Keywords

education, civil behavior, perception, positive behavior support

Abstract

Many authors regard education as a way of increasing civility in society, and some have implemented interventions to improve civility in schools. However, very little empirical data exist on the extent and nature of students' civil behavior. The present study systematically gathered data from 251 school professionals regarding their perceptions of students' civil and uncivil behaviors. Participants perceived students' civil behaviors as occurring more frequently than uncivil behaviors; however, they also indicated a need to increase civil behavior in schools. They provided suggestions on how to accomplish this goal, which include providing direct instruction, modeling civil behavior, incorporating positive behavior support, and setting rules and expectations. Implications of this study and directions for future research are included.

Original Publication Citation

Wilkins, K., Caldarella, P., Crook-Lyon, R., & Young, K. R. (21). The civil behavior of students: A survey of school professionals. Education, 13(4), 54-555.