Dr. Ken Shore's Classroom Problem Solver
Preventing School Vandalism
Students engage in vandalism for a variety of reasons. For some, it is a way of expressing anger or frustration stemming from social difficulties or academic failure. For others, it is a way of impressing their peers. For still others, it is an innocent act reflecting a lack of understanding about appropriate behavior. Whatever the motivation, even minor vandalism can markedly impact a school district and drain needed financial resources.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Model respect for school property. Demonstrate through your actions that you value school property. You can do that by treating materials in your room with care, by neatly arranging books on shelves or by decorating the classroom with care, for example.
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Acknowledge students who treat property with care. Praise students when you see them handling materials carefully ("Sarah, I really like the way you've protected your books by covering them"). That not only conveys the message that care of school property is an important value, it also suggests to students that treating classroom materials respectfully will gain your attention.
Have an older student write down what he did. An older student who vandalizes school property might describe in writing what he did and discuss possible consequences. Tell him you will put the account in his school file and remove it at the end of the year if no further incidents of vandalism occur. You also might send the written statement to his parents after telling the student you are going to do it.
Get rid of evidence of school vandalism immediately. Showing students that vandalism of school property will be punished and that the vandalism will be of short duration, will discourage other students from engaging in vandalism.
Give a student a sense of belonging in school. Students will be less likely to damage school property if they feel a sense of ownership and pride in the school. Involve a student who has committed an act of vandalism in activities that give him a good feeling about school; that way, he is more likely to care for it than to vandalize it. Some possible activities include planting a garden; decorating a school wall; and painting walls that have been defaced.
Help students understand the consequences of vandalism. Find out from the principal the amount of money spent the previous year repairing vandalism. Encourage students to figure out how many pizza parties the school could have had if there had been no vandalism.
Make students responsible for school property. Surprise a student who has engaged in vandalism by showing trust in his ability to care for school property. For example, you might have him help you with audio-visual or athletic equipment. Show - and tell -- the student that you are confident he can handle the task in a responsible manner. That student will not want to disappoint you.
Model respect for school property. Demonstrate through your actions that you value school property. You can do that by treating materials in your room with care, by neatly arranging books on shelves or by decorating the classroom with care, for example. 
Dr.
Kenneth Shore is a psychologist and chair of a child study team for the Hamilton,
New Jersey Public Schools. He has written five books, including 
