Coowonga State School
Responsible Choices Plan for Students
1. Purpose
Coowonga State School is committed to providing a safe, respectful and disciplined learning environment for students and staff, where students have opportunities to engage in quality learning experiences and acquire values supportive of their lifelong wellbeing.
This Responsible Choices Plan for Students is designed to facilitate high standards of behaviour so that the learning and teaching in our school can be effective and students can participate positively within our school community.
2. Consultation and data review
Coowonga State School developed this plan in collaboration with our school community. Broad consultation with parents, staff and students was undertaken through the School Opinion Survey and community meetings held during February and March in 2012. A review of school data relating to attendance, absenteeism, school disciplinary absences and behaviour incidents from 2009-2012 also informed the development process.
The Plan was endorsed by the Principal, the President of the P&C and Paul Wood (Assistant Regional Director) in 2012, and will be reviewed in 2015 as required in legislation.
3. Learning and behaviour statement
All areas of Coowonga State School are learning and teaching environments. We consider behaviour management to be an opportunity for valuable social learning as well as a means of maximising the success of academic education programs. We express clearly that behaviour is a choice, and students are responsible for the choices they make.
Our Responsible Choices Plan outlines our system for facilitating positive choices, minimising the disruption to other students learning and giving students ownership of, and responsibility for the choices they make. Through our school plan, shared expectations for student behaviour are plain to everyone, assisting Coowonga State School to create and maintain a positive and productive learning and teaching environment, where ALL school community members have clear and consistent expectations and understandings of their role in the educational process.
Our school community has identified the following school rules to teach self-discipline and foster a highly positive and productive learning environment:
· Be safe
· Be responsible
· Be respectful.
Our school rules have been agreed upon and endorsed by all staff and our school P&C. They are aligned with the values, principles and expected standards outlined in Education Queensland’s Code of School Behaviour.
4. Processes for facilitating positive choices
The first step in facilitating standards of positive choices is communicating those standards to all students. At Coowonga State School we emphasise the importance of directly teaching students the behaviours we want them to demonstrate at school. Communicating responsible choices is a form of universal behaviour support - a strategy directed towards all students designed to prevent unsafe behaviour and provides a framework for responding to student encroaching on others’ rights in school.
A set of positive expectations in specific settings has been attached to each of our three school rules. The Schoolwide Expectations Teaching Matrix below outlines our agreed rules and specific expectations in all school settings.
SCHOOLWIDE EXPECTATIONS TEACHING MATRIXALL AREAS / CLASSROOM / PLAYGROUND / VERANDAH AND WALKWAYS / TOILETS / BIKE RACKS
BE RESPECTFUL / § Use equipment appropriately
§ Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself
§ Speak politely. / § Walk
§ Sit still
§ Enter and exit room in an orderly manner
§ Listen and think about what you hear. / § Participate in school approved games
§ Play fairly
§ Be inclusive. / § Stack bags on racks
§ Keep passage ways clear at all times
§ Walk quietly and orderly so that others are not disturbed. / § Respect privacy of others. / § Use own bike only
§ Walk bike in the school grounds.
BE RESPONSIBLE / § Have permission to enter and leave the classroom
§ Be on time
§ Be in the right place at the right time
§ Bring healthy food only to school
§ Follow instructions straight away
§ Remember: Learn for Life. / § Be prepared
§ Persevere with set tasks
§ Take an active role in classroom activities
§ Keep work space tidy
§ Be honest
§ Negotiate use of school equipment after school while waiting for your parents to leave. / § Be a problem solver
§ Return equipment to appropriate place at the sports bell
§ Follow approved rules. / § Rails are for hands
§ Line up quietly at the bottom of the stairs. / § Use toilets during breaks. / § Leave school promptly when dismissed.
