The importance of dealing with drug and alcohol issues among elementary students may not seem as critical as dealing with these issues among middle and high school students, however, these are important issues to address at any age. Particular attention must be paid to how these issues are addressed, so that the discussion about drugs and alcohol is age-appropriate.

For instance, talking directly to seven and eight year old children about the dangers of cocaine use may not garner the same effect as relaying this message through a story, or other form they can more easily understand. There will, however, be instances in which direct dialogue will prove the most effective.

Laying a solid foundation of self worth and good decision making skills for children, before drugs or alcohol become an issue, may be the most significant thing elementary teachers can do to help their students in this regard. The atmosphere of the classroom, in regard to how it is governed, what games are played, the fair presence of praise and reprimand, and the nature of interaction between students, all factor into what type of foundation teachers create for their students.

Below is a more in-depth discussion of these issues accompanied with various informative links.

Tom Winiecki
Elementary Section Editor

None of what I have to say about classroom discipline is new, and most teachers implement similar tactics in their classrooms. Therefore, the purpose of this section is to reaffirm what so many of us already know and do.

Having classroom discipline does not necessarily mean being strict as a drill sergeant and forcing everyone to "toe the line." Rather, classroom discipline means making sure that all of your students know what the expectations of the classroom are, and why these are so important. Something as simple as a brief discussion at the beginning of the school year about your expectations for the classroom, and what these mean to the students, is a great way to place everyone on the same page, so to speak.

These discussions are often quite common sense, but crucial for future success. Discussion topics can be structured as the following: "Why is it an unsafe situation when someone is using a piece of equipment inappropriately, such as throwing a ball at a fellow student, rather than a target?" or "Why shouldn't you talk to other students while the teacher is giving instructions for the activity"? This discussion, question-based approach, is an excellent way to handle the issue of classroom discipline. Not only does it engage the student in determining right from wrong, it also allows you to remain calm and not get caught up in the emotions of each situation.

Another approach to fostering good classroom discipline is to use a reward/punishment system in combination with choice-based reasoning. An example of this method would be to take away what a child wants as a consequence of poor choices, such as restricting class participation. In order for this method to work, the teacher must follow up with a discussion with the student.

First, sit the child out of the game and explain to him/her that you will be back in a few minutes to discuss their poor choice. When you return to the student, begin the conversation by helping the student to understand it was their poor choice that caused them to be pulled out of the activity. This helps the student develop an understanding of personal responsibility. The discussion may go as follows:

Teacher: "What was it you did that made me have to sit you out of the activity?

Student: "I threw a ball at Tommy."

Teacher: "Am I supposed to allow students to throw balls at one another?

Student: "No, you can't let that happen."

Teacher: "Since you made the decision to throw the ball at Tommy, and you just told me that I can't let that type of behavior slide, I've been forced to sit you out of the activity. If you had made the decision to throw your ball at the target, you could have finished the activity with everyone else."

Through this discussion, you help the student to understand that they are in control of the consequences they are receiving. In essence, you're helping the student understand that they have done this to themselves. This type of experience occurs with older students when they are confronted with the temptation of drugs and alcohol. They have a choice whether or not they will get into a car with someone that has been drinking, or not - they have a choice to accept a joint from another student, or not - the consequences are their own.

To finish this conversation, explain to the student, "I can let you come back into class if you tell me that you will be responsible with the ball. Do you understand?" Once the student informs you they understand, walk away immediately.

Put the student in a position where they must approach you in class and explain how they plan to rejoin the other students in activities. Allow the student to rejoin the other students in activities. If they behave inappropriately again, pull the student aside and discuss with them the previous promise they had made, forcing them once again to see that the consequences are in their hands.

Teacher: "What would you do if someone broke a promise to you? Would you want to trust them? What would your friends think of you if you went back on your word to them?"

You will be surprised how well your students respond to this type of discipline. In no time, many of your classroom discipline problems will disappear. Learning the consequences of their actions at a young age, particularly when their choices involve balls, jump ropes, and other benign things, will be much easier than trying to learn the same lessons when they are older, and drugs and alcohol become an issue.

Student-Centered Learning: Community Circle
This article is part of an ongoing series that offers teachers a number of useful tips for promoting responsible, ethical behavior in the class room. A number of these ideas are adapted from Jeanne Gibb's book Tribes: A New Way of Learning and Being Together.

Behavior Reference - This Web site identifies 117 misbehaviors that occur in the classroom and at home. Its discipline approach is based on effectively identifying different types of misbehavior, understanding why they occur, and creating situation-specific resolutions to each problem.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T - This activity from PE Central is perfect for 3rd through 5th graders. It focuses on developing teamwork skills, and is an excellent way of familiarizing students with classroom expectations.

RESPECT is an acronym for:

THE GOOD BEHAVIOR GAME - The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is an intervention-based program for dealing with disruptive and aggressive behavior in children. It is most commonly used with 1st and 2nd graders, and the game-like nature of this program has proven quite effective in increasing good-behavior skills while decreasing poor behavior habits. Access the GBG Manual here.

WALL OF FAME/SHAME

This is a great exercise for older elementary students (grades 4 through 6), who are starting to become aware of college and professional sports. The trouble that many of these athletes get into is well chronicled by the media, as is the discussion of whether or not these athletes are suitable role models for young children. As a teacher, you can integrate these discussions and ideas into your classes.

Start by scouring your local newspapers for articles on the good and bad decisions athletes make. Then, place these articles in a highly visible area, such as a bulletin board in the hallway, or on the door to your gym. It is important to provide a healthy balance of coverage for both the good and bad decisions athletes make. It is as important, if not more, to show students the many good decisions these athletes make. Since these situations all involve adults, it is important to relay the information of each article in a manner your students will understand. Below are two examples I have used with my students.

Rafael Palmeiro (Baltimore Orioles) took steroids to become a better baseball player. Steroids are against the rules in baseball, and they are also illegal to take. He was suspended for 10 days and could not be with his team for that time. He also lied to the US Congress when asked if he ever took steroids. DISCUSSION: Cheating is bad enough, and lying about cheating is even worse. Would you want to be friends with someone that cheated, and then lied about it?

U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps gave up his spot on a relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics so that another teammate could get a chance to swim at the Olympics. Phelps had already won a number of medals, and wanted to give his teammate a chance to win one too. Phelps' gesture also made his teammate want to swim faster, so he wouldn't let his teammates down. DISCUSSION: Have you ever seen a teammate that wanted to play, but didn't seem to get the chance despite working hard in practice? What would you do to try to get them into the game more? How would you feel if all of your hard work went unnoticed?

In the first scenario involving the baseball player and steroids, I attempted to equate steroids (most likely a nebulous, confusing thing for young students) with lying and cheating, which are concrete ideas for them. In the second scenario involving the swimmer and the Olympics, I chose to focus on the noble act of sacrificing something valuable to allow a fellow teammate a chance to shine.

It is important to reinforce these lessons in class after you discuss them. For example, when another student allows a fellow classmate to go first in an activity, point it out to everyone and make a large production of it. Before long, this type of behavior will spread like wild fire through your classes. It is always better to catch students doing something positive, rather than always seeking out the negative.

Why Kids don't show respect - some good information to show that respect is earned, not awarded.

Teaching Children Respect - This is a very good article, and easy to read.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T lesson plans. Education World provides five lessons to help you weave the theme of respect into your curriculum and classroom routine.