Playground Behaviour Management
Any incident brought to the notice of a teacher should be investigated and dealt with. No complaint from a student should be dismissed with statements like ‘stop telling tales’ or ‘just ignore it’.
Where the teacher finds that students have behaved inappropriately and/or against school rules, the chart below is a guide to dealing with the indiscretions.
The aim should always be to:
1) Ensure students are safe and free from harassment
2) Educate students about appropriate behaviour
3) Restore students’ faith and trust in their peers and in the ability of the school to ensure a safe and caring environment
Level of Indiscretion / Examples / Teacher responseLow / · Digging and playing with sticks
· Being indoors at recesss
· Littering
· Standing or running on slides
· Climbing on top of play equipment
· Playing with balls in non-ball areas
· Spoiling others’ games
· Running through or playing with ball in adventure playground / “Do you know why …[eg digging] is …[refer to safety, caring, rights, school rules etc]”
· If child acknowledges and apologises, no further action needed unless…
· time-out may be given in cases where the perpetrator(s) is not cooperating to resolve the situation satisfactorily.
Repeat low offenders to be treated as per Medium
Medium / · Throwing stones at object [not person]
· Tackling during footy
· Any ‘play’ fighting or wrestling
· Riding a scooter or bike on school premises am or pm
· Damaging property
· Climbing trees / “ I am disappointed to see ….I would expect to see more …[refer to safety, caring, rights, school rules etc]”
· Apology
· Time out for 1 or two sessions. Teacher needs to ensure it is carried out
· Other consequences may be applied such as confiscating a ball being used for ‘brandy’, or not being allowed to play in the sandpit after throwing sand.
· Any personal belongings that are confiscated such as a scooter, the teacher should note the name and grade of the student and clearly inform the student when and how the object can be reclaimed.
Repeat medium offenders to be treated as per High
High / · Throwing stones or sticks at a person
· A full-on fight
· Highly irresponsible eg; Breaking a window
· Any significant injury caused by improper behaviour
· Ongoing bullying whether exclusion, verbal abuse or teasing, or physical hurting / “This is very disappointing. I would like a written explanation of what happened from each of you. Then I will discuss it with you.”
· In a case involving open conflict or hostility between students, an Incident Resolution Form or an Inappropriate Behaviour Form may be used. The completed form will need to go home, be signed by a parent, returned to the classroom teacher, stapled together with other forms relating to the incident and filed.
· The teacher on duty should deal with the students involved. If too many students are involved, or the case too complex, the assistance of the Assistant Principal should be sought.
· Time out for up to 5 days [Note: Detention or Time out can only be given for half of any recess period
· Any case of ongoing bullying should be discussed with the Assistant Principal. The No Blame or Peer Support method of intervention will be used if appropriate. The Guidance Officer may also be involved
· If an injured child has an injury requiring medical treatment, an incident report form must be completed in the office and a witness statement written
Repeat high offenders to be treated as per Serious
Serious / Any serious incidents or repeating offenders. / “This is a serious matter. I think we need to report it to the Assistant Principal”
· Interview with parents
· After school detention(s) or suspension
· Reporting to Assistant Principal each recess for a few weeks
· A specifically written form of behaviour contract
· Possible referral to agencies
Restorative Conversations after a playground incident
1 Find out what happened from BOTH sides
“Tell me what happened”
2. Ask BOTH sides how the situation can be rectified.
“How can things be made better/right?”
3. Ask the wrongdoer(s) to repeat what they have done wrong and provide a better solution for a similar situation.
“What did you do that was not right?”
“What could you do better to make sure this doesn’t happen again in a similar situation?”
“You’ve said the right things; I urge you to do them from now on. (or) I expect you to do the right thing from now on.”