Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Robert Voelkel

Abstract

AbstractThe problem addressed in this study is that, in a rural Title I public school in the Northeastern United States, administrators have struggled to implement leadership strategies to support the reduction of student discipline issues in the classroom. The purpose of the study was to investigate how administrators implement leadership strategies that are intended to reduce student discipline issues in the classroom. The conceptual framework was developed from DeMatthews’s leadership theory and Wachtel’s restorative justice theory, which describe systems intended to build and restore relationships in schools and thereby reduce conflicts. The research question explored how administrators implement leadership strategies that are intended to reduce the number of student discipline issues in the classroom. This basic qualitative study used data from interviews with eight administrators and seven classroom teachers from a rural K-8 public school district in the Northeast who have been in the district for 3 or more years and are directly involved with classroom discipline. The data analysis consisted of value coding and axial coding to find similar themes. The results indicated that when teachers and administrators worked together and developed meaningful relationships, a climate of trust was created, which helped teachers embrace change as they were part of the process. This collaboration produced viable solutions such as restorative practices to reduce discipline issues in the classroom. This study promotes positive social change by informing leadership procedures to increase school attendance and achievement, decrease intentional defiant behaviors and misconduct, and reduce in dropout rates. Additionally, school leaders could gain a deeper understanding of discipline approaches aimed to reduce discipline issues in the classroom.

Download

Share

 
COinS