The school safety movement is based on the belief that a focus on safety, rather than implementation of individual antiviolence programs, gives students a sense of security. Many overall approaches to school organization, teaching, and classroom management can promote children's caring and cooperation and minimize their behavior problems. They can be employed as part of a schoolwide antiviolence program or curriculum, or be used on an ad hoc basis. They have a calm and predictable atmosphere that provides a sense of security and limits the possibility that unforeseen events will trigger explosive behavior. Alternative ways of maintaining good conduct can be more effective.
Teachers can work with students to develop a list of rules for acceptable behavior.
They can calm an agitated child by helping to solve the precipitating problem and being firm about not bestowing additional attention on the child if the scene is repeated. Providing students with rewards for prosocial behavior in class or at play deters aggression. Teachers can give students points for attendance, preparedness, and performance that qualify them for an extra school trip, for example. Teachers can organize cooperative play activities instead of winner-loser games, and urge children to help, rather than taunt, those with less athletic ability. Instead of responding to bad conduct on a playing field with punishment or attention to the perpetrator, they can facilitate peer mediation for arguing students.