Be a Manager and not a Punisher

Today was all about discipline. I realized that I was very lucky in my training because I already believe in and use the fundamentals that were presented today. This is a good thing, because I know that my style of discipline aligns with what the district wants to support. This was a bad thing, because I didn't feel like I left today with many NEW things to take with me into my classroom.

So the fundamentals of today were to take each discipline opportunity as just that- an opportunity return to the class, gain understanding of what happened, make reparations and get closer to the kind of person they want to be. This means asking lots of questions when dealing with an issue: what does our class believe about how we treat others? is what you're doing right now helping or hurting our learning? what does it look like if you're being respectful? You get the picture. Rather than TELLING, we are all about getting kids to think about their actions by questioning. We know that physiologically, you activate a different part of your brain when you are thinking about a question- it's more sophisticated thinking.

What I love about this is it gives students a chance to make those better decisions that all of us teachers and administrators want them to make. We need to give them tools to control those impulses that may be naughty or disruptive or violent. When you get angry or agitated, chances are your thinking processes aren't functioning the way they normally would. Some students have no other resources but to punch or talk back or skip class. This discipline takes on a student with a rap sheet of fighting and suspensions and says "We want to give you tools so you can deal with the stress that you're probably going to face, and we want you to do that in a way that doesn't get you in trouble." Some schools draw a line in the sand about behavior and rules, basically challenging students to act up and get in trouble. And they do that because they really don't want that "troublemaker" in the school. And that's throwing away a student's future.

Our presenter today has been an Assistant Principal for 18 years and she loves her job. She is passionate about this type of discipline because she's seen it work for 17 years as an administrator and as a parent. She told us umpteen stories where she used the principles of these methods and talked students out of making bad and dangerous choices. She also told us about times she wasn't able to use these strategies and why that was, and how she would have done better if only...She was very real about the issues we will face and did a good job addressing our own concerns.

So all discipline aside, I've officially finished 7/12 of my days of training. We get down to building business next week. It will be interesting getting the whole staff together and getting down to some nitty gritty work. I will also have TONS of time in my class to do things like label my student's mailboxes, organize their writing journals, get my math tool kits together, find things to put up on my walls, make my classroom inviting for the open house coming up next week.

WHEW! Nearly ready for the kiddos!
~J