Let's take a look at key features you need in your Behavior Management Plan to keep your school safe and orderly.
This is somewhere they get to go. Not a thing they have to do. The staff has a shared sense of purpose and that creates a vibe of cooperation, teamwork, sacrifice, and joy.
This is why you chose education as your occupation. You wanted a career with meaning and importance. But to be honest we all want that vibe. If not at your school, you probably felt it during your college years.
That feeling that everyone you are around is there to better themselves.
But unfortunately, as you know, many schools don’t have that feeling. Sometimes you walk into a building and it feels quite the opposite of the place we described in the paragraph above.
They can become places we have to go, not places we want to be a part of. The staff looks frustrated and grim. It feels more like an institution. Cold, unwelcoming. Somewhere you want to leave.
And many teachers will.
These buildings will have high turnover amongst teaching staff. The vibe just isn’t right. So what is the difference?
What makes one building a warm, welcoming environment and another one that feels…not great? Behavior management.
The first situation we described first is a good school because the first priority was becoming a safe and orderly school.
Behavior management is a plan or set of actions that administrators and teachers can utilize to ensure students have an optimal learning environment. In other words, what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen?
Now, what needs to happen (or not happen) to create those conditions? How do you make your school safe? What do you need in your plan to create the school climate we all want? How can you make your school a place where students want to learn and staff want to teach?
Let's take a look at some key features you need to have in your Behavior Management Plan to make that happen.
Consider implementing a school-wide positive approach to disruptive behavior in your building. By setting clear expectations, progress monitoring, and utilizing a reward system the desired behaviors you can improve school culture and discipline drastically.
We have loads of resources on how to start your own PBIS program that can help you on your school culture journey.
At the minimum, you need to have eyes and ears in every hallway. Your teachers need to be outside of their rooms during class changes practicing active supervision by interacting with students.
Special attention needs to be taken to provide support for key touch points during the school day such as arrival, lunch, and dismissal. For a more aggressive fix, you can create hallway sweep teams to clear hallways and restrooms after class changes.
All schools are the same in some ways. They all have many of the same basic components: offices, classrooms, gyms, playgrounds, auditoriums, cafeterias, and libraries.
But in that same breath, they all have their own unique characteristics. One floor, 2 floors, 1 gym, 2 gyms, shaped like a rectangle, shaped like a square, courtyards, athletic fields, locker rooms, etc.
All those unique design features create the need for unique and create supervision plans. I once worked in a school shaped like a pentagon that had a courtyard in the center.
The center could be accessed from all sides and was used to commute between classes. A very cool feature, but also one that requires some creative thinking on supervision.
You should take a look at your student code of conduct every year. Make sure it aligns with your PBIS expectations and that you update it for the kids you are serving.
For instance, if your C.o.C. doesn’t mention cell phones it is probably time you reviewed it.
In my experience even the most well-run, positive buildings still need some form of behavioral support where a student needs to be removed from class at times. Now how this looks can vary widely.
My suggestion is to make this a solution-oriented process. I prefer my staff member in this room to almost be like a counselor. This needs to be a calming space where the student can find answers and solutions to problems.
Think sheets are helpful here. We want them to own their behavior, take responsibility, and find a way to repair any relationships that have been strained.
How do your admin team and support staff on communicating? I worked in a large high school where each member of the team had a radio and an earpiece.
We had radio protocols and codes that we used to respond to issues and get help where it was needed. This is probably over the top for most, but we needed it.
You be the judge on how best to support your school. One thing we gave all staff that I think could be helpful is a shortlist of code words they could call or email so we knew how to respond in a situation.
A disrespectful student requires a different approach than an active altercation. Possible contraband or a student under the influence requires a different approach as well.
Think through the issues that a staff member has to call for help on, then categorize those so your team can respond appropriately.
Consequences matter. I want consequences to apply directly to the situation if at all possible. I want the consequence to deter future offenses.
I want consequences to help repair the situation or relationship. Providing Restorative Practices training to your staff can help with all of those.
Most referrals come from classroom settings. Many of those can be reduced with quality classroom management. The professional in the room matters a great deal.
They can set the standard and provide structures that allow kids to be successful. We have a lot of great resources on classroom management, click here for The Best Classroom Management Strategies for Teachers.
Who handles what types of issues? Who has jurisdiction over what group of kids?
A clear organizational structure can help ease the burden off your team and help create relationships where they are needed.
