Teaching the Social Curriculum: School Discipline as Instruction

Abstract

Though less explicit than the academic curriculum, the expectations, rules, and consequences that form the social curricu- lum of schools are no less important in deter- mining school success. Methods of discipline that emphasize school removal have not yield- ed evidence of effectiveness in teaching appro- priate behavior or ensuring safe and effective school climates. In contrast, reviews have con- sistently identified preventive, collaborative, and instructional methods as effective or promising in reducing school violence or dis- ruption. One effort to increase the implemen- tation of effective instructional methods of school discipline and the promising results from the 1st year of implementation are described. First-year results from that program provide some evidence that school discipline need not be equated with punishment and exclusion.