About Schools' Policies - Report Example

Rероrt Аbоut Sсhооls' Роliсiеs Name Institution Professor Course Date Executive Summary This report compares Parramatta Marist high school and Parramatta High School policies to behaviour management. The report addresses how all schools’ stakeholders are engaged in the behaviour management procedures and policies. The two schools support active involvement of all the schools’ stakeholders in development, implementation and accountability of their behaviour management policies. The report also offers an assessment of policies with respect to National Safe School Framework. The National Safe School Framework offers Australian schools with a vision and guiding principles. With respect to the behavioural management policies implemented by schools, these policies are based on feasible visions that are attainable through values such as accountability, honesty, respect, support and trust. The report culminates with highlighting the aspects of school’s policies that reflect my personal management. 1.0 Introduction Discipline in High Schools is geared towards guaranteeing a safe environment for both learners and educators. All high schools in Australia hold a well written policy that sets out the behaviours expectations of each student and educators, forms of objectionable behaviour and the costs of unacceptable behaviours. Occurrences of misbehaviour in Australian High schools are tackled by the school, students and parents. Parramatta Marist is a catholic-sponsored boys’ high school and is devoted to establishing an atmosphere that promotes mutual respect and trust designed to help parents and students. Parramatta high school, on the other hand, is a public co-educational secondary school situated in Parramatta. While the two schools may hold different behaviour management policies, the schools must record that their students are secure, learn positive social skills and provide safe environment with adequate social order that allows and encourages academic attainment. 2.0 Behaviour Management Policies 2.1 Parramatta Marist High School Behaviour Management Policy Parramatta Marist is devoted to establishing a setting that promotes mutual respect and trust to help parents and students (PMHS, 2006). The schools behaviour management policy embraces the diversity of all cultures and people besides supporting collaborative practices which encourage staff and students for personal development. The behaviour management policy is founded on the Marist Charism and Marcellin Champagnat teachings (PMH, 2014). The Marist school is concerned about each student’s care and powerfully maintain that education is founded on sound links amid teachers, students and parents. The behaviour management policy develops quality relationships, offers satisfying learning experiences and establishes productive care network. The institution owes a duty of care to its staff and students. All staffs are required to take sensible steps in protecting students from danger of harm besides cooperating with the school to uphold a positive teaching and learning environment (PMHS, 2006). The headmaster oversees the development and execution of the behaviour management policy besides ensuring that all policies and procedures are followed with respect to the policies and expectation of the Catholic Education Office in Parramatta. The welfare coordinator is accountable for development and execution of the behaviour management policy besides helping the deputy principal in making sure that all policies and procedures are followed in line with policies of the catholic education office and school expectations (PMHS, 2006). The home room teacher checks diaries to ensure productive communication with parents to determine issues relating to behaviour or work ethics. Teachers communicate with students in matters raised to seek causes of behavioural or work linked issues in order to establish simple strategies to overcome raised issues. The school counsellor provides psychological services to students with special needs and promotes best practice procedures for healthy growth of students. According to (PMHS, 2006) behaviour management directs the students towards valuable objectives and helps in maintaining accountability levels. At Parramatta Marist School, behaviour management is organised according to different levels. These levels link to the extent of gravity and they offer a blueprint for assisting students to develop better self-management. 2.2 Parramatta High School Parramatta high school behaviour management policy focuses on the obligatory procedures for the school to make sure that student establish positive pro-social conducts and effectively address unsuitable student’ conducts ( PHS, 2012). The school promotes student’s wellbeing to allow them attain their complete potential socially, physically, intellectually and personally. The behavioural management policy is based on respect, honesty and responsibility and the school embraces diversity (PHS, 2014). Teachers and staff at Parramatta high school offer students value-based and quality education to allow them become tolerant, respectful, self-disciplined and accountable community and school members. The student discipline and welfare policy enhances students’ safety besides supporting positive behaviour for learning. Respect, responsibility and honest are the core values of Parramatta high school positive behaviour. The school rewards good behaviour and poor behaviour hold clear consequences (PHS, 2014). The behaviour management policy for school includes the school’s staff, teachers, students, home school liaison officer, community youth, school counsellor and career advisers. The school tries to ensure that guardians or parents are completely informed of the roles in promoting their children’s behaviours (PHS, 2012). The school counsellor performs psychometric analysis, offers counselling and acts as student’s advocate. 