BE SAFE / § Respect others’ personal space and property
§ Care for equipment
§ Clean up after yourself
§ Use polite language
§ Wait your turn. / § Raise your hand to indicate you wish to contribute
§ Respect others’ right to learn
§ One speaker at a time
§ Be an active listener. / § Wear shoes and socks at all times
§ Care for the environment
§ Be sun safe; wear a broad brimmed hat. / § Carry items.
§ Walk quietly and orderly. / § Wash hands
§ Walk in and out. / § Walk your bike in the school grounds
§ Stow your helmet attached securely to your bike.
These expectations are communicated to students via a number of strategies, including:
· Behaviour lessons conducted by classroom teachers as part of our Positive Choices process;
· Reinforcement of learning from behaviour lessons on School Assemblies and during active supervision by staff during classroom and non-classroom activities.
5. Processes for responding to unacceptable behaviour
Positive Choices Process
At Coowonga State School, a student has two choices:
1. Stay in class/playground and follow the school rules.
2. Go to the Planning Area.
· Continuous incidences; parents are contacted, referral to Guidance Officer, referral to Intensive Behaviour Support Team, 0-5 and 6-20 day suspensions
· Students who engage in very serious problem behaviours such as major violent physical assault, or the use or supply of weapons (including knives) or drugs can expect to be recommended for exclusion from school following an immediate period of suspension.
The Planning Area is a supportive environment to help students learn how to think responsibly about classroom and playground behaviour.
STUDENTS CHOOSE TO GO TO THE PLANNING AREA THROUGH THEIR BEHAVIOUR.
If a student is being disruptive, the following questions are asked:
1. On the first disruption, ask them in a polite and inquisitive tone:
Q. What are you doing? A. Talking etc.
Q. What should you be doing? A. My work etc.
Q. What happens if you don’t follow the rules? A. Go to the Planning area.
Q. Is that what you want to happen?
Q. What do you think will happen next time?
2. On the second disruption, ask in a polite and inquisitive tone:
Q. What are you doing?
Q. What did you say would happen the next time you disrupt?
Q. Where do you need to be?
It is absolutely important that they are allowed to go.
DO NOT HOLD THEM IN CLASS IF THROUGH THEIR BEHAVIOUR THEY CHOOSE TO GO
Below is a flowchart that outlines the process followed when disruptions occur.
FLOW CHART FOR POSITIVE CHOICES PROCESS
Coowonga State School 2012
Disruption 1
Disruption 2
Automatic
What this looks like in the classroom
Coowonga State School
Positive Choices Chart
J I choose to respect others and myself.
Working well, working hard in the cloud.
K I choose to stay and remember the rules
Oops!
Disrupting others. Broke a rule.
L I have chosen to leave the room
Oh Dear!
Stopped others from learning or made someone unsafe.
I have chosen to go to the ‘Planning Area’.
L I have chosen to go to the principal’s room
I am continuing to break rules or have stopped people from learning while in the ‘Planning Area’.
6. Disruption
What is a disruption?
Anything that interferes with learning or the peaceful enjoyment of the playground.
Types of disruption
There are two types of disruptions a student can cause. They are minor and major/serious.
The following table outlines examples of major and minor problem behaviours:
Area / Minor / MajorBeing Safe / Movement around school / · Running on concrete or around buildings
· Running in stairwells
· Not walking bike in school grounds / · Climbing on top of buildings
Play / · Incorrect use of equipment
· Not playing school approved games
· Playing in toilets
· Playing in out of bounds areas / · Throwing objects
· Possession of weapons
Physical contact / · Minor physical contact (eg: pushing and shoving) / · Serious physical aggression
· Fighting
Correct Attire / · Not wearing a hat in playground
· Not wearing shoes outside
Other / · Possession or selling of drugs
Being Responsible / Class tasks / · Not completing set tasks that are at an appropriate level
· Refusing to work / · Being on unauthorised websites
Being in the right place / · Not being punctual (eg. lateness after breaks)
· Not in the right place at the right time.
