I've talked with numerous teachers from city schools who say their biggest concern in the classroom is dealing with student behavior problems.

A wrong look or word from another student, even in the elementary grades, can quickly escalate into violence.

A new study reported in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology showed that an in-school mentoring program taught children how to monitor and control their anger.

The study - referred to as The Rochester Resilience Project - reduced school disciplinary referrals and suspensions by 43 percent.

Adult mentors coached 226 kindergarten through third-grade children in city schools on how to "check in" with their feelings, imagine a "feeling thermometer" that gauged intensity, and stop feelings from reaching a "hot zone" that could lead to behavior problems.

Children were also taught breathing exercises and how to imagine an "umbrella" that protects them from hurtful words.

Children who received the intervention, teachers reported, improved in all areas of classroom behavior. The children were more on task. Not only were there fewer disruptive behaviors, but shy and withdrawn children showed more confidence.

The study was the work of Peter Wyman and Wendi Cross, professors of psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Whether the skills the children learned will have long-lasting results is still being evaluated. But Wyman and Cross say the Rochester Resilience Project is a promising way to reach large numbers of school-age children from low-income households who have limited access to mental health services.