Student Behaviour & Discipline

Philosophy

The learning environment should be highly structured in its expectations, routines, rules and systems. Rules should be few, fair, clear, displayed, taught, modelled and consistently enforced.

How we act as teachers will directly influence the actions of our students.

Behaviour management involves keeping a balance between control and freedom, and rights and responsibilities to help ensure that behaviour remains within the range of limits acceptable by the community and the School’s set of Christian values.

One of the central tasks of this school is to develop Christ-like behaviour in learning and social behaviour. We view this as a partnership, sharing responsibility between the school, home and community.  We also take the view that disruptive behaviour can begin from learning programmes, and classroom environments, that are not effective in meeting pupils' needs.  Self-control and Christian Discipleship is to be the ultimate objective of all discipline.

Students need to learn the important lesson of obedience, the object of which is self-government. As students render obedience to parents and teachers, so they, in turn are encouraged to render obedience to society’s laws and to God. The behaviour management system used in this school is intended that students and staff are provided with a safe, ordered, secure and caring environment within a Christian context, which is conducive to working and learning.  Behaviour management methods, therefore, are designed to encourage positive behaviour and, where necessary, penalise negative behaviour.

It is encouraged to use our school values as a starting point for discussions are expected behaviours.

Positive Behaviour

In accordance with our school philosophy (above), our most important step in the behaviour management process is to encourage and reward positive behaviour. The methods below are used for this purpose:

School-Wide

Weekly Class Challenge

Each week there will be a particular focus that the classes will be aiming for. This will be announced on a Monday morning and the winning class will be announced the following week. The focus could be around a particular routine or school value. The winning class will get to keep the trophy in their room for a week as well as getting their name added to the school leader board. The class who, at the end of the term, have the most wins, will receive a class reward.

Value of the Term

Students have the opportunity to gain Values Tokens if they show the current Value of the Term. Each week at Chapel one of these tokens is pulled randomly from a jar and the winner gets a values badge for their uniform.

Individual Classes

We want to focus on positive behaviour and reward students when they display actions that fit in with our school values.

Positive Behaviour System

Each classroom will have some form of positive behaviour system in place (e.g. Class Dojo, class points). Each teacher will develop a prize system that students are collecting points for. Their reward at the end of the term will be determined by how many points they have gathered.

Negative Behaviour

Negative behaviour will be dealt with in a school-wide structured manner. At SACS we use a series of “Behaviour Levels” as outlined below:

When students reach Level 2 and receive a lunchtime detention, they will complete a Behaviour Think Sheet using the 4 lenses framework. This will include a conversation with the Principal.

Expectations & Routines

Classroom management is the responsibility of the classroom teacher initially and it is imperative the classroom teacher uses strategies to manage behaviour and follows through with consequences.

Expectations of the Teacher and important principles underpinning classroom management:

1. Be very clear about expected standards; set the environment at the beginning and make sure you reinforce the standards.

2. Have daily class routines to help settle the students.

3. Plan your lessons to engage the students.  Have a well-paced lesson and plan for behaviour management so as not to interrupt the learning environment when a behaviour issue arises.

4. Acknowledge the behaviour as soon as it occurs. Eg:  ‘It is not acceptable to be late to my class.’

5. Model the expected behaviour yourself.

6. Comment on the behaviour rather than criticising the student.

7. Talk in a restorative way with the students.

8. Be consistent with consequences. The inevitability of the consequence of bad behaviour is what works.

9. Always act on the non-negotiable.

10. Over plan – try to avoid free time. 

11. Keep high expectations in your class.

We help students stay within the boundaries if we all act on the small things.  Mixed messages and inconsistency in terms of rules often result in an escalation of undesirable behaviour.

Clear routines should be established across the school to ensure there are no grey areas. The following routines/rules/procedures have been decided upon:

• Lining up

• Entering and exiting the classrooms

• Bag area

• Classroom transitions

• Home time

• Uniform

• Footwear (after school)

• On time to class

It must be noted that:

• Where discipline measures involve suspension or expulsion, legislative regulations will be adhered to within the process.

• All major misdemeanours will be recorded in writing by the staff, along with action that was taken.

• The carrying out of this procedure must be based on the concept of “redemptive discipline” as opposed to punitive punishment.

• The staff must be aware of and sensitive to cultural issues that may be involved within the discipline process.

• The Principal is encouraged to liaise with the School Board presiding member on a regular basis to inform him/her of current major discipline issues.

• The recommended discipline procedures may be reviewed and modified by the current Principal in consultation with the School Board.