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Running head: DISCIPLINARY

Disciplinary Team Planning

Katie Burke

EDU 360
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Rules and Expectations

1. Respect- All students are expected to respect themselves, their peers, their teachers, and

all other staff at the school. Respect is defined as the students upholding the dignity of

each person as a human being. Respect is demonstrated through kind words and actions.

This expectation also includes teachers and staff respecting students.

2. Determination- Students are challenged to be determined in all the work that they do.

This expectation includes a “growth mindset” in which students have a positive outlook

on both academic and personal situations. Students should be determined to work hard

and try their best every day. Growth mindset is incorporated with determination because

students should not have a, “I can’t do this” mindset, but rather have a “Maybe if I try it

another way” mindset.

3. Attitude- Attitude is everything. All students, teachers, and staff should strive to have a

positive attitude in all situations. With positive attitudes in everything, it fosters a positive

and meaningful learning environment for the students. The idea of a growth mindset also

extends to this expectation.

4. Mindfulness- It is important that all students, teachers, and staff are mindful of their

words and actions. Students should ask themselves, “Is this kind?” , “Is this encouraging

or affirming?”, and/or “Is this something that I would want someone to say/do to me?” It

is crucial that students think before they act and are prepared to apologize if mindfulness

is forgotten.

Consequences

Each classroom will establish a token economy for students to positive reinforcement for

good behavior and negative reinforcement for bad behavior. Students can receive “tokens” for

having positive and on-task behavior. Students can also have tokens taken away or withheld

when there is negative behavior. At the end of each week, students with 10 tokens can get
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something from the “Teacher Treasure Chest” in each classroom. Students with 50 tokens at the

end of the month can get something from the “Principle Treasure Chest”. Students with 100

tokens at the end of the school year receive a special prize that is up to the discretion of the

principle.

1. First offense- Upon the first act of negative behavior, students will be given a verbal

warning from the teacher. The teacher will ensure that the verbal warning identifies the

behavior, explains why it was wrong/against the expectations, and a positive behavior to

replace it.
2. Second offense- Upon the second offense, students will lose a token from their token jar.

Depending on the severity of the behavior, students can lose more than one token. This is

up to the teacher’s discretion.

3. Third offense- Upon the third offense, the student will be removed from the situation and

sent to the office. During the student’s time at the office, he or she will discuss their

misbehavior with the principal. During this time, the principal will notify the parents that

their child has been disciplined for negative behavior. The parents will know the

behavior, what the disciplinary measures were, and the next steps.
4. Fourth offense- If this problem continues, the teacher will conduct a parent-teacher

conference. At this conference, the teacher will discuss the situation with the parents

while the child is present. The principal or school counselor can be invited to this

conference depending on the situation. During this time, the teacher and parents will

discuss the behavior, why it is happening, and what they think is best for the child to

learn and succeed in the future.

Team Encouragement Strategies

1. Collaboration- As teachers, it is important that we collaborate with one another and work

as a team to benefit our students. It is also important that students collaborate with one
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another to further develop that sense of community within the school. Students are

encouraged to collaborate during group projects, during class periods, and outside the

classroom. Not only does this include academics but also includes social-emotional

health. At our school, we want students to feel comfortable with opening up to their peers

when they need someone to talk to. It is also encouraged that teachers collaborate with

students so that they can develop healthy teacher-student relationships that add to the

success of the student.

2. Communication- Communication is a crucial component of our encouragement

strategies. Communication is important in the development of effective learning

environments. There needs to be a high level of communication between the teacher and

the students in which both the teacher and the students feel comfortable conveying

important aspects of the classroom. While teachers are expected to communicate

expectations, rules, objectives, directions, and issues, students must also be able to

communicate concerns, misunderstandings, and issues to the teacher.

3. Encouragement- It is crucial that students feel encouraged to do their best and are able to

encourage others to do their best. Students should feel encouraged both at school and at

home. For students to do their best, they must be encouraged to do so. Teachers are

expected to encourage their students in every positive aspect. Teachers should be a role

model for students to learn to encourage their peers. Encouragement adds to a student’s

belief in themselves and is enforced in every classroom environment.

Team Procedures

1. Test Rules
a) After the bell has rung to signify the start of the period, the students will clear the

desks of all materials except the materials the teacher has approved (e.g. scrap

paper, essay paper, pencil/pen). After these materials have been approved, the
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student will place the extra materials under their desk until he or she needs them.

Before beginning, the student should only have a pen/pencil and eraser on their

desk.
b) Once a student has cleared his or her desk, he or she will receive testing folders to

place on their desk to avoid cheating with their peers.

c) After each student has their materials ready and their testing folder, the teacher

will give them any other instructions needed for the test and will ask if there are

any questions.
d) After instructions and answers to questions are given, the teacher will hand each

student a test individually. As soon as the first test is handed out, students are

expected to remain quiet.

e) During the testing period, students are expected to keep their eyes on their own

paper, remain quiet, and work hard. If any help is needed during the test, the

student can raise his or her hand and the teacher will come to assist them.
f) When a student is finished with their test, they are encouraged to double-check

their answers. If he or she is confident, he or she can turn in his or her test and put

the testing folder away. Students are then expected to read or work on an

approved assignment quietly until the period is over.