2.3 Staff, Students and Parents in the Schools Behaviour Management Policies The behaviour management policies implemented by the two schools support a supportive and safe learning environment. It is the responsibility of the schools staff, students and parents to address and prevent behaviour problems such as bullying (NWS, 2014). The schools ensures that policies for behaviour management are developed and implemented in collaboration with staff, parents, students and the community where every stakeholder has his/her role to play in ensuring positive and productive behaviour in school. The school is accountable for promotion, support and respect besides modelling suitable behaviours. In case of any misconduct by a student, school staff must respond accordingly based on the knowledge of the schools behaviour policies. The students must respect diversity and individual disparities, must adhere to the policies implemented for behaviour management and report incidents of misconducts (Flannery, Fenning & McGrath, 2014). Parents and caregivers support their children to become answerable citizens, understand the behaviour management policies embraced by their schools and work jointly with the school staff and student to address cases of misconducts (NWS, 2014). The schools principals implement behaviour management policy, and report occasionally on the progress and productiveness of the behaviour management policies. Schools directors monitor implementation of the behaviour management policies. 3.0 An Analysis of the Policy in Terms Of the National Safe School Framework The behaviour management policies of both Parramatta Marist and Parramatta high school are based on the National Safe Schools Framework. This is because the policies are based on a clear vision, practical resources and tools and a set of guiding principles that facilitates development of a positive school culture. The Parramatta Marists culture is established on religious principles and policies and as such the student’s behaviour must be in line with the Catholic Education Office policies (PMH, 2014). In Parramatta high school, on the other hand, the school has a 3-Tiered prevention logic where the school lowers complications, intensity and severity of present cases, lower present problem behaviour cases and lower new problem behaviour cases (PHS, 2014). In the behaviour management policies of the two schools, school staff, students and parents are involved. This is in line with the requirements of the National Safe Schools Framework. The NSSF requires all Australian learning institutions to be safe and hold respectful and supportive learning and teaching communities that foster the wellbeing of students. The behaviour management policies implemented by the schools underline the significance of students’ wellbeing and safety for productive learning (Australian Government Department of Education, 2014). According to Kakkar (2004), educational psychology assumes that all behaviour results from partially unanalysed and complex set of causes. Shifts in environment and organic organisation are mirrored as shifts in behaviour. In this regard, tentatively, human conduct is as predictable as any other occurrence if all the facts regarding the environment and organic organisation are known (Kelm & McIntosh, 2012). As a result, parents, students and staff in the two schools hold a greater role in promoting positive students’ behaviour. Students observe how others students, staff and parents behave. Particularly the school staffs including teachers hold the greatest role in behaviour management. According to Kounin, a theorist, the principles of good leadership by teacher and suitable behaviour by students are not mislaid to any rigid set of procedures and rules. The policies implemented by schools are effective in ensuring positive behaviours amid students and their teachers (Wiseman & Hunt, 2008). Ginnott, a theorist, confirms that rules for student and teacher behaviour acts as guiding principles to positive and productive behaviour. Canter and Canter emphasize on the importance of policies in behaviour management. They confirm that teachers should not focus on the rules for behaviour but rather on the principles that the rules are based on (Wiseman & Hunt, 2008). To ensure that the two schools offer safe, respectful and supportive learning and teaching environment that supports the wellbeing of students, they have implemented some guiding principles. The guiding principles stress on the significance of students’ wellbeing and safety for productive learning. According to Horner, Todd, Palmer, Irvin, Sugai and Boland (2004), behaviour support in schools initially targeted students who engaged in high-intensity or hog-frequency problems behaviours. However, in the contemporary world, schools invest in prevention and remediation of problem behaviours and school-wide practices besides individualised interventions (Solomon & Peller, 2012). Schools require multiple behaviour support systems to establish encouraging and safe environments. Horner et al (2004) assert that the most effective approach to lowering problem behaviours in schools is via investment in prevention. While high-intensity individualised interventions are feasible, schools require extra set of procedures (Kelm & Cooley, 2014). Parramatta Marist and Parramatta high schools behaviour management policies establish the rights of the school community to feel secure. The schools stakeholders accept the liability for establishing and upholding supportive and safe teaching and learning communities; encourage active involvement of all stakeholders in establishing and upholding safe community where individual differences are respected (Chaparro & Hanson, 2012). .The schools’ staffs support development of skills and understanding by schools and students to ensure their safety. 