Bully proofing your classroom: A study of the influence of classroom meetings on performance indicators.

摘要

Research has shown that being bullied and harassed impedes on one's education. Creating a safe and respectful learning environment is an intangible asset to schools. This study seeks to quantitatively measure the impact of anti-bullying classroom meetings on pre-determined performance indicators. These classroom meetings are designed to build relationships within the classroom where students feel welcomed and safe to learn. This study was conducted within fifth grade classrooms from two different schools that are in the same school district. A convenience sample of one hundred and ninety-seven students participated in the study. One school conducted the meetings while the other school did not participate. The classrooms were compared to analyze the influence of these classroom meetings on performance indicators, which include; mathematic performance using the Everyday Mathematics end-of-unit assessments, attendance, and documented discipline referrals. No significant difference was found between implementing classroom meetings and achieving higher mathematics scores or on the students' overall attendance. There was found to be a significant difference between classroom meetings and the reduction of documented discipline and bullying behaviors. Based on a two sample t-test, the null hypothesis (Z = -4.55, p = 0.00) was rejected. It is concluded that the intervention school had a statistically significantly lower disciplinary referral rate than the control school. Overall, the main focus of this study was to understand the impact, if any, of anti-bullying classroom meetings on student performance indicators.