Fighting

by Ashley Bishop


Staten Island Advance (producer) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-AlT-mjX5k&feature=email

School Violence is a common concern for teachers, parents and students, and, while you may not ever witness a violent outbreak in your classroom, understanding why violence happens and having a plan of action for yourself will help you (and your students) feel safer and more confident. In this section, we will address four types of violent behavior:

• Fighting or Physical Aggression (pushing, hitting, etc.)
• Bullying (including cruelty, threats or attempts to hurt others)
• Intentional destruction of property
• Sexual Assault


Why do students fight?

There is no one, simple cause for violent behavior! Like most aspects of human behavior, it is the result of many factors, but lets look at some theories:

Biological:

In 1993, Reiss and Roth said, "No patterns precise enough to be considered reliable biological markers for violent behavior have yet been identified." But this only means we cannot point to any one biological factor as the underlying cause of violence. Drug or alcohol usage is both linked to increased violence. But what about internal biological factors? Statistically, males are more likely to engage in violent behaviors, leaving early researchers to assume that testosterone must be a root cause. While many violent males have shown higher testosterone levels, not all do, and testosterone certainly doesn’t account for female violence. Recent research points to serotonin levels and their relationship to mood and self-esteem as a possible biological factor. Note that serotonin levels are a two-way street: Serotonin dysfunction can lead to lower levels of happiness or self-esteem which can lead to violent behavior; Conversely, failure to succeed can lead to serotonin dysfunction! Fortunately the corollary also holds true: Success leads to a boost in serotonin!

Cognitive

“Younger adolescents are less likely than older adolescents to generate options, to anticipate the consequences of decisions, and to evaluate the credibility of sources.” . So younger adolescents may make poor or impulsive decisions that lead to violent behavior. Teenagers are also close observers of what behaviors are rewarded and what behaviors are punished, so when they see, or receive, rewards for violent behavior from their peers (or see an aggressive student receive attention from a teacher) violent behavior is vicariously reinforced, “increasing the possibility that the observer will also show aggression.” Keep in mind: You are in control of what behaviors receive reward and/or attention in your classroom!

Social

If you let somebody hack you down, and you don’t do something about it and other people are watching you, they’re going to think you’re a goof, so you have to do it. You have to do it because you get angry and because you have to teach them a lesson. “Molly,” 10th grader (Artz, p110)

Teens often learn violent behaviors from one another and, in some social groups, violent behavior becomes both accepted and expected. Teens may fight to achieve social status: Either to prove or preserve their place in the social hierarchy. But by far the most common social factor in violent behavior is the influence of the family. Violent teens often come from violent homes. If a teen observes or experiences abuse (emotional, physical or sexual) at home, s/he is likely to exhibit violent behavior outside of the home. Note that while a teen may recognize a violent home life as contributing to their friends’ violent behavior, they seldom see their own families as abnormal. This is consistent with adolescent cognitive development: While they may get the big picture, they don’t see their place in it. Asking teens to think about their own behaviors can help them make that connection and perhaps lead to change.

How can I prevent fights in my school/classroom?

• Learn your school’s policies and guidelines
• See if your school or district offers training in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (many districts do!) visit the Crisis Prevention Institute for more information at: http://www.crisisprevention.com
• Set Clear Expectations, Rules and Consequences
• Eliminate Opportunity: Avoid overcrowding (if possible) and arrange your room to allow easy passage down aisles
• Reward Positive behaviors
• Engage students in discussions about violence

What should I do if there is fight?

1. Give a loud, clear verbal command;
2. Make a decision whether or not to physically intervene. Is it safe?
3. If it is not safe, decide how to get help quickly while adequately protecting the students in your care;
4. Continue to give loud, clear verbal commands to stop the students who are fighting;
5. Send a student for help, or use some for of communication to get assistance;
   
6. Give loud, clear verbal commands to the students in the hall to keep away; and
   
7. Move objects out of the way that could cause harm such as desks, chairs, glass, and so forth.
8. If it is safe, physically intervene. Use reasonable force and do not become the aggressor.