Bullying prevention Aggression reducation


Type of School Based Prevention Programs: Student Support Services

Mentors and role models

Career exploration Work experience

placement School-based health

clinics Peer-counseling

Student support groups Individual counseling Group counseling Student leadership Drop-out prevention Extracurricular activities


Type of School Based Prevention Programs: School-Home-Community Linkages

Family support programs Parent-skills training Volunteer-parent patrols School-business partnership Interagency collaborations School-community task forces School advisory committees


Type of School Based Prevention Programs: Environmental / Technological

Metal dedectors Gun-free school zones Locker search Bookbag bans Classroom phones Safe coridor/safe haven

policies Closed-circuit TV Dress codes

X-ray machines Gun and drug sniffing

dogs Locker removal Closed campuses Magnetic door locks Student I.D. cards School security staff


Type of School Based Prevention Programs: School Policies and Procedures

School safety plans Zero tolerance policies Suspension, expulsion and formal charges Staff development Multicultural awareness Sensitivity training Gang elimination procedures Student / staff conduct discipline codes Student arbitration boards


Type of School Based Prevention Programs: The Others

Alternative curriculums Alternative schools Improvements to school campuses Youth crime watch Crisis management teams Violence hotlines Student speak-outs


School violence prevention: What works?

Perspective-taking Problem-solving Family behavior management Family problem-solving Decreasing gun access Decrasing media violence


School violence prevention: What doesn’t works?

Scare tactics Didactic programs Programs focusing only on self-esteem Segregating aggressive / antisocial students Programs focusing only on anger-

management


School violence prevention: What’s promising / limited testing?

Peer mediation Mentoring Social skills training Classroom-management techniques


Current Efforts for Preventing Violence at Schools in Turkey

REPUBLIC OF TURKEY MINISTRY OF NATIONAL EDUCATION

PREVENTING AND REDUCING

VIOLENCE IN EDUCATIONAL

ENVIRONMENTS

STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN

(2006-2011+)


Main Strategies in “Strategy and Action Plan”

An information based management notion A multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach Holistic approach Developmental approach Prevention, protection and intervention approach Capacity building Sustainability of services Monitoring and Evaluation


Intervention Areas

I. Management process

II. Teachers and school administrators

III. Students

IV. Educational environment and its surroundings

V. Familiy


Social StrategyViolence Prevention Service Delivery

Shared responsibility Increased role for professions Multi-disciplinary Multi-skilled, dedifferentiated work force Increased outreach from traditional specialty base Linkages with Employment Linkages with Health Linkages with Social Services Voluntary Organizations

FOCUS


Strategic Framework:School Violence Promotation

Most policy initiatives are concerned predominantly on treatment and prevention of school violence interventions

Need to focus on “protective factors” that have a mediating role on impact of stressful life events, e.g., response to trauma or loss

Need a strategic framework for School Violence promotion to strike a balance between reducing risk factors and strengthening positive protective factors

Strengthening “resilience” within the school


Meeting the Needs: Vision

Diverse Agenda: Promotion and public education Primary Prevention Social Supports Intersectoral linkages Community Services Specialist Services

SCHOOL VIOLENCE PROMOTION

PREVENTION

INTER-SECTORAL AND COMMUNITY

SERVICES

CLINICALSERVICES

INDIVIDUAL WORK


School Violence Prevention Work Essentials

ChangeChange

Concepts

Concepts

Res

earc

h

Res

earc

h

Outcomes

Outcomes

Sta

keho

lder

s

Sta

keho

lder

sDomainsDomains

Provision

Provision

Res

ou

rces

Res

ou

rces

Context

Context


A Five-Year Perspective

Time to overcome:Community scepticismPolitical concernsBureaucratic concernsProfessional resistanceScarce resources


Social StrategyEducational Service Delivery

Shared responsibility Increased role for Student

Personnel Services (School counselors, school psychologists)

Multi-disciplinary Multi-skilled, dedifferentiated work

force Linkages with Employment Linkages with Health Linkages with Social Services Voluntary Organizations

FOCUS


Three Key Elements in School Violence Prevention Effords

Knowledge base Social strategies Political will


Key Element 1:School Violence Prevention

Knowledge Base

Evidence Based ResearchCausal and Risk MechanismsClinical Effectiveness of Interventions


Evidence-basedorganizations

Individuals who practice

evidence-baseddecision making

Individuals shape organizations

Organizations facilitate the development of individuals


Key Element 2School Violence Prevention

Social Strategies

Central levelProvincial levelCommunity level Individual and Family level


Key Element 3School Violence Prevention

Political Will

PrioritiesStewardshipJusticeVision

Political Political WillWill


Dimensions of Public Policy


Preventing School Violence: Good Practices and Innovative Policies

Tuncay Ergene, Ph.D.Assoc. Prof.

Hacettepe UniversityFaculty of Education

Department of Educational SciencesProgram of Counseling and Guidance

0653, Beytepe, Ankara, TurkeyPhone: +90.312.2978551

Fax: +90.312.2978560E-Mail: [email protected]

Documents

Tuncay Ergene, Ph.D. Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey Preventing School Violence in Turkey: Good Practices and Innovative Policies Tuncay Ergene, Ph.D