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GES Positive Discipline Toolkit All details ; Punishment to give to students

Tools for Positive Discipline in Schools

Introduction

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The Ghana Education Service (GES) is implementing a package of interventions aimed at making all  schools child friendly.

A component of the child friendly school programme is creating a safe protective school environment.

The safe protective school environment package is essentially focused on three violence related behaviours i.e. bullying, sexual harassment and corporal punishment. The negative effects of corporal punishment is making Ghanaians, particularly, more and more committed on the need to bring an end to its practice in Ghanaian schools.

Unfortunately, teachers lack the tools and skills to implement disciplinary measures without resorting to corporal punishment. It is within this context that GES with the support of UNICEF has developed a set of tools for implementing positive discipline in schools.

This toolkit was drafted as a key product of a stakeholder engagement workshop held in February 2016.

Participants at the stakeholders workshop included GES personnel, UNICEF representatives, teachers, teacher union representatives and NGOs. Key issues likely to have an impact on the implementation of positive discipline tools in Ghana were identified at the stakeholder engagement workshop.

These issues, which are listed below, informed the development of the tools and the proposed approach for their implementation.

Key issues from the stakeholder engagement workshop:

Teachers may lack the patience required to stay committed to the continued use of positive discipline tools; especially under circumstances where children appear unresponsive to the tools or when the exhibit extremely provocative behaviour

Teachers may feel like they have been deprived of some degree of power/authority because they can no longer punish corporally.

Some students may initially see the introduction of positive discipline tools as an opportunity to challenge the authority of the teacher.

Some teachers may be afraid of losing control of the classroom.

Due to the high teacher student ratios that exist in Ghanaian schools, their often very busy schedules, and an erroneous perception of corporal punishment as a quicker and less complicated approach some teachers may feel that these tools will make things more difficult and would therefore be less receptive to them.

Parents that support corporal punishment may disapprove of the introduction of the tools

The draft toolkit was subsequently pre-tested in Karaga and KEEA districts in the Northern and Central Regions respectively and the feedback incorporated.

A workshop was held with all the 10 Regional and the two District Coordinators of Guidance and Counselling as well as the National Unit to validate the toolkit.

UNICEF is providing additional support to implement the toolkit in the two districts which will serve as learning centres for the implementation of positive discipline in the country.

The data from the districts will feed into the development of a comprehensive toolkit on safe schools.

Rationale behind the Development of the Tools

Corporal punishment as a tool for maintaining discipline in schools has been as old as formal education in the country.

The practice relies on the use of harsh punitive measures as a means of establishing a strong deterrence to undesirable behaviour.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has over years taken a number of actions towards making the school environment safe from violence – which includes corporal punishment. For instance, in the Head teachers handbook (1994), provision was made for the conditions that may require corporal punishment and the mechanisms for administering the punishment.

The 2010 revised handbook appears to have proscribed corporal punishment with this statement: In your attempt to punish any pupil you should remember ..

Illegal punishment, violence, abuses and brutal acts against pupils are offences for which the teacher can be prosecuted in a court of law (Source: Head teachers Handbook (2010) page 42).

Despite the provisions in the 2010 handbook, the use of corporal punishment remains a preferred tool for disciplining school children. Apart from the physical pain corporal punishment inflicts on children, this approach also causes significant emotional damage.

Some of the lasting effects of this method of disciplining school children include physical scars, emotional scars (trauma, fear, timidity etc.) and violent behaviour.

The disadvantages associated with the use of corporal punishment to discipline children is however not limited to its damaging effect on children.

It has been observed that children subjected to corporal punishment consistently repeat the offences for which they are punished.

Some children even end up becoming hardened and more entrenched in their resistance to what they at times perceive as a forceful imposition of behaviours/values that they have not consented to.

The focus of these disciplinary tools will be to inculcate desired behaviours into school children.

This will be realized through:

Participatory approaches,

Promoting mutual respect between the teacher and student,

Involving children in the setting of values, expected standards of behaviour and disciplinary measures, and

Employing reformative responses to misbehaviour that are commensurate to the offence committed

Levels of Application of the Positive Discipline Tools

One of the biggest shortfalls of corporal punishment that renders it ineffective in many instances is the resort to blanket response for all types and levels of inappropriate behaviour.

This toolkit offers options for effectively applying positive discipline for different forms of misbehaviour and proposes suitable proactive or reactive measure for addressing them.

Classification of the toolkit

The various levels of application of the toolkit are classified as follows:

Classification Level of Misbehaviour

Response

Level One Creating a disciplined environment

Proactive/preventive measures: Clearly spelling out rules and setting expectations from students, expressing approval of and encouraging good behaviour, setting an environment of mutual respect that recognizes the authority of the teacher.

This should also be part of the orientation given to students at the beginning of every academic year and reinforced at the start of each school term.

