The transformed school counselor chapter 11

Creating a Safe, Supportive, and Respectful
School Culture and Environment
The Transformed School Counselor
Chapter 11

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
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Safe and Supportive Learning
Environments
Every child deserves to be safe, respected, valued
and able to focus on learning.
(Jennings, U.S. Department of Education, 2010)

What is the first step a school counselor can take to
work towards this goal?

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
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The Challenge for Educators
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ensure students are safe and healthy;

have access to adults who care about their success;
engage students in school participation;
respect diversity;
provide emotional and physical safety; and
create school environments that address the
physical surrounding, academic environment,
wellness, and fairness in disciplinary enforcement

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Why is there more violence
among young people today?

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Comparisons
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Do you remember situations in school when you
were younger that resulted in violence?
How were they resolved?
What do you think was different about violence in
schools then and now?

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What is School Violence?
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How should we define school violence?
Why is it important to agree on a definition of
violence?

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School Violence Defined
a wide range of activities, including assaults with
or without weapons, physical fights, threats or
destructive acts other than physical fights,
robbery, harassment, dating violence, molestation,
rape, bullying, hostile or threatening remarks
between groups of students, and gang violence
(Centers for Disease Control, 2010; Fisher & Kettl, 2001).

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What’s the Difference?

A disruptive student is one who interferes with the
educational process or a teacher’s authority over
the students in the classroom
 The violent student may possess or threaten to use
a gun, knife, or a dangerous weapon; or damage or
destroy school district or personal property.
Can you provide an example of each?
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Bullying: Violence or Disruption?
For a behavior to be considered bullying, it must
have three elements: It must be intended to harm,
it must be repetitive, and a difference of power,
e.g., physical, social, age, size, etc., must exist
between the bully and the victim (Olweus, 1993).

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
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Bullying: 21st Century Style
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Face to face: victim, bully, bystander

Cyberbullying
Sexual harassment

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copyright laws.


School Risk Factors
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Academic failure
Low bonding to school
Truancy and dropping out of school
Frequent school transitions

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copyright laws.


Early Warning Signs
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Social withdrawal
Excessive feelings of isolation and being alone
Excessive feelings of rejection
Being a victim of violence
Feelings of being picked on and persecuted
Low school interest and poor academic performance
Expression of violence in writings and drawings
Uncontrolled anger
Patterns of impulsive and chronic hitting, intimidating, and bullying behavior
History of discipline problems
Past history of violent and aggressive behavior
Intolerance for differences and prejudicial attitudes
Drug use and alcohol use
Affiliation with gangs
Inappropriate access to, possession of, and use of firearms
Serious threats of violence

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IMMINENT WARNING SIGNS . . . .
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Serious physical fighting with peers or family
members
Severe destruction of property
Severe rage for seemingly minor reasons
Detailed threats of lethal violence
Possession and/or use of firearms and other
weapons
Other self-injurious behaviors or threats of suicide

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


PRINCIPLES FOR IDENTITYING
THE EARLY WARNING SIGNS
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Do no harm
Understand violence and aggression within a
context
Avoid stereotypes
View warning signs within a developmental
context
Understand that children typically exhibit multiple
warning signs

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Characteristics and Actions of
Successful
Programs
 long-term commitment to sustain interventions K–12
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long-term commitment to sustain interventions K–12
strong administrative leadership that ensures consistent,
clear disciplinary policies;
training to help teachers and staff work with disruptive
students, mediate conflict, and proactively incorporate
prevention strategies

parental awareness of the early warning signs for violence
prevention and engage them to serve as volunteers in school
programs
Partnerships and collaboration to address the multiple
causes of violence in schools and in the community

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Character Matters
Character Education is an intentional effort to help
students understand, care about, and act on core
ethical values including:
values of respect
responsibility
trustworthiness
fairness

diligence
self-control
caring
courage

citizenship
©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Programs of Promise

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Connecting Character to Conduct (Stein et al.,
2001) is a comprehensive methodology that
promotes the core values of RICE:
Respect: Showing respect toward ourselves and
others
Impulse Control: Doing the right things for the
right reasons
Compassion: Showing concern and caring for
others
Equity: Treating everyone with fairness

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
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Conflict Resolution and Peer
Mediation Programs
Students (and teachers) acquire skills to:
• understand and manage conflict
• identify alternatives to resolve issues
• mediate conflict
ã contribute to positive school climate

â2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of

copyright laws.


Building a Climate of RESPECT
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Reflect on the current climate;
Educate the faculty;
Secure a commitment;
Prepare for the unexpected;
Examine data;
Cooperate across all the content areas;
Transform the school culture and climate
What issue will you tackle first?

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


What can you do to help ensure
that your school will be safe,
respectful, and free from
prejudice?

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Legal and Ethical Challenges
What are the legal challenges that school counselors
need to be mindful of with regard to school safety
issues?

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


School Counselors: Committed
to Safe and Supportive Schools
Schools have the power “to turn a child’s life from
risk to resilience,” (Benard, p. 63) and that power
is in our hands

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.