| This study examined the relationship between teachers' descriptions of their schools' climate and the levels of violent and disruptive incidents in their schools. Relationships were investigated using teacher descriptions of their schools' climates in each of the following nine dimensions: (1) Personal Safety, (2) School Safety, (3) Instructional Management, (4) Teacher-Student Relationships, (5) Student Peer Relationships, (6) Parent-School Relationships, (7) Administrative Leadership, (8) Environment, and (9) Student Behavioral Values. This study investigated whether any relationships exist between the teachers' descriptions of their schools' climate and the number of violent and disruptive incidents in their middle schools.;When investigating teachers' descriptions of their schools' climates on each of the nine variables, the data suggest that teachers tended to agree that, in their schools, five of the nine variables were positive. These variables were Personal Safety, Teacher-Student Relationships, Student-Peer Relationships, Instructional Management, and Environment. In addition, the data suggests that teachers slightly agreed that four of the nine variables were positive in their school. These variables were School Safety. Administrative Leadership. Parent-School Relationships, and Student-Behavioral Values.;When looking at the differences in teachers' descriptions of their schools' climates between low, medium, and high violent and disruptive incidents on each of the nine variables, the data suggest that significant differences in descriptions exists on six of the nine dimensions: Personal Safety, School Safety, Instructional Management, Teacher-Student Relationships. Administrative Leadership, and Environment. No significant differences in descriptions were found with Student-Peer Relationships, Parent-School Relationships, and Student Behavioral Values.;When looking at the differences in descriptions of male and female teachers separated into low, medium, and high violent and disruptive incidents, the data suggest that no significant differences were found between gender for low, medium and high violent and disruptive incident groups.;The instrument used in this study was the "Assessment of Climate and Environment in Schools" (ACES) survey, developed by Giani (2008). The survey, a 73-item questionnaire, identified teacher perceptions of their school climate.;When examining the relationships among teachers' descriptions, the data revealed significant relationships with the violent and disruptive incident groups on seven of the nine dimensions: Personal Safety. School Safety. Instructional Management, Parent-School Relationships, Teacher-Student Relationships, Student-Peer Relationships, and Administrative Leadership. No significant differences in descriptions were found with Environment or with Student Behavioral Values.;Finally, when examining how teacher descriptions predict violent and disruptive incident groups, it was found that six factors are predictors of whether a teacher was in the low violent and disruptive incident group when compared to the medium, and high violent and disruptive incident group. These variables were Personal Safety, School Safety, Teacher-Student Relationship, Administrative Leadership, Instructional Management, and Student-Behavioral Values. In addition, several variables were predictors whether a teacher works in a school that is in the medium violent and disruptive incident group. These variables were Environment, Student-Peer Relationships, Suspensions, and Referrals. Parent-School Relationships did not predict teacher placement in low, medium, or high violent and disruptive incident groups. |