Your staff’s response to minor infractions is important. Does a staff member intervening correct the behavior or escalate the behavior? I suggest considering resources around the 5 Rs.
1. Relationships
2. Respect
3. Responsibility
4. Repair
5. Reintegration
This is not an all-inclusive list but it is a place to start brainstorming strategies to squash disruptive behavior on how to make your school a safe and orderly place.
This summer is a great time to take a hard look at how we can improve. As you review your plans or draft new ones, always remember your goal when designing behavior management protocols: what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen? For some guidance on that process check out our database of Behavior Rubric examples.
Keep your plan centered around that. Keep the main thing, the main thing! By doing so you will create a safe, warm, and welcoming environment in which your kids can thrive and your staff can excel.
This is somewhere they get to go. Not a thing they have to do. The staff has a shared sense of purpose and that creates a vibe of cooperation, teamwork, sacrifice, and joy.
This is why you chose education as your occupation. You wanted a career with meaning and importance. But to be honest we all want that vibe. If not at your school, you probably felt it during your college years.
That feeling that everyone you are around is there to better themselves.
But unfortunately, as you know, many schools don’t have that feeling. Sometimes you walk into a building and it feels quite the opposite of the place we described in the paragraph above.
They can become places we have to go, not places we want to be a part of. The staff looks frustrated and grim. It feels more like an institution. Cold, unwelcoming. Somewhere you want to leave.
And many teachers will.
These buildings will have high turnover amongst teaching staff. The vibe just isn’t right. So what is the difference?
What makes one building a warm, welcoming environment and another one that feels…not great? Behavior management.
The first situation we described first is a good school because the first priority was becoming a safe and orderly school.
Behavior management is a plan or set of actions that administrators and teachers can utilize to ensure students have an optimal learning environment. In other words, what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen?
Now, what needs to happen (or not happen) to create those conditions? How do you make your school safe? What do you need in your plan to create the school climate we all want? How can you make your school a place where students want to learn and staff want to teach?
Let's take a look at some key features you need to have in your Behavior Management Plan to make that happen.
Consider implementing a school-wide positive approach to disruptive behavior in your building. By setting clear expectations, progress monitoring, and utilizing a reward system the desired behaviors you can improve school culture and discipline drastically.
We have loads of resources on how to start your own PBIS program that can help you on your school culture journey.
At the minimum, you need to have eyes and ears in every hallway. Your teachers need to be outside of their rooms during class changes practicing active supervision by interacting with students.
Special attention needs to be taken to provide support for key touch points during the school day such as arrival, lunch, and dismissal. For a more aggressive fix, you can create hallway sweep teams to clear hallways and restrooms after class changes.
All schools are the same in some ways. They all have many of the same basic components: offices, classrooms, gyms, playgrounds, auditoriums, cafeterias, and libraries.
But in that same breath, they all have their own unique characteristics. One floor, 2 floors, 1 gym, 2 gyms, shaped like a rectangle, shaped like a square, courtyards, athletic fields, locker rooms, etc.
All those unique design features create the need for unique and create supervision plans. I once worked in a school shaped like a pentagon that had a courtyard in the center.
The center could be accessed from all sides and was used to commute between classes. A very cool feature, but also one that requires some creative thinking on supervision.
You should take a look at your student code of conduct every year. Make sure it aligns with your PBIS expectations and that you update it for the kids you are serving.
For instance, if your C.o.C. doesn’t mention cell phones it is probably time you reviewed it.
In my experience even the most well-run, positive buildings still need some form of behavioral support where a student needs to be removed from class at times. Now how this looks can vary widely.
My suggestion is to make this a solution-oriented process. I prefer my staff member in this room to almost be like a counselor. This needs to be a calming space where the student can find answers and solutions to problems.
Think sheets are helpful here. We want them to own their behavior, take responsibility, and find a way to repair any relationships that have been strained.
How do your admin team and support staff on communicating? I worked in a large high school where each member of the team had a radio and an earpiece.
We had radio protocols and codes that we used to respond to issues and get help where it was needed. This is probably over the top for most, but we needed it.
You be the judge on how best to support your school. One thing we gave all staff that I think could be helpful is a shortlist of code words they could call or email so we knew how to respond in a situation.
A disrespectful student requires a different approach than an active altercation. Possible contraband or a student under the influence requires a different approach as well.
Think through the issues that a staff member has to call for help on, then categorize those so your team can respond appropriately.