Level Two Minor/first time offences

Early detection/intervention: Non-punitive actions intended to remind students of laid out standards of behaviour and expectations and the importance of conforming to them.

The teacher would also need to, at this level, investigate the reasons behind the identified misbehaviour or the conditions that encouraged it in order to address.

Level Three Repeated/more serious offences

Corrective Measures: Attention of the student is drawn to the severity of the offence or the fact that it has been repeated several times. The teacher at this level must combine deterrent measures with counselling, agreements and consistent follow ups on the students response to the actions taken

Level Four Chronic, dangerous and disruptive behaviour

Rehabilitative Measures: Invite other members of the school administration and the childs family to support in the assessment of the childs behaviour and determination of an appropriate response.

Intensive counselling and monitoring must be undertaken at this level.

Tools for Positive Discipline

Level One Proactive Measures

Schoolwide Rule Book

Rules that govern the general expected behaviours from both teachers and students
To be done in consultation with all the relevant stakeholders (i.e. GES, guidance and counselling personnel, school administration, etc.)

Classroom Rule Book

A small note book that contains entries on the standards of behaviour expected from students.

Step 1. Set classroom rules at a school wide level
Step 2. Clearly explain rules to the students (allow feedback from them)
Step 3. Hand over the rule book to the class prefect/peer educator who will periodically remind class members of the rules

Notice Board Poster

Classroom rules posted on notice boards as a visual reminder of expected behaviours from the students

Step 1. Set classroom rules at a school wide level
Step 2. Clearly explain rules to the students (allow feedback from them)
Step 3. Post rules on the notice board for future reference

Encouragement

At this stage the students can play lead roles. Rather than tease colleagues that energy can be redirected to encourage those who do well or are making the effort to improve. School prefects and peer educators/education are mechanisms to support this initiative
Students to discuss and adopt sanctions for different misbehaviours
Incentives such as periodic (e.g. monthly) public acknowledgement of good behaviour or awarding supplementary credits for consistent adherence to rules applied to encourage good behaviour.
Examples:

1. Establishing consistent good behaviour as a condition for prefectship
2. Publicly acknowledging good behaviour
3. Extra credits for good behaviour

Classroom Behaviour Statement

Statement can be recited to begin and finish the class peer education sessions
A brief statement to be recited periodically by students agreeing to adhere to standards of behaviour set for the classroom. Students may be asked to find creative ways to present the statement (e.g. as a poem, a song or in pictures)

Step 1. Draft statement at a school wide level
Step 2. Clearly explain statement to students
Step 3. Ask students to recite the statement in class
Step 4. Post statement on classroom notice board for future reference

LEVEL TWO EARLY DETECTION/INTERVENTION

Explanation

The teacher would take time to explain to the child why a certain behaviour he/she has exhibited is unacceptable

Step 1. Set an appropriate time for both the student and teacher to have the conversation (e.g. Just before/after class or at the beginning/end of the day)
Step 2. Explain to the student the behaviour you have observed him/her exhibit and offer advice on how and why he/she should do otherwise

Caution

Teacher points out to the student that he/she has gone against the laid out rules and reminds the student of possible consequences of repeating such behaviour

Step 1. Ask the student if he/she is aware of the consequence of the offence they have committed
Step 2. If the student says yes ask him/her to state what they know it to be (correct the child if the answer is wrong) If he/she says no refer to the classroom rules and tell the student what the consequence will be

Agreement

The teacher agrees with the child that a particular behaviour should not be repeated and also agree on what the consequence of breaking the agreement should be
Optional Develop a template for written agreements/bond between the teacher and students

Step 1. Clearly explain the misbehaviour observed to the student
Step 2. Discuss the consequences of repeating it
Step 3. Agree with the student verbally or by signing a written document that repeating such behaviour will be followed by the sanction discussed with him/her

Interview

The teacher creates a safe environment outside the classroom to try and find out what some of the underlying issues resulting in the childs misbehaviour may be
Step 1. Set an appropriate time for both the student and teacher to have the conversation
Step 2. Relax the student by assuring him/her that there is nothing to worry about
Step 3. Ask questions that will help to identify the source of the behaviour being exhibited by the student (e.g. for a student that is consistently late Who brings you to school? What time do you leave the house? What is your mode of transportation?)

Student Behaviour Log

Involves entering infractions into a log book. Repeated entries for the same offence will bear a consequence. This will serve as a deterrent as the child would have to opportunity to alter his/her behaviour in order to avoid reaching the threshold number of entries.
Step 1. Introduce the behaviour log to the class by clearly explaining what it will be used for and how it will be used
Optional Delegate the entering of infractions into the log book to a student (e.g. class prefect)
Step 2. Register infractions into the log book

LEVEL THREE CORRECTIVE MEASURES

Reflection period

The student would be required to report to a designated room at a particular time for a specified amount of time. Ideally this time should be used for an activity that will encourage a transformative reflection on the infraction committed.

