Resources for Educators

The Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC) is building this webpage for educators to access and share information about positive school practices for alternatives to zero tolerance and preventing pushout, and learn about opportunities for educators to organize for change in our schools.

We need your help! Please send us your ideas and internet links to resources and organizations for educators. Take a look at what we have gathered so far:

Guides for Implementing Positive Discipline and Preventing Pushout

You can search the Resources on Pushout section of this website for research reports, articles and websites about pushout in our schools. Here are some examples of practical guides for implementing alternatives to zero tolerance discipline and preventing pushout that we have compiled:

  • Planning and Implementation Guide to Safe and Supportive Schools
    Osher, David, Kevin Dwyer and Stephanie Jackson, Safe, Supportive and Successful Schools: Step by Step, Sopris West Educational Services (2004).
    Summary and Link >>
  • Implementing Alternatives to Suspension and Expulsion
    Skiba, Russell, et al, “Preventing School Violence: A Practical Guide to Comprehensive Planning,” The Safe and Responsive Schools Project, Indiana Education Policy Center.
    Summary and Link>>
  • The Basics of Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
    National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, US Office of Special Education Programs.
    Summary and Link>>
  • A Best Practices Guide to School-wide Positive Behavior Support
    “School-wide Positive Behavior Support: Implementers’ Blueprint and Self-Assessment,” OSEP Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.
    Summary and Link>>
  • Case Study: A Fairness Committee Model in a New York City School
    Hantzopoulos, Maria, “Deepening Democracy: How one school’s fairness committee offers an alternative to discipline,” Rethinking Schools, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Fall 2006).
    Summary and Link>>
  • Case Study: Restorative Justice in A Minnesota Recovery School
    Riestenberg, Nancy, “PEASE Academy: The Restorative Recovery School,” Restorative Practice E-Forum, International Institute for Restorative Practices (July 2005).
    Summary and Link>>
  • Compilation of Research and Practical Guides on Family Involvement
    The Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE), Harvard Family Research Project.
    Summary and Link>>
  • Alternative Schools for Dropout Prevention
    Reimer, Mary S. and Terry Cash, “Alternative Schools: Best Practices for Development and Evaluation,” National Dropout Prevention Center (2003).
    Summary and Link>>
  • Five Steps for Implementing A Discipline Review and Revision Process in Your School
    High School: Effective School-Wide Discipline and Student Support, Educators for Social Responsibility
    http://www.esrnational.org/index.php?location=pages&l=hs&link=1000017
  • Reality-Based Approaches to Drug Education in Schools
    The Safety First Project of the Drug Policy Alliance provides a number of useful resources on their website, including an 11 minute DVD on the Student Assistance Program at Oakland High School - UpFront: A Reality-Based Approach to Drug Education - and the educational booklet - Making Sense of Student Drug Testing: Why Educators Are Saying No.

 

Classroom Resources and Activities

  • Human Right to Education Toolkit: UDHR - U Do Have Rights Campaign
    http://discoverhumanrights.org/toolkit.html
    This toolkit from the Advocates for Human Rights includes fact sheets, lesson plans and quizzes on the human right to education in the US.  The resources address a range of issues including school discipline, special education and issues affecting immigrant and LGBTQ students.
  • Classroom Management Strategies
    The ABCs of Classroom Management, Teaching Tolerance, Southern Poverty Law Center
    http://www.tolerance.org/teach/activities/activity.jsp?ar=921
    The ABCs of Classroom Management is a two-part series of resources on how to build classroom communities where students are engaged in positive ways, including profiles and videos from individuals teachers.  Part One includes a secton on Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS).  The Teaching Tolerance website also includes a variety of classroom activities, kits and handbooks for teachers.
  • Teaching Human Rights
    This is My Home: K-12 Human Rights Education Initiative and Curriculum, Human Rights Resource Center, University of Minnesota Human Rights Center.
    http://www.hrusa.org/thisismyhome/project/about.shtml
    This website provides resources for teachers interested in integrating human rights into their classrooms. The program aims to develop community partnerships, family involvement and to change the school climate to promote student learning and development. It includes a project to conduct student surveys for “Taking the Human Rights Temperature of Your School.” It also has a human rights library with a list of human rights links.
  • Links to Resources for Engaging Youth
    See the DSC Resources for Youth page on this website for videos and other resources that you can use in the classroom to talk about school safety, discipline and pushout with your students.

 

Teachers Taking Action

  • NEA's 12 Dropout Action Steps
    The National Education Association has developed 12 action steps to address the nation's school dropout crisis.
  • Teachers Unite, New York City
    Teachers Unite is building a movement of public school teachers who play a critical role in working for social justice.  Teachers Unite seeks to defend public education by rebuilding the relationship between teachers, students, families and communities as partners building power for social change.

    Oct 22 - Teachers Unite and NESRI release report based on surveys of over 300 New York City public schools - Teachers Talk: School Culture, Safety and Human Rights
  • Alternatives to Zero Tolerance Resolution, California
    In 2003, the California State PTA to passed a resolution on Alternatives to Zero Tolerance for student substance abuse.

 

Get Involved with the Dignity in Schools Campaign

Tell us about classroom practices, models and lesson plans used in your school and share them with other educators around the country.

Help us plan an upcoming conference in Chicago that will bring organizers, educators, youth, parents, lawyers, advocates and policy-makers together to discuss solutions for ending pushout.

Participate in or help us plan the next call in our National Tele-conference Series featuring panels of researchers, educators and advocates discussing topics related to school pushout and effective alternatives..

Email us at info@dignityinschools.org