How Research Has Shaped SACSC Programming

SACSC believes
The “four As” of Safe and Caring Schools: Attachment, Achievement, Autonomy, and Altruism help children to develop an understanding of appropriate social behaviour.

Research shows
Four key principles for successful violence-prevention programs are:

positive interest and constructive involvement from adults.
firm limits on unacceptable behaviour.
consistent use of non-hostile, non-physical discipline rather than punishment.
authoritative (not authoritarian) adult-child interaction.

Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school: What we know and what we can do. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell.

SACSC believes
Adults must consistently model, support and reinforce positive social behaviour.

Research shows
A nurturing environment where adaptive behaviours are modeled improves students’ relationships, behaviour, and achievement in school.

Walker, H., Colvin, G., & Ramsey, E. (1995). Antisocial behavior in school: Strategies and best practices. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks Cole.

SACSC believes
Teaching children in a way that builds respect and responsibility, builds self-esteem, develops anger management, prevents and deals with bullying and develops an ability to solve problems and resolve conflict peacefully.

Research shows
In order to be safe and caring, a school culture must teach students to stand up and speak out against bullies.

Orbit (2004). Interview with Barbara Coloroso. Orbit. Vol 34, No 2 (2-5).

Students need to be empowered to work with each other and with adults to keep schools safe. Successful violence-prevention programs teach students conflict resolution, stress relief, anger management, mediation and communication skills.

Zuker, M.A. (2004). A legal perspective on school violence and bullying. Orbit, Vol 34, No 2 (14-17).

SACSC believes
Giving children support while they correct the harm they have caused, rather than relying on suspension, helps children take responsibility for inappropriate behaviour.

Research shows
Students who are suspended or expelled from school are most often labelled ‘trouble-makers’, at-risk for failing academically or dropping out of school, involved in the criminal justice system, and sitting at home or out on the streets, with no educational alternatives.

Zuker, M.A. (2004). A legal perspective on school violence and bullying. Orbit, Vol 34, No 2 (14-17).

SACSC believes
Using teaching strategies like cooperative learning to develop communication skills encourages collaboration and provide opportunities for practicing positive social behaviours.

Research shows
Cooperative learning reduces conflicts among different racial, ethnic, social, and economic groups by providing opportunities for students to make and maintain friendships

Coghlan, R. (2000). The teaching of anti-violence strategies within the English curriculum. English Journal. May 2000 (84-89)

Cooperative learning is an effective tool for preventing violence.

Orbit (2004). Interview with Barbara Coloroso. Orbit. Vol 34, No 2 (2-5).

Cooperative learning improves problem-solving skills and enhances language learning in Aboriginal students.

Demmert, W.J. Jr. (2001). Improving academic performance among Native American students: A review of the research literature (Report No. NCRTL-RTR). Charleston, W.V. ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools.

Cooperative learning groups do better on tasks than do students working as individuals.

Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., and Taylor, B. (1993). Impact of cooperative and individualistic learning on high-ability students’ achievement, self-esteem, and social acceptance. Journal of Social Psychology, Vol 133, 839-844.

SACSC believes
All school staff must participate in integrating and reinforcing safe, caring and inclusive concepts into the curriculum as well as into whole-school and extra-curricular activities.

Research shows
Violence prevention programs must be fully integrated into the student’s program of study in order to be effective.

Coghlan, R. (2000). The teaching of anti-violence strategies within the English curriculum. English Journal. May 2000 (84-89).

How individual teachers view themselves as contributors to the whole school appears to be important to their level of satisfaction beyond the classroom.

Ma, X. and Macmillan, R. (1999). Influences of workplace conditions on teachers’ job satisfaction. Journal of Education Research, Vol 93, No 1 (39-47).

To effectively prevent violence and bullying, schools must provide training for all school staff, not just teachers.

Zuker, M.A. (2004). A legal perspective on school violence and bullying. Orbit, Vol 34, No 2 (14-17).

SACSC believes
Collaborating with parents, community members and other organizations to promote safe and caring concepts is important because children and youth are the responsibility of all the adults in the community.

Research shows
That a relationship of trust between the school and the home has positive effects on student learning.

Bryk, A. and Schneider, B. (2002). Trust in schools: A core resource for improvement. New York: Russel Sage Foundation.
&
Karcher, M.J. (2002). The cycle of violence and disconnection among rural middle school students: Teacher disconnection as a consequence of violence. Journal of School Violence. Vol 1, No 1 (35-51).

School districts that reported academic improvements based on achievement test results had made partnerships with community agencies.

Maguire, P. (2003). District practices and student achievement: Lessons from Alberta. SAEE

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	The SACSC Safe and Caring Schools programs are effective violence prevention, bullying prevention, conflict management and character education programs. The SACSC safe and caring schools programming uses a comprehensive, research-based approach to promote respect, responsibility, inclusiveness, caring and compassion in schools and communities.