Students have changed as society has changed. Students today come to school with needs that seemingly are different from the needs of students in the past. Therefore, they need services that exceed what a regular classroom teacher can provide. These services must recognize the need for comprehensive and flexible support that is community-based and available to all children and their families. The behavior support process must recognize and build on strengths that exist in all young people, their families and communities, creating a system of supports and opportunities that promote positive choices and behavior.
Most schools in the U.S. are relatively safe places for children, youth, and the adults who teach and support them. However, fears about the personal safety of students, teachers, parents, and community members are very real and need to be addressed. It also is true that some schools have serious crime and violence problems and most schools are having to deal with more serious problem behaviors (e.g., bullying, harassment, victimization, drug and alcohol abuse, the effects of family disruption, poverty, and so on).
No school is immune from challenging behaviors. They exist in every school and community, and they always will. The extent of the challenge will vary in intensity and frequency across schools, and the onset and development of antisocial behavior are associated with a variety of school, community, and family risk factors. Our challenge is to reduce the frequency and intensity of these problems, and sustain our success over time.
Having an organized, school wide system for behavior management and teaching social behavior is the foundation for effective prevention. In addition to the direct benefit it has on student behavior in school, such a system creates the context for school-based efforts to support effective parenting. When school personnel have a shared vision of the.......
