Student Centered Discipline Plan (Highschool)

Philosophical Tenets

 Maintain a positive, caring environment welcomes all and empowers students.

 Ensure all students are given a voice in how the classroom is run.

 Education always comes first.

 Mutual respect is vital to a successful environment.

 All discipline should be fair and consistent.

Teacher Responsibilities

 The teacher must clearly present behavioral expectations to students through various

instruction methods such as modeling and direct instruction.

 The teacher should form positive relationships with his/her students and encourage

positive relationships between students.

 Remain a beacon of positivity and encouragement.

 Encourage “wrong” answers as a way of growth and improvement.

Student Responsibilities

 Students should work cooperatively in groups to learn from each other.

 All students must be respectful and be patient of one another in the learning process.

 Students should come to class prepared and ready to learn.

 Students should follow the rules of the classroom to maintain a productive learning

environment.

Incentives

 Verbal praise

 Written notes and positive calls home

  Free Homework pass: students may earn a free homework pass where they can be

excused from a past, present or future homework grade assignment (if allowed on that

assignment) by turning in a perfect homework record for 2 weeks.

 Extra credit for completion above the expectations

 Electronic time/ Free time: if work is completed, they may work on another class or get

on their devices.

 Class party: If all students pass their test (or get a B or above, have not decided yet), we

will have a party on reflection day.

Interventions

 Non-verbal signals: reminders usually a look or a motion signaling an already established

expectation.

o Hands down: wave hand downward

o Eyes on speaker: look at student, and motion toward speaker

 Verbal: short interventions to quickly get a distracted student back on task

o Naming: saying a student’s name to get them to look up (they know if they are

doing something they shouldn’t be doing)

o Saying one word like “stop,” again a student who is doing something they

shouldn’t be, knows you are talking to them.

 Body proximity: standing close to a student to keep them on task or get them back on

task. They are less likely to break rules if you are right next to them.

 “The look”: this is a non-verbal intervention that says everything in a single glance.

 Tapping: tapping on the desk of an off-task student to let them know you are there and

know they are off task.

  Private reminder: this is when I need to say more than just one word or when the student

is repeated getting off task. This would be the first step if the student has been

disrespectful to me, but especially if they were disrespectful to another student.

 Changing seats: If the student has still not been able to follow directions, then they will

take a new desk that is right next to mine.

 Private conference: if we need to have a conversation about is going on rather than a few

quick words, then student and I will meet privately either out in the hall or after class.

 Providing choices in their learning to make them feel more in control: “paper, computer,

or tablet”, “pen, markers, or pencil”, “sit or stand”, etc. the more the students feels that

they can be in control, the more comfortable they can feel.

 Questioning: ask students what they should be doing, ask them what should happen next,

have them tell you what they already know needs to happen.

Section 6 - Discipline referral guidelines and procedures

 First offense: General class reminder- the off task student will know you are talking to

them, and the rest of the class will also benefit from the reminder.

 Second offense: Non-verbal intervention- tapping, the look, proximity

 Third offense: verbal intervention- questioning, naming, providing choices

 Forth offense or more serious issue: private reminder- quick private talk with student

 Fifth offense: Private conference- Give them the opportunity to talk about what is going

on and let them know the next step a call home if their behavior does not improve

 Sixth offense: call home to parents/ detention/ Saturday school

 Seventh offense: Office referral

Terms for immediate dismissal:

 Threats

 Violence or being physical

 Outright bullying

 Harsh language (language meant to hurt another), or discriminatory actions/words

 Theft

 Damage of property