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Schools are seeking to understand how to build positive school environments that help students learn and become good citizens in the school community. One practice used in charter schools is merit and demerit systems. The literature indicates that positive and negative reinforcements acts as punitive discipline that only works when adults are around students to enforce policies, rules, and expectations. One particular charter high school that used a merit and demerit system to discipline students was studied to understand the implications of such systems for students of color living in a low-income community. Using the principles of critical pedagogy, the study connected and drew inferences between teacher perceptions of discipline and how the merit and demerit system impacted student referral and punishment. A total of 12 teachers (ninth and 10th grade) participated in this qualitative study. Through classroom observations and focus groups, trends were triangulated and presented in this study. A major finding of this study involves the teacher understanding that the concept of a merit and demerit system is beneficial, but ultimately leads to a loss of student agency. The discussion focuses on explaining an authoritarian perspective and the perceptions and reality of the implementing a merit and demerit system at the high school level. Implications for educators to understand and improve school discipline policies that support students and rethink punitive and authoritarian practices are discussed. Recommendations for future research in the study are presented and summarized.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990. / Also available in print.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

This study was underpinned by the view of the researcher that classroom discipline is gradually collapsing in South African schools. Learners seem to be uncontrollable thus affecting the quality of teaching and learning. Educators worldwide have many responsibilities in managing classroom discipline and shaping the behaviour of learners in schools. For educators to undertake these many responsibilities there is need for them to carryout effective teaching and learning through maintaining a disciplined classroom without enforcing corporal punishment. This might seem difficult from the view of certain attitudes learners display in classroom, but it is possible if educators are groomed with contemporary classroom discipline strategies which conform to the demands of the Department of Education. The study investigated the phenomenon of managing classroom discipline in Ngaka Modiri Molema District to determine the extent to which educators are conversant with the legal framework for managing classroom discipline and to determine strategies currently employed by educators to establish discipline in the classroom. The study also state and describe disciplinary challenges currently faced by educators in the classroom and make recommendations and guidelines on the findings with regard to managing classroom discipline. A literature review was done on conceptual literature relating to issues on managing classroom discipline. Learner's misconduct in class, causes of disciplinary problems and how to prevent and manage classroom discipline by applying the legal framework in class was also reviewed. The research approach was qualitative. Purposively selected participants included experienced teachers and student members of school student governments (prefects) of two purposefully selected schools. Views and experience of participants to this study were captured and explained through interviews, observations and document analysis. Results are discussed in relation to relevant literature, allowing the flow of an open coding process in inductive qualitative analysis. Findings from the research indicated that participants are experiencing varying forms of continued ill discipline in their classrooms. Some of which are; learners not doing their school and homework, absenteeism, disruption of classes by noise making, learners bullying fellow learners and even educators. Literature review revealed that there are nationwide guidelines and legal framework for managing discipline in schools as embedded in SASA. Participants know the guidelines and a legal framework for managing discipline in classrooms that has been used to design a school code of conduct and classroom rules. Most educators are not very conversant with the legal framework for managing classroom discipline except for the fact that they know they are not allowed to use corporal punishment. The findings of this study suggested that educators, through the help of the Department of Education, should familiarise themselves with legal documents on managing discipline in order for them to establish and maintain positive classroom discipline management. / Thesis (M.Ed) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2011

Violence and bullying in schools have become major issues of concern to teachers, students and parents in the new millennium. As evidence mounts of the destructive, pervasive and sometimes lethal impact of these phenomena within the education milieu, it has become apparent that an approach which compromises a pragmatic intervention informed by innovative theoretical perspectives is urgently required. The body of work presented in this portfolio attempts to address this need by presenting a comprehensive model for intervention in violence and bullying in schools. Based upon the findings of a survey of four Sydney metropolitan schools, and drawing upon extant theory and research, a number of important theoretical perspectives were identified. The proposal that violence may be resolved through education is explored and perceptions about contemporary influences, including the impact of exposure to media violence, are challenged. The conceptualisation of peer abuse as a legislated child protection issue is initiated and discussed. The necessity for the development of resiliency as an individual attribute for victims is examined and the function of peers as formal advocates for victims is proposed. In summary, this portfolio presents a body of scholarly, professional work focused on addressing the issues of violence and bullying in schools through new perspectives and a comprehensive model for intervention that can readily be implemented by educators / Doctor of Education (Ed. D.)

Time-In, A Logical Consequence for Misbehaving Students, studied the effects of a primary school discipline program designed and implemented by a trainee school counsellor. The program delivered a series of logical consequences for students' misbehaviour and a formalized entry point for counselling intervention. The program was based on a critical incident technique that required teachers to issue infringement notices to misbehaving students who failed to respond to warnings or contravened existing rules regarding safe and responsible behaviour. Counselling and system responses (loss of privileges, parent notification, in school suspension, exclusion) occurred within an established formula dependent on the number of infringements accruing to the student. The school counsellor assumed full responsibility for the collection of infringements, monitoring of on-going student misbehaviour, parental contact and overall management functions of the host school's discipline program. Counselling sessions and mode of therapy were selected and employed to meet the specific needs of misbehaving students once extended misbehaviour patterns emerged. Data collected throughout the study's duration (one year) indicated a decline in the number of recurring offenders and a drop-off in the number of infringements received by those pupils who continued to transgress school policies regarding safe and responsible behaviour. Five hundred and forty-seven infringement notices were issued during the study which resulted in a total of 83 counselling sessions. Male students dominated all categories of misbehaviour and accounted for 86% of the infringements issued. Seventy-seven per cent of infringements issued were from class teacher to students in the class setting. Three questionnaires were administered at the end of the program to teachers, parents and students. Both parent and teacher questionnaire results supported Time-In procedures but almost half of the students responded negatively to the continuation of the program. Several hypotheses were posited for this outcome.