· Moving out of seat without permission. / · Leaving class without permission (out of sight)
· Leaving school without permission
Follow instructions / · Low intensity failure to respond to adult request
· Non compliance
· Unco-operative behaviour
Accept outcomes for behaviour / · Minor dishonesty / · Major dishonesty
Rubbish / · Littering
Mobile Phone / · Mobile phone switched on in any part of the school at any time without authorisation (written permission from an authorised staff member) / · Use of a mobile phone in any part of the school for voicemail, email, text messaging or filming purposes without authorisation
Being Respectful / Language / · Inappropriate language (written/verbal)
· Calling out
· Poor attitude
· Disrespectful tone
· Making noises/ talking off task
· Putting others down / · Offensive language
· Aggressive language
· Verbal abuse / directed profanity
Property / · Petty theft
· Lack of care for the environment
· Borrowing other people’s belongings without permission / · Stealing / major theft
· Wilful property damage
· Vandalism
Others / · Not playing fairly
· Minor disruption to class
· Minor defiance
· Minor bullying / harassment / · Major bullying / harassment
· Major disruption to class
· Blatant disrespect
· Major defiance
Important: Due to the serious nature of the major incidents, the teacher’s first words are:
“I see you have chosen to go to the Planning Room”
It is a matter of professional discretion as to when you think this would be a necessary step. Some automatic referrals may result in the student going home, but this decision is to be made by the Principal after consultation.
7. Planning Area Procedure
If the student has chosen to go to the Planning Area, they must complete a behaviour plan and outline the strategies they will use to be able to re-enter the classroom or playground. The process below outlines the steps.
PA = Planning Area
Explanation of Flow Chart
Note 1: A student can self-refer if he or she feels it necessary. It can be included as part of a plan. If the student self refers and it is part of their plan, they do not need to redo their plan. If a student does not have a plan, they should write a plan to identify strategies they could use if this situation developed again. Self-referral can be seen as a success as the student acknowledges they may disrupt and removes themselves from that environment. They are thinking about the other students. *** If a student self-refers, they must inform the teacher that they are doing so.
Note 2: It may not always be appropriate for the teacher to negotiate plans during class time, but if a teacher has the class working in groups or independently, plan negotiation can take place any time. It is important to note the idea of the process is to keep students in class. The student may return to the class at the teacher’s discretion without immediate negotiation at that time however the student is at a no reminder stage in that session until negotiation has been completed.
Note 3: The plan, once complete is copied and filed in the student file. The student receives a copy and should keep it in the subject book for the lesson they interrupted (if in playground, a copy is kept in the duty folder for referral). The teacher and student may refer to it during class/playground time to ensure it is working.
Note 4: If the teacher and student cannot come to an agreement regarding the plan, the teacher does not have to accept the plan. In this situation the student returns to the PA to rework their plan. The PA teacher may contact the teacher to get clarification so assistance can be given to the student in the development of their plan.
THE PLAN
The plan is the most important part of the process.
It is the role of the Planning Area teacher to ask lots of questions so that students reflect and think about their actions, the consequences and how they will act differently next time.
Some students will only choose to come to the Planning Area once or twice. Some students will choose to come far more frequently. These students are the ones that need our help to learn how not to disrupt the rights of others.
NEGOTIATION
When the plan is completed the student will make a time to meet with the teacher to negotiate the plan. This is a great opportunity to discuss with the student how things will be different in future lessons because you have something the student has thought about and written to work with in your discussion.
Remember to ask lots of questions. If the student is answering the questions then he/she is doing the thinking.
Try to find a place that is quiet to discuss the plan.
8. Responsible Choices Process
NEGOTIATING PLANS
When children approach a teacher or a parent to negotiate their way back to where they were disrupting, they should be given time to explain how they are going to deal with the problem the next time it occurs. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes. If part of their plan is unacceptable, alternatives should be offered. Their plan should never be ignored or refused. Negotiating is critical to building student-teacher relationships. Using questions helps students think through their problems.