Step 1. Clearly explain the misbehaviour observed to the student
Step 2. Inform the student that he/she will be required to participate in a reflection period as a result of the misbehaviour
Step 3. Determine the appropriate time for the child to have the reflection period
Step 4. Develop an activity for the child to carry out during the reflection period that will prompt him/her to ponder on their behaviour and will also encourage positive change

Writing Lines

The child is given a sentence to write several times over. The sentence should positively reinforce that childs need and ability to adhere to the recommended forms of behaviour

Step 1. Clearly explain the misbehaviour observed to the student
Step 2. Identify the availability of the necessary logistics for writing lines
Step 3. Inform the student that he/she will have to write lines as a result of the misbehaviour
Step 4. Draft the sentence the student would have to write and give him/her a deadline for submission of the lines

Cleaning (e.g. picking litter, arranging seats in the classroom)

Involves students being asked to undertake some form of community service such as picking litter or cleaning some particular area in the school. But certainly not the toilets

Step 1. Clearly explain the misbehaviour observed to the student
Step 2. Inform the student that he/she will clean (e.g. pick rubbish) as a result of the misbehaviour
Step 3. Determine the appropriate time for the child to perform the task
Step 4. Ensure that the child carries out the sanction

Designated Seating Position

Involves seating the student right in front of or beside the teacher in order to keep an eye on him/her or to move the student from a position that encourages him/her to engage in disruptive behaviour

Step 1. Clearly explain the misbehaviour observed to the student
Step 2. Inform the student that he/she will be asked to sit at a particular location as a result of the misbehaviour
Step 3. Ask the student to move to the specified location

Counselling

With the consent of student, refer him/her to the school counsellor along with background on the students behaviour over time to be counselled

Step 1. Check log book for all entries on infractions committed by the student
Step 2. Discuss the behaviour of the student and infractions recorded with the counsellor
Step 3. Clearly explain the purpose of the counselling to the student
Step 4. Set appropriate meeting time for the student to meet with the counsellor

Agreement

The teacher agrees with the child that a particular behaviour should not be repeated and also agree on what the consequence of breaking the agreement should be
Optional Develop a template for written agreements/bond between the teacher and students

Step 1. Clearly explain the misbehaviour observed to the student
Step 2. Discuss the consequences of repeating it
Step 3. Agree with the student verbally or by signing a written document that repeating such behaviour will be followed by the sanction discussed with him/her

Extra Tasks

Involves giving the child extra tasks (e.g. extra homework)

Step 1. Clearly explain the misbehaviour observed to the student
Step 2. Inform the child about the extra task he/she would be expected to do
Step 3. Follow up to ensure the task is completed

LEVEL FOUR REHABILITATIVE MEASURES

 

Withdrawing a Responsibility

Leadership positions and other responsibilities can be temporarily or permanently withdrawn from the child (e.g. position on the school soccer team or prefectship)

Step 1. Clearly explain the implications of the infraction and its consequences to the student
Step 2. Inform the child and other affected/concerned parties about withdrawal of the responsibility (including whether it will be permanent or temporary)

Letter to parents

Involves writing to the childs parents to inform them about the infraction or chronic behaviour exhibited by the child

Optional Draft template letter for communicating level four infractions to parents

Step 1. Clearly explain the implications of the infraction and its consequences to the student
Step 2. Write letter and deliver it to the students guardian

Parent teacher meeting

Meeting with the childs parents to assess the childs behaviour and determine what steps need to be taken to reform his/her behaviour

Step 1. Clearly explain the implications of the infraction and its consequences to the student
Step 2. Determine appropriate time to meet with the parents and send out an invitation to them

Counselling

Refer the student to the school counsellor along with background on the students behaviour over time to be counselled

Step 1. Check log book for all entries on infractions committed by the student
Step 2. Discuss the behaviour of the student and infractions recorded with the counsellor
Step 3. Clearly explain the purpose of the counselling to the student
Step 4. Set appropriate meeting time for the student to meet with the counsellor

Daily Report

Involves intensive monitoring of the childs behaviour. The child would be given a form to be signed by his/her teacher after every class and submitted to the school counsellor at the end of the day

Step 1. Clearly explain the implications of the infraction and its consequences to the student
Step 2. Determine an appropriate observation period suitable for monitoring the misbehaviour
Step 3. Inform the students teacher that he/she has been placed on daily report

 

 

Peter

Peter N. Djangmah is a multifaceted individual with a passion for education, entrepreneurship, and blogging. With a firm belief in the power of digital education and science, I am affectionately known as the Private Minister of Information. Connect with me
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