Consequences matter. I want consequences to apply directly to the situation if at all possible. I want the consequence to deter future offenses.
I want consequences to help repair the situation or relationship. Providing Restorative Practices training to your staff can help with all of those.
Most referrals come from classroom settings. Many of those can be reduced with quality classroom management. The professional in the room matters a great deal.
They can set the standard and provide structures that allow kids to be successful. We have a lot of great resources on classroom management, click here for The Best Classroom Management Strategies for Teachers.
Who handles what types of issues? Who has jurisdiction over what group of kids?
A clear organizational structure can help ease the burden off your team and help create relationships where they are needed.
Your staff’s response to minor infractions is important. Does a staff member intervening correct the behavior or escalate the behavior? I suggest considering resources around the 5 Rs.
1. Relationships
2. Respect
3. Responsibility
4. Repair
5. Reintegration
This is not an all-inclusive list but it is a place to start brainstorming strategies to squash disruptive behavior on how to make your school a safe and orderly place.
This summer is a great time to take a hard look at how we can improve. As you review your plans or draft new ones, always remember your goal when designing behavior management protocols: what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen? For some guidance on that process check out our database of Behavior Rubric examples.
Keep your plan centered around that. Keep the main thing, the main thing! By doing so you will create a safe, warm, and welcoming environment in which your kids can thrive and your staff can excel.
This is somewhere they get to go. Not a thing they have to do. The staff has a shared sense of purpose and that creates a vibe of cooperation, teamwork, sacrifice, and joy.
This is why you chose education as your occupation. You wanted a career with meaning and importance. But to be honest we all want that vibe. If not at your school, you probably felt it during your college years.
That feeling that everyone you are around is there to better themselves.
But unfortunately, as you know, many schools don’t have that feeling. Sometimes you walk into a building and it feels quite the opposite of the place we described in the paragraph above.
They can become places we have to go, not places we want to be a part of. The staff looks frustrated and grim. It feels more like an institution. Cold, unwelcoming. Somewhere you want to leave.
And many teachers will.
These buildings will have high turnover amongst teaching staff. The vibe just isn’t right. So what is the difference?
What makes one building a warm, welcoming environment and another one that feels…not great? Behavior management.
The first situation we described first is a good school because the first priority was becoming a safe and orderly school.
Behavior management is a plan or set of actions that administrators and teachers can utilize to ensure students have an optimal learning environment. In other words, what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen?
Now, what needs to happen (or not happen) to create those conditions? How do you make your school safe? What do you need in your plan to create the school climate we all want? How can you make your school a place where students want to learn and staff want to teach?
Let's take a look at some key features you need to have in your Behavior Management Plan to make that happen.
Consider implementing a school-wide positive approach to disruptive behavior in your building. By setting clear expectations, progress monitoring, and utilizing a reward system the desired behaviors you can improve school culture and discipline drastically.
We have loads of resources on how to start your own PBIS program that can help you on your school culture journey.
At the minimum, you need to have eyes and ears in every hallway. Your teachers need to be outside of their rooms during class changes practicing active supervision by interacting with students.
Special attention needs to be taken to provide support for key touch points during the school day such as arrival, lunch, and dismissal. For a more aggressive fix, you can create hallway sweep teams to clear hallways and restrooms after class changes.
All schools are the same in some ways. They all have many of the same basic components: offices, classrooms, gyms, playgrounds, auditoriums, cafeterias, and libraries.
But in that same breath, they all have their own unique characteristics. One floor, 2 floors, 1 gym, 2 gyms, shaped like a rectangle, shaped like a square, courtyards, athletic fields, locker rooms, etc.
All those unique design features create the need for unique and create supervision plans. I once worked in a school shaped like a pentagon that had a courtyard in the center.
The center could be accessed from all sides and was used to commute between classes. A very cool feature, but also one that requires some creative thinking on supervision.
You should take a look at your student code of conduct every year. Make sure it aligns with your PBIS expectations and that you update it for the kids you are serving.
For instance, if your C.o.C. doesn’t mention cell phones it is probably time you reviewed it.
In my experience even the most well-run, positive buildings still need some form of behavioral support where a student needs to be removed from class at times. Now how this looks can vary widely.
My suggestion is to make this a solution-oriented process. I prefer my staff member in this room to almost be like a counselor. This needs to be a calming space where the student can find answers and solutions to problems.
Think sheets are helpful here. We want them to own their behavior, take responsibility, and find a way to repair any relationships that have been strained.
