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Discipline

Handling issues of student discipline is part of a principal's job. Dealing with individual issues -- and developing school-wide policies and approaches -- are two elements of the task. The articles below from Education World's archive share stories and practical tips that will help you develop and manage a school-wide discipline plan.

PBIS Rules, Rewards Boost Behavior and Academics
By relying on concise rules and frequent rewards, principals say the PBIS approach to school-wide behavior management drastically reduces discipline problems and improves academic performance among all students.

Practicing Love & Logic Can Mean Happier Schools
Stressing positive teacher-student relationships, empathetic adults, and differentiated consequences, the Love & Logic approach to behavior management has fans among teachers and parents. Included: Nine essential skills for teachers practicing Love & Logic.

Read More... Find more articles of interest in the following Education World resources: Classroom Management 101 Dr. Ken Shore: The Classroom Problem Solver Attendance/Truancy Cafeteria Management Counseling Students The Homework Dilemma Recess Management See our complete archive of Focus On… articles. More than three dozen hot topics of interest to principals.

Discipline with Dignity Stresses Positive Motivation
The Discipline with Dignity approach teaches educators to create positive motivators for kids so they take responsibility for their own behavior. Included: Examples of Discipline with Dignity in action.

Rubrics Help Improve School-Wide Behavior
Teachers have seen the value in using rubrics to assess student work and behavior. Now some principals are using them as a tool for monitoring and modifying behavior on a school-wide basis. Included: Examples of behavior rubrics.

Pete Hall: The Bull's-Eye of School Discipline
Remember that time when there was a line of students awaiting their punishments outside your office door? The school day was a blur of black eyes, name-calling, and disobedience. That was this morning, really? Oh, you mean that happens every day?

Pete Hall: Before "Lightning" Strikes
Around and around we go with the Frequent Fliers. The Detention Crew. The kids who have difficulty staying out of trouble. They are the Lightning Club. Lightning can strike at any time, without warning. Included: Start a Lightning Club in your school.

"Recovery Rooms" Put Disruptive Students on Road to Recovery
Are disruptive students inhibiting learning in your school? If so, the answer may be creating a place for them to refocus and regroup -- a "recovery room." With guidance, students can reflect on their mistakes and find ways to improve.

Tools for Teaching: The School Discipline Code
The logic of all school discipline codes is timeless: "The punishment fits the crime." The greater the crime, the greater the punishment. Look at your own "Discipline Code" and you will find a "hierarchy of consequences," arranged from small to large. Does it work?

Making Peer Mediation a Part of Campus Life
Teen skirmishes over rumors, perceived put-downs, and he-said-she-said arguments might seem inconsequential to adults, but to kids they can be major distractions. Mediation by peers can clear up misunderstandings quickly and improve school climate.

In-School Suspension: A Learning Tool
While educators agree that keeping suspended students in school is better than having them home unsupervised, schools need more than a room and a teacher for in-school suspension to change behavior. Included: Administrators share effective programs.

School Bus Discipline: Solving the Problem
Once the kids are safely on the bus, they're out of your mind. Right? Wrong. If school bus discipline is a problem in your school, these two school bus discipline policies available on the Web might serve as effective models.

Managing Difficult People: Turning "Negatives" Into "Positives"
You find them at staff meetings, in the classroom, and even at social occasions. They are the always-negative people whose outlook drains everyone's energy. How do you counteract their negativity so you can maintain an upbeat workplace? Tips included.

Principals Share Lessons Learned: Dealing With Student Discipline, Parent Involvement
Members of Education World's "Principal Files" team have turned mistakes they've made into valuable lessons that they are willing to share with you. Included: Lessons learned about student discipline, involving parents, and school poli-tricks.

Classroom Management: Principals Help Teachers Develop Essential Skills
Almost everybody agrees that strong classroom management skills are essential to successful teaching. So what is a principal to do with a teacher who has great potential but needs help with classroom management? Our "Principal Files" team has a plan.

WANTED: Rewards, Rewards, and More Rewards
Do rewards motivate students? Some say no, but many teachers think they do. Education World takes a look at a wide variety of rewards used by teachers in the classroom. If you are looking for a way to reward successful students or good behavior, you will find it here.

Copyright © 2008 Education World

Last updated 10/12/2008