Defusing Violent Behavior in Schools

Violent behavior in schools occurs in many different forms, from taunting and teasing to physical assaults and destruction of property. Whenever violent behavior occurs at school, whether in the form of physical assault or emotional abuse, the learning process is disrupted, not only for the students directly involved but for teachers and student bystanders (Henry, 2000). Because violence comes in multiple forms, efforts by school personnel to prevent and defuse aggressive and violent behaviors must be multidimensional and broad-based. In educational settings, professionals can address academic and mental health factors most appropriately and effectively within a multilevel framework of prevention and intervention (Osher, Dwyer, & Jackson, 2004). Additionally, attention should be given to ensuring that prevention efforts begin at the early childhood level and continue through secondary education programs, using developmentally appropriate strategies and activities at each level (Elias, et al., 1997). This paper describes general strategies that can be used by educators to create safe and successful learning environments