How do your admin team and support staff on communicating? I worked in a large high school where each member of the team had a radio and an earpiece.
We had radio protocols and codes that we used to respond to issues and get help where it was needed. This is probably over the top for most, but we needed it.
You be the judge on how best to support your school. One thing we gave all staff that I think could be helpful is a shortlist of code words they could call or email so we knew how to respond in a situation.
A disrespectful student requires a different approach than an active altercation. Possible contraband or a student under the influence requires a different approach as well.
Think through the issues that a staff member has to call for help on, then categorize those so your team can respond appropriately.
Consequences matter. I want consequences to apply directly to the situation if at all possible. I want the consequence to deter future offenses.
I want consequences to help repair the situation or relationship. Providing Restorative Practices training to your staff can help with all of those.
Most referrals come from classroom settings. Many of those can be reduced with quality classroom management. The professional in the room matters a great deal.
They can set the standard and provide structures that allow kids to be successful. We have a lot of great resources on classroom management, click here for The Best Classroom Management Strategies for Teachers.
Who handles what types of issues? Who has jurisdiction over what group of kids?
A clear organizational structure can help ease the burden off your team and help create relationships where they are needed.
Your staff’s response to minor infractions is important. Does a staff member intervening correct the behavior or escalate the behavior? I suggest considering resources around the 5 Rs.
1. Relationships
2. Respect
3. Responsibility
4. Repair
5. Reintegration
This is not an all-inclusive list but it is a place to start brainstorming strategies to squash disruptive behavior on how to make your school a safe and orderly place.
This summer is a great time to take a hard look at how we can improve. As you review your plans or draft new ones, always remember your goal when designing behavior management protocols: what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen? For some guidance on that process check out our database of Behavior Rubric examples.
Keep your plan centered around that. Keep the main thing, the main thing! By doing so you will create a safe, warm, and welcoming environment in which your kids can thrive and your staff can excel.
This is somewhere they get to go. Not a thing they have to do. The staff has a shared sense of purpose and that creates a vibe of cooperation, teamwork, sacrifice, and joy.
This is why you chose education as your occupation. You wanted a career with meaning and importance. But to be honest we all want that vibe. If not at your school, you probably felt it during your college years.
That feeling that everyone you are around is there to better themselves.
But unfortunately, as you know, many schools don’t have that feeling. Sometimes you walk into a building and it feels quite the opposite of the place we described in the paragraph above.
They can become places we have to go, not places we want to be a part of. The staff looks frustrated and grim. It feels more like an institution. Cold, unwelcoming. Somewhere you want to leave.
And many teachers will.
These buildings will have high turnover amongst teaching staff. The vibe just isn’t right. So what is the difference?
What makes one building a warm, welcoming environment and another one that feels…not great? Behavior management.
The first situation we described first is a good school because the first priority was becoming a safe and orderly school.
Behavior management is a plan or set of actions that administrators and teachers can utilize to ensure students have an optimal learning environment. In other words, what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen?
Now, what needs to happen (or not happen) to create those conditions? How do you make your school safe? What do you need in your plan to create the school climate we all want? How can you make your school a place where students want to learn and staff want to teach?
Let's take a look at some key features you need to have in your Behavior Management Plan to make that happen.
Consider implementing a school-wide positive approach to disruptive behavior in your building. By setting clear expectations, progress monitoring, and utilizing a reward system the desired behaviors you can improve school culture and discipline drastically.
We have loads of resources on how to start your own PBIS program that can help you on your school culture journey.
At the minimum, you need to have eyes and ears in every hallway. Your teachers need to be outside of their rooms during class changes practicing active supervision by interacting with students.
Special attention needs to be taken to provide support for key touch points during the school day such as arrival, lunch, and dismissal. For a more aggressive fix, you can create hallway sweep teams to clear hallways and restrooms after class changes.
All schools are the same in some ways. They all have many of the same basic components: offices, classrooms, gyms, playgrounds, auditoriums, cafeterias, and libraries.
But in that same breath, they all have their own unique characteristics. One floor, 2 floors, 1 gym, 2 gyms, shaped like a rectangle, shaped like a square, courtyards, athletic fields, locker rooms, etc.
All those unique design features create the need for unique and create supervision plans. I once worked in a school shaped like a pentagon that had a courtyard in the center.
The center could be accessed from all sides and was used to commute between classes. A very cool feature, but also one that requires some creative thinking on supervision.
