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ERIC Number: ED285293
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1986
Pages: 139
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Improving Elementary School Students' Bus Behavior through a Driver and Student Training Program.
Richardson, Donald M.
This practicum report analyzes a driver and student training program developed at an elementary school to improve students' bus conduct. Seventy percent of students require transportation by school bus. Except for chronic bus misconduct, discipline has not been a school concern. It was hypothesized that the lack of a comprehensive program addressing conduct improvement primarily accounted for the problem. This was supported by studies showing improvement with classroom student training. The practicum's goals were as follows: (1) to reduce the number of bus misconduct referrals from the previous year; (2) to increase bus driver utilization of effective strategies in behavior management and bus patrol; and (3) to develop student awareness (in grades 4-6) of the link between bus conduct and safety. The school implemented training programs for drivers and for students during classroom sessions with teachers. Results, which were evaluated by referral records and surveys of drivers and students, include the following: (1) bus referrals decreased, depending on infraction, by 50 percent to 61 percent--a substantial improvement in student behavior; (2) the majority of drivers surveyed correctly identified the effective strategies discussed in training; and (3) 80 percent of students correctly identified ridership responsibilities. Teachers, who valued including the training in classrooms, planned on continuation. Conduct improvement is attributed to participants' sense of involvement in the solution process. The report concludes with recommendations for elementary schools and with further program plans. Appendices provide survey instruments and an implementation calendar. (CJH)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Dissertations/Theses - Practicum Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Administrators; Researchers; Practitioners
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A