2. Hallways
a) The hallway is not a place for students to misbehave and be disruptive.
b) During class periods, students are allowed in the hallway if only they have a hall

pass. Students should only be allowed in the hallway when he or she has to go to

the bathroom, is going to the nurse, or has a parent note to leave at a specific time.
c) Students will only be allowed to go to their locker during class once. It is

important that students learn to come to class prepared with the materials needed

to participate.
d) During the time in-between classes, students are still expected to follow all rules

and expectations. The time in-between classes are a time to switch materials for
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classes and are not a time for socialization. While it is important for students to

say hi to their friends during this time, it is not a social event and students are

responsible to ensure they are in class on time.

e) If a student is found in the hallway without a hall pass or is in the hallway due to

tardiness to class, he or she will be reprimanded according to the behavior policies

depending on the extent of their action.

3. Bathroom times
a) A student should use the bathroom before class periods, during their lunch period,

or during a study period.

b) If a student needs to use the bathroom during a class period, they are required to

ask the teacher.

c) If the teacher approves, the student is required to sign out a hall pass on the “hall

pass sheet” by the classroom door.

d) On this sheet, he or she will write their name and the time he or she is leaving the

class.
e) The student can then take a hall pass and leave the class for the bathroom.
f) When the student returns, he or she is required to write the time he or she returned

on the “hall pass sheet” by the door.

g) Only one student can use the bathroom at a time.

Parent Conferences Format

Parent-teacher conferences are an important component of parent-teacher relationships.

While they are important to have, they should only be conducted in a few circumstances. A

parent-teacher conference should be conducted when a student has a concerning behavior, is

struggling in the class, or when a student has done exceptional work and/or outstanding behavior.

These circumstances are crucial to the success of the student because the student needs the help

of both the parents and the teacher to succeed and needs positive reinforcement from the

recognition of good work/behavior. Since this disciplinary plan pertains to middle school

students, it is important that the student attends the parent-teacher conferences. The student plays
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an important role in these conferences because, depending on the circumstance, holds important

information regarding his or her behavior and his or her needs. Also, students should attend to

hear the positive aspect their teacher has noticed in the classroom. This affirmation gives

students reassurance they are doing well in their classes. Before the conference, teachers should

prepare the materials they need for the conference. These materials can include anecdotal notes

taken about student behavior, assessment scores, or artifacts that demonstrate the student’s

success. These materials will depend on the circumstance. During the conference, teachers

should listen carefully to both the parents and the student because parents also hold valuable

information regarding their child and the student knows their needs. After the conference, the

teacher, parents, and student should either agree on a solution or plan to meet again to discuss the

situation in further detail.

School Community Plan

At our school, we place our school community plan as one of our top priorities.

According to George and Alexander (2003), students require community more than the faculty

and staff at the school. This idea of community gives students a sense of belonging and makes

them feel more welcomed in their school environment. Within our community, students,

teachers, other school staff, and parents are welcomed and encouraged to participate. When

parents are included, they are more likely to participate in school functions and have an increase

in parental support (George & Alexander, 2003). This sense of community is fostered through

teams. Each team has a set list of rules and expectations that hold the students accountable and

gives them a sense of responsibility for their behavior. Along with the students’ list of

expectations, we teachers also created a list of expectations that help us be the role models that

the students need and allow us to set an example for students. To include parents, we invite them
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to be representatives of a team and encourage them to participate in our team rallies and

functions. To increase team spirit, there will be designated team spirit weeks and days throughout

the school year. There will also be competitions between the school teams which will help foster

team community and spirit. While the school is separated into teams, the students are also

encouraged to represent their school as a whole at sporting events and other school competitions

to foster school pride. Our school will also incorporate a “Student of the Week” and “Student of

the Month” rewards where a boy and a girl from each grade will be recognized for a virtuous act

or outstanding behavior. This will help foster a student’s personal pride in oneself and will help

increase their self-confidence.

Theorist- John Dewey

Educational and behavioral theorist John Dewey is known for his Pragmatic philosophy

and his strong belief in children learning in social settings from their experiences. Dewey also

believed in the importance of a teacher’s presence in the classroom and how that adds to the

success of teacher-student relationships. According to Talebi (2015), Dewey believes that the

best indicator of teacher quality can be seen through their ability to respond to the movement of

the mind which is demonstrated through the student response to subject-matter. In this

disciplinary plan, the students carry responsibility for their own behavior; however, the teacher

plays a crucial role in that responsibility. Through the encouragement strategies, the teachers

make a commitment to student success by choosing encouragement strategies that only benefit

the students. Dewey also believes that a successful classroom teacher has a passion for

promoting the intellectual growth of their students and shaping their mental, moral, and spiritual

lives (Talebi, 2015). Teachers have a large impact on student development, and it is crucial that

teachers employ the encouragement strategies that will best benefit students. It is also important
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to include Dewey’s belief in a classroom that allows students to problem-solve, not only

individually but also with their community. This is crucial to the classroom environment and this

belief is included throughout the disciplinary plan such as in the parent-teacher conferences and

the school community plan. The parent-teacher conferences include the students which allow for

the teacher, parent(s), and student to problem-solve together. The student is able to interact with

people outside of the classroom setting such as their parents. The school community plan

encourages and stresses the importance of teamwork and problem-solving as a community.

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Bibliography

George, P. S. & Alexander, W. M. (2003). The exemplary middle school. Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Talebi, K. (2015). John Dewey- Philosopher and educational reformer. European Journal of

Education Studies, 1(1), 1-13.