You should take a look at your student code of conduct every year. Make sure it aligns with your PBIS expectations and that you update it for the kids you are serving.
For instance, if your C.o.C. doesn’t mention cell phones it is probably time you reviewed it.
In my experience even the most well-run, positive buildings still need some form of behavioral support where a student needs to be removed from class at times. Now how this looks can vary widely.
My suggestion is to make this a solution-oriented process. I prefer my staff member in this room to almost be like a counselor. This needs to be a calming space where the student can find answers and solutions to problems.
Think sheets are helpful here. We want them to own their behavior, take responsibility, and find a way to repair any relationships that have been strained.
How do your admin team and support staff on communicating? I worked in a large high school where each member of the team had a radio and an earpiece.
We had radio protocols and codes that we used to respond to issues and get help where it was needed. This is probably over the top for most, but we needed it.
You be the judge on how best to support your school. One thing we gave all staff that I think could be helpful is a shortlist of code words they could call or email so we knew how to respond in a situation.
A disrespectful student requires a different approach than an active altercation. Possible contraband or a student under the influence requires a different approach as well.
Think through the issues that a staff member has to call for help on, then categorize those so your team can respond appropriately.
Consequences matter. I want consequences to apply directly to the situation if at all possible. I want the consequence to deter future offenses.
I want consequences to help repair the situation or relationship. Providing Restorative Practices training to your staff can help with all of those.
Most referrals come from classroom settings. Many of those can be reduced with quality classroom management. The professional in the room matters a great deal.
They can set the standard and provide structures that allow kids to be successful. We have a lot of great resources on classroom management, click here for The Best Classroom Management Strategies for Teachers.
Who handles what types of issues? Who has jurisdiction over what group of kids?
A clear organizational structure can help ease the burden off your team and help create relationships where they are needed.
Your staff’s response to minor infractions is important. Does a staff member intervening correct the behavior or escalate the behavior? I suggest considering resources around the 5 Rs.
1. Relationships
2. Respect
3. Responsibility
4. Repair
5. Reintegration
This is not an all-inclusive list but it is a place to start brainstorming strategies to squash disruptive behavior on how to make your school a safe and orderly place.
This summer is a great time to take a hard look at how we can improve. As you review your plans or draft new ones, always remember your goal when designing behavior management protocols: what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen? For some guidance on that process check out our database of Behavior Rubric examples.
Keep your plan centered around that. Keep the main thing, the main thing! By doing so you will create a safe, warm, and welcoming environment in which your kids can thrive and your staff can excel.
Jordan resides in Lexington, Kentucky. He has experience in Public Education as an Administrator, Science Teacher, and as a Coach. He has extensive experience with School Discipline, PBIS, SEL, Restorative Practices, MTSS, and Trauma-Informed Care.
Few atmospheres are more comforting to step into than a well-run school. The whole building feels warm and welcoming. Students want to be there. They walk in the door curious and excited about their day.
This is somewhere they get to go. Not a thing they have to do. The staff has a shared sense of purpose and that creates a vibe of cooperation, teamwork, sacrifice, and joy.
This is why you chose education as your occupation. You wanted a career with meaning and importance. But to be honest we all want that vibe. If not at your school, you probably felt it during your college years.
That feeling that everyone you are around is there to better themselves.
But unfortunately, as you know, many schools don’t have that feeling. Sometimes you walk into a building and it feels quite the opposite of the place we described in the paragraph above.
They can become places we have to go, not places we want to be a part of. The staff looks frustrated and grim. It feels more like an institution. Cold, unwelcoming. Somewhere you want to leave.
And many teachers will.
These buildings will have high turnover amongst teaching staff. The vibe just isn’t right. So what is the difference?
What makes one building a warm, welcoming environment and another one that feels…not great? Behavior management.
The first situation we described first is a good school because the first priority was becoming a safe and orderly school.
Behavior management is a plan or set of actions that administrators and teachers can utilize to ensure students have an optimal learning environment. In other words, what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen?
Now, what needs to happen (or not happen) to create those conditions? How do you make your school safe? What do you need in your plan to create the school climate we all want? How can you make your school a place where students want to learn and staff want to teach?
Let's take a look at some key features you need to have in your Behavior Management Plan to make that happen.
Consider implementing a school-wide positive approach to disruptive behavior in your building. By setting clear expectations, progress monitoring, and utilizing a reward system the desired behaviors you can improve school culture and discipline drastically.
