Discipline policies and practices promote SEL, including providing opportunities for students to reflect, problem solve, and build positive relationships. These policies and practices take into account students’ developmental stages, cultural backgrounds, and individual differences. Data demonstrates that these practices are used consistently and equitably in the classroom and throughout the school. 

Discipline practices should serve as secondary to school wide community and family supports. Again, students without appropriate models of what SEL looks like cannot reasonably be expected to enact high levels of emotional intelligence and should therefore not be penalized under inadequate levels of support by surrounding adults. In a Catholic context, discipline practices are seen as restorative practices with the end goal of reconciliation through earnest self-reflection, admitting wrongdoing, and forgiveness. 

These restorative practices align with discipline policies that promote SEL. These policies include respecting the student and helping the student reflect, problem solve and build positive relationships with their peers. Such policies must take into account the diverse cultural attitudes of the student body and focus on universally designing SEL practices. Learn more, in detail, about aligning discipline policies with SEL practices by visiting CASEL's website: https://schoolguide.casel.org/focus-area-3/school/establish-discipline-policies-that-promote-sel/ 

Such SEL policies are commonly referred to as student centered discipline. To learn more, visit the following CASEL website page: https://schoolguide.casel.org/focus-area-3/classroom/a-supportive-classroom-environment/student-centered-discipline/ 

It is important to understand that all behavior is a form of communication. If the goal of discipline practices is reconciliation then educations must get to the root of the problem that is causing a student to act up. The Roche center draws a lot of inspiration from The Behavior Code by Jessica Minahan. You can learn more about Minahan's book here: https://jessicaminahan.com/the-behavior-code/ 

Also listen to a podcast about how what your students' behaviors may be trying to communicate to you: 

Once SEL policies have been put in place, it is important to regularly go back and reflect on these policies as a school administration. For SEL to truly permeate school culture, school administrators must engage in the same reflective practices that students are upheld to. Use the following document, provided by CASEL, as a tool to reflect on school discipline and SEL alignment: