SCHOOL DISCIPLINE IN THE UNITED-STATES - PREVENTION, CORRECTION, AND LONG-TERM SOCIAL-DEVELOPMENT

Since the onset of public education in America, the public has expecte d schools to develop self-discipline among children and to use discipl inary measures. These two expectations continue to be supported in bot h public polls and federal initiatives in education. This article revi ews strategies used by the most highly effective classroom teachers to achieve the long-term goal of self-discipline while simultaneously ac hieving the short-term goal of classroom management and control of dis cipline problems. Research shows that effective teachers can be charac terized by an authoritative style-a style that combines three types of strategies: classroom management and positive climate strategies for preventing behavior problems, operant learning strategies for the shor t-term management and control of behavior problems, and decision-makin g and social problem-solving strategies for achieving the long-term go al of self-discipline. These strategies are supported by research and theory in school psychology, developmental psychology, and educational psychology. They also are exemplified in three national projects, pro filed in this article, that employ a comprehensive, broad-based, preve ntive approach to improving prosocial behavior and social problem-solv ing skills among children.