Violence in High School - Essay Example

The purpose of this study is to investigate and gather all strategies that have been proven effective in preventing as well as decreasing the rate of violence in high school. 
Back in Chapter I, the researcher developed several research questions such as: (1) What are how school teachers could prevent and protect the students from violence such as school fighting with deadly weapons?; and (2) What is the main role of parents in the early violence prevention?  The researcher also assumed that: (1) the behavioral foundation of an individual starts within the family wherein a child is being guided by the parents about proper behavior; and  (2) that the school environment has to be peaceful to encourage the students to learn well and achieve better academic performance. Using the research questions and assumptions used in Chapter I, the researcher developed a research survey questionnaire that was presented in Chapter III. 

The research questions in the study were answered using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research questionnaires that were distributed to randomly selected participants between the age brackets of 14 – 18 years old at (name of US high school) and (name of US high school).  Eventually, the research survey results were compared to the research findings that were reported by the National School Safety Center: Review of School Safety Research (2006) including the literature review gathered for this study.

Childhood experience and the personal relationship of each individual with the parents significantly affect the behavior of each individual. 

The school teachers also have a role to play in terms of disciplining the students whereas students, in general, could easily track down possible causes of school violence more than the school teachers or parents since these young individuals are more closely involved with other children who are capable of committing violent acts.

Since parents, teachers, and students are among the three most important groups that actively participate in school activities, the research study concluded that it is important for these groups to be given a special role to play in the prevention of school violence. Encouraging these people to actively participate in the development and implementation of school programs will make it so much easier on the part of school administrators to create a strategic plan that will effectively counteract any potential risk of violent activities within and outside the school premises.

Aside from providing the parents and teachers with sufficient training on how to handle school violence prevention, the study suggests that the school administrators should install security devices within the school vicinity and hire security personnel who will be assigned to conduct a random inspection and implement a strict checking of identification cards before allowing each student to enter the school compound.

Implications for Teaching Practice

My responsibilities as a teacher do not end in teaching the students with academic subjects. It is also my responsibility to protect the students from any mental or physical harm that may occur within the school premises.

Based on the research study, I have learned that students should play an active role in the development of school violence prevention programs. Therefore, it becomes my duty to teach them some ways how they could protect themselves from the occurrence of possible violent acts from other students.  For example, Students should be informed that they have the right to promote safety within and outside the school premises by reporting any possible cases of school violence.  By protecting the identity of the students who will be reporting to the school administrators, more students will have the courage to support the school violence prevention program.

Together with my co-teachers, it would be a good idea to open up the need to get the parents actively involved in the training and development of the school violence program with the school administrator. As soon as the school administrators accept the idea of getting the parents involved in the school violence prevention program, it would be much easier on the part of the school teachers to promote and manage the safety issues of high school students at all times.

Implications for Further Research

Aside from discussing the importance of allowing the students to actively participate in the decision-making of school programs and policies on school violence prevention, the research study focused on examining the role of parents and school teachers in the development of school programs that will promote non-violence among the students. 

Although it was mentioned in the research study that 95% of the respondents believe that having an access to school psychologists and counseling could lessen the incidence of school-related violence; there is a need to conduct a further research study on how psychologists could help minimize the violent behavior of the students since the researcher did not test for any direct and indirect impact of making school psychologists available to students. Read More