I have an ever-evolving number of research issues that I have presented at professional conferences and meetings. I am presently working on articles based on those presentations.
Early adolescence is a time when peer acceptance ranks high among student priorities.
Yet there is ample research evidence that many students perceive that they are rejected by their peers, mistreated by their peers, or simply not accepted by their peers. Recent episodes of violence in schools often point to the fact that perpetrators of the violence had a history of being bullied or of bullying others. Yet research commonly suggests that teachers in middle schools are not aware of the frequency of peer rejection among students in their classrooms. In my research, I have surveyed middle school teachers to ascertain their perception of characteristics of students who experience peer rejections and the extent to which the teachers themselves feel they can assist students to experience more peer acceptance. I am working to identify teaching strategies that can prevent active peer rejection in the classroom and facilitate greater peer acceptance.