ABSTRACT
Realization of educational goals is dependent on the behavior of the people implementing those goals. This chapter describes a model for monitoring and modulating verbal communication, an important aspect of implementation behavior. It presents action research on introducing the System for Analyzing Verbal Interaction (SAVI) model to the faculty of an elementary school as an aid in responding to discipline issues. SAVI provides teachers with a descriptive picture of their communication interactions with students, and points out alternate communication pathways. The chapter addresses an application of Agazarian’s systems-centered theory in an elementary and middle school whose faculty was interested in developing a deeper understanding of disciplinary situations and more tools to address discipline issues with children. The chapter utilizes a traffic light metaphor— Red, Yellow and Green behaviors — because just as a red traffic light stops traffic, information stops when it is being carried by Red Light behaviors. Similarly, Green Light behavior facilitates the flow of information.