We have loads of resources on how to start your own PBIS program that can help you on your school culture journey.
At the minimum, you need to have eyes and ears in every hallway. Your teachers need to be outside of their rooms during class changes practicing active supervision by interacting with students.
Special attention needs to be taken to provide support for key touch points during the school day such as arrival, lunch, and dismissal. For a more aggressive fix, you can create hallway sweep teams to clear hallways and restrooms after class changes.
All schools are the same in some ways. They all have many of the same basic components: offices, classrooms, gyms, playgrounds, auditoriums, cafeterias, and libraries.
But in that same breath, they all have their own unique characteristics. One floor, 2 floors, 1 gym, 2 gyms, shaped like a rectangle, shaped like a square, courtyards, athletic fields, locker rooms, etc.
All those unique design features create the need for unique and create supervision plans. I once worked in a school shaped like a pentagon that had a courtyard in the center.
The center could be accessed from all sides and was used to commute between classes. A very cool feature, but also one that requires some creative thinking on supervision.
You should take a look at your student code of conduct every year. Make sure it aligns with your PBIS expectations and that you update it for the kids you are serving.
For instance, if your C.o.C. doesn’t mention cell phones it is probably time you reviewed it.
In my experience even the most well-run, positive buildings still need some form of behavioral support where a student needs to be removed from class at times. Now how this looks can vary widely.
My suggestion is to make this a solution-oriented process. I prefer my staff member in this room to almost be like a counselor. This needs to be a calming space where the student can find answers and solutions to problems.
Think sheets are helpful here. We want them to own their behavior, take responsibility, and find a way to repair any relationships that have been strained.
How do your admin team and support staff on communicating? I worked in a large high school where each member of the team had a radio and an earpiece.
We had radio protocols and codes that we used to respond to issues and get help where it was needed. This is probably over the top for most, but we needed it.
You be the judge on how best to support your school. One thing we gave all staff that I think could be helpful is a shortlist of code words they could call or email so we knew how to respond in a situation.
A disrespectful student requires a different approach than an active altercation. Possible contraband or a student under the influence requires a different approach as well.
Think through the issues that a staff member has to call for help on, then categorize those so your team can respond appropriately.
Consequences matter. I want consequences to apply directly to the situation if at all possible. I want the consequence to deter future offenses.
I want consequences to help repair the situation or relationship. Providing Restorative Practices training to your staff can help with all of those.
Most referrals come from classroom settings. Many of those can be reduced with quality classroom management. The professional in the room matters a great deal.
They can set the standard and provide structures that allow kids to be successful. We have a lot of great resources on classroom management, click here for The Best Classroom Management Strategies for Teachers.
Who handles what types of issues? Who has jurisdiction over what group of kids?
A clear organizational structure can help ease the burden off your team and help create relationships where they are needed.
Your staff’s response to minor infractions is important. Does a staff member intervening correct the behavior or escalate the behavior? I suggest considering resources around the 5 Rs.
1. Relationships
2. Respect
3. Responsibility
4. Repair
5. Reintegration
This is not an all-inclusive list but it is a place to start brainstorming strategies to squash disruptive behavior on how to make your school a safe and orderly place.
This summer is a great time to take a hard look at how we can improve. As you review your plans or draft new ones, always remember your goal when designing behavior management protocols: what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen? For some guidance on that process check out our database of Behavior Rubric examples.
Keep your plan centered around that. Keep the main thing, the main thing! By doing so you will create a safe, warm, and welcoming environment in which your kids can thrive and your staff can excel.
Few atmospheres are more comforting to step into than a well-run school. The whole building feels warm and welcoming. Students want to be there. They walk in the door curious and excited about their day.
This is somewhere they get to go. Not a thing they have to do. The staff has a shared sense of purpose and that creates a vibe of cooperation, teamwork, sacrifice, and joy.
This is why you chose education as your occupation. You wanted a career with meaning and importance. But to be honest we all want that vibe. If not at your school, you probably felt it during your college years.
That feeling that everyone you are around is there to better themselves.
But unfortunately, as you know, many schools don’t have that feeling. Sometimes you walk into a building and it feels quite the opposite of the place we described in the paragraph above.
They can become places we have to go, not places we want to be a part of. The staff looks frustrated and grim. It feels more like an institution. Cold, unwelcoming. Somewhere you want to leave.
And many teachers will.
