This paper describes a school-wide violence prevention program implemented in a large elementary school in Georgia. The program consisted of school-wide training of teachers to increase awareness of the problem and to develop specific strategies to reduce and prevent aggressive behaviors among students. The main focus for the year was the reduction of teasing and name-calling. To evaluate the program, all students completed a baseline survey in May of 1998 (n=541; 90% response rate; 51% African American) and a follow-up survey during the following spring. Teachers were trained during the summer, and worked to develop strategies, based on theory and experience, to reduce aggression. The program started in the fall of 1999. All teachers completed a survey at the end of the academic year. For kindergarten through second grade, students' self-reported aggressive behaviors decreased by 40% and victimization decreased by 19%. For third through fifth graders, self-reported aggressive behaviors did not change but victimization significantly decreased by 23%. Most teachers (69%) reported that they had observed a decrease in name-calling among students in comparison to the prior year. In addition, 42% of the teachers reported an improvement in the relationship among teachers contributing to improved school climate. Due to the overall decrease in victimization reported by all students and the significant decrease in aggression reported by younger students, this intervention suggests helpful practices toward reducing aggression in elementary students.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the components of the aggression prevention program for this elementary school. 2. Discuss the role of teachers and administrators for the success of the program. 3. Assess how these components could be applied to other schools and programs.
Keywords: Violence Prevention, School-Based Programs
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