It's Cool in The Pool Reflection

Each child has a Cool In The Pool behavior log in their FROG Binder. We take time at the end of each day to reflect on how our day went. Each child does a self reflection and then fills in thier behavior log with an letter from our heirarchy of behavior. This process encourages children to take responsibility for their behavior and to reflect on their role within the community of learners.

Download behavior log here

Raising Responsibility

I encourage responsible and respectful choices from every learner in our classroom community. We learn about communities throughout the year. We discuss the rights and responsibilities that we have as members of a community. Each person has a role within a community. We stress that the role of each member of our classroom community is to be a respectful and responsible learner.

Guiding Principles

Character is at the focal point of our classroom discipline system. I employ the Raising Responsibility System of behavior management. There are three principles that guide this model: positivity, choice and reflection.

Positivity- messages are verbalized in a positive manner. Rather than saying "we don't run in the halls" we say "we walk in the halls."

Choice- we all choose the way in which we behave. Our behavior is not dictated by others. Whether good or bad, we each make our choices as to how we respond and behave. This does not mean that misbehaving is acceptable or accepted. With this discipline approach, students are proactively taught about "choice-response thinking." We take ownership and responsibility for our behavior. Choice empowers! When a child chooses to behave at an unacceptable level, intervention is taken and the third principle, reflection is employed.

Reflection- A very important part of this discipline approach involves ASKING young people to reflect on their own behavior, rather than TELLING them what the teacher thinks about what they are choosing to do. The child then takes an active role in what the next steps should be towards improving their behavior. The misbehaving student is prompted to reflect and think in a more positive direction. If misbehavior does continue, after a student has acknowledged Level B/A behavior, then Guided Choices come into play. Ideally, the teacher helps the student develop a procedure for dealing with similar situations in the future. Choices are elicited from the young person and agreed to by the adult.

The Nuts and Bolts of Implementation

Phase 1 - TEACHING THE HIERARCHY
The first phase of The Raise Responsibility System involves teaching the students about the four levels of personal/social behavior, with the express purpose of giving them the information they need to be able to assess their OWN LEVEL of behavior in any particular situation.

THE HIERARCHY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

(A tool for teaching young people about discipline.)

Level D: Democracy (Level 4)
(Motivation is internal.)

Develops self-discipline.
Shows kindness to others.
Develops self-reliance.
Does good because it is the right thing to do.

Level C: Cooperation/Conformity (Level 3)
(Motivation is external.)

Listens
Cooperates.
Does what is expected.

Level B: Bothering/Bossing/Bullying (Level 2)
(Needs to be bossed to behave.)

Bosses others.
Bothers others.
Bullies others.
Breaks classroom standards.
Off task unless being directly monitored

Level A: Anarchy (Level 1)
(No consideration for others)

Noisy.
Out of control.
Unsafe.
Off task

Phase 2 -CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING
In the second phase of this discipline system, the teacher asks the student to identify the level of his/her behavior according to the Hierarchy. The teacher's job is to guide this process with questions that prompt the young person to think carefully about what he/she is doing, and to ensure that the student is accurate in their assessment.

Phase 3 - GUIDED CHOICES
The third phase of The Raise Responsibility System is used for dealing with inappropriate behavior only. This phase is implemented ONLY if a student chooses to CONTINUE misbehaving AFTER he/she has already acknowledged an unacceptable level of operation. Guided Choices come into play at this point. Choices are elicited from the young person and agreed upon by the teacher.

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