These buildings will have high turnover amongst teaching staff. The vibe just isn’t right. So what is the difference?
What makes one building a warm, welcoming environment and another one that feels…not great? Behavior management.
The first situation we described first is a good school because the first priority was becoming a safe and orderly school.
Behavior management is a plan or set of actions that administrators and teachers can utilize to ensure students have an optimal learning environment. In other words, what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen?
Now, what needs to happen (or not happen) to create those conditions? How do you make your school safe? What do you need in your plan to create the school climate we all want? How can you make your school a place where students want to learn and staff want to teach?
Let's take a look at some key features you need to have in your Behavior Management Plan to make that happen.
Consider implementing a school-wide positive approach to disruptive behavior in your building. By setting clear expectations, progress monitoring, and utilizing a reward system the desired behaviors you can improve school culture and discipline drastically.
We have loads of resources on how to start your own PBIS program that can help you on your school culture journey.
At the minimum, you need to have eyes and ears in every hallway. Your teachers need to be outside of their rooms during class changes practicing active supervision by interacting with students.
Special attention needs to be taken to provide support for key touch points during the school day such as arrival, lunch, and dismissal. For a more aggressive fix, you can create hallway sweep teams to clear hallways and restrooms after class changes.
All schools are the same in some ways. They all have many of the same basic components: offices, classrooms, gyms, playgrounds, auditoriums, cafeterias, and libraries.
But in that same breath, they all have their own unique characteristics. One floor, 2 floors, 1 gym, 2 gyms, shaped like a rectangle, shaped like a square, courtyards, athletic fields, locker rooms, etc.
All those unique design features create the need for unique and create supervision plans. I once worked in a school shaped like a pentagon that had a courtyard in the center.
The center could be accessed from all sides and was used to commute between classes. A very cool feature, but also one that requires some creative thinking on supervision.
You should take a look at your student code of conduct every year. Make sure it aligns with your PBIS expectations and that you update it for the kids you are serving.
For instance, if your C.o.C. doesn’t mention cell phones it is probably time you reviewed it.
In my experience even the most well-run, positive buildings still need some form of behavioral support where a student needs to be removed from class at times. Now how this looks can vary widely.
My suggestion is to make this a solution-oriented process. I prefer my staff member in this room to almost be like a counselor. This needs to be a calming space where the student can find answers and solutions to problems.
Think sheets are helpful here. We want them to own their behavior, take responsibility, and find a way to repair any relationships that have been strained.
How do your admin team and support staff on communicating? I worked in a large high school where each member of the team had a radio and an earpiece.
We had radio protocols and codes that we used to respond to issues and get help where it was needed. This is probably over the top for most, but we needed it.
You be the judge on how best to support your school. One thing we gave all staff that I think could be helpful is a shortlist of code words they could call or email so we knew how to respond in a situation.
A disrespectful student requires a different approach than an active altercation. Possible contraband or a student under the influence requires a different approach as well.
Think through the issues that a staff member has to call for help on, then categorize those so your team can respond appropriately.
Consequences matter. I want consequences to apply directly to the situation if at all possible. I want the consequence to deter future offenses.
I want consequences to help repair the situation or relationship. Providing Restorative Practices training to your staff can help with all of those.
Most referrals come from classroom settings. Many of those can be reduced with quality classroom management. The professional in the room matters a great deal.
They can set the standard and provide structures that allow kids to be successful. We have a lot of great resources on classroom management, click here for The Best Classroom Management Strategies for Teachers.
Who handles what types of issues? Who has jurisdiction over what group of kids?
A clear organizational structure can help ease the burden off your team and help create relationships where they are needed.
Your staff’s response to minor infractions is important. Does a staff member intervening correct the behavior or escalate the behavior? I suggest considering resources around the 5 Rs.
1. Relationships
2. Respect
3. Responsibility
4. Repair
5. Reintegration
This is not an all-inclusive list but it is a place to start brainstorming strategies to squash disruptive behavior on how to make your school a safe and orderly place.
This summer is a great time to take a hard look at how we can improve. As you review your plans or draft new ones, always remember your goal when designing behavior management protocols: what conditions must be met in order for learning to happen? For some guidance on that process check out our database of Behavior Rubric examples.
Keep your plan centered around that. Keep the main thing, the main thing! By doing so you will create a safe, warm, and welcoming environment in which your kids can thrive and your staff can excel.
All the behavior resources you need to create the positive culture your school community deserves.