4.0 Aspects of the Schools’ Policies Reflect My Personal Management Classroom management entails the procedure of making sure that lessons are run efficiently notwithstanding disruptive behaviour by learners. Based on the policies employed by the two schools, I am able to understand suitable disciplinary processes, my beliefs regarding discipline and how to infuse these beliefs along with students input into a productive classroom discipline. Although good classroom management is challenging, I consider it as an ability to establish good learning and teaching environment and controlling learning effectively. I implement processes for organising learning and set rules for a disciplined classroom. I praise to motivate good behaviour in classroom and employ suitable measures to a avoid misbehaviour. I usually establish the best possible physical setting to make sure that my students have a pleasant and comfortable learning environment. I prepare feasible learning objectives and design actions that meet the diverse needs of my diverse students besides establishing rules and procedures and classroom norms that facilitate acceptable behaviour. In addition, I have established a discipline system that addresses bad and difficult behaviours. I constantly assess my students’ conducts to pin-point problem behaviours and address them. When I get issues of misbehaviour in my classroom, I deliver sanctions discreetly and give the student time to modify their behaviours. However, I usually help student to avoid behaviour problems, manage behaviour problems that are unavoidable and resolve behaviour problems that have already taken place. I establish rules and strictly adhere to them, provide fair consequences and ensure that my students understand the rules and consequences. To ensure a good learning environment for my students, I implement an effective disciplinary system and devote myself to ensuring that my students comply with the set rules. For instance, the two schools have set guiding principles to ensure that they attain their vision of ensuring safe, respectful and supportive learning and teaching communities that foster the wellbeing of students. I also have my own classroom guiding principles that support positive behaviours in my classroom My classroom guiding principles stresses on the significance of ensuring a positive learning environment for my students. I have a well laid plan and an outline of what entails good behaviour and bad behaviour in my classroom and consequences. However, I always remain flexible to welcome possible interruptions. I have set and implemented disciplinary policies that lowers disruption and promote effective learning. The same way Parramatta Marist and Parramatta high schools have set clear visions that promoted via practical guiding principles. As an instructor, I have also accepted accountability for establishing and supporting a positive learning environment through implementing and applying rules and guidelines that support good behaviour and manage problem behaviours. I encourage students to actively participate in activities that promote good behaviour and discern activities that lead to problem behaviours. I usually make apparent and simple procedures that I follow to ensure that my students remain focused on maintaining positive behaviours in classroom. Just the same the schools’ behaviour management policies hold sets of standards and guiding principles, I hold a management system that helps me in reviewing what activities support good behaviours , how to address problem behaviours and when to address them. This system helps me in assessing what is beneficial to my students. The management system helps me to focus on what behaviour problems are urgent to address and those that can wait. I am always in a position to track my commitment and decide wilfully the behaviours I must condone and those that need to be addressed. As a result, the aspects of the two schools behaviour management policies that reflect my personal management in classroom include respect, support, motivation, responsibility, honest, commitment and confidence. My behaviour management policies ensures safe, respective and supportive learning environment and is directed by several guiding principles such as accountability, honest, respect, support and trust. According to Kounin, the principle of behaviour is visible and important as the rules (Showman & McCown, 2011). In this regard, while schools have their own rules that governs the behaviours of their staff and students, these rules must be guided by principles such as respect, responsibility, honest, commitment, encouragement, support, trust and confidence. The same way, my rules to ensure positive behaviours in classroom are guided by several personal values such as accountability, honesty, trust, flexibility, commitment and respect. 5.0 Conclusion The National Safe Schools Framework offers Australian schools with a set of directions and vision that help school communities to establish sensible and constructive student welfare and safety policies. Behaviour management policies help in developing a sense of respect and care towards one another, developing cooperative and caring links among student and teachers, establishing social skill besides developing confidence, self-esteem and self discipline in an environment of mutual encouragement and respect. Parramatta Marist is devoted to establishing a setting that promotes mutual respect and trust to help, staff parents and students to work collaboratively. Parramatta high school behaviour management policy focuses on the obligatory procedures for the school to make sure that student establish positive pro-social conducts and effectively address unsuitable student conducts. The behaviour management policies of both Parramatta Marist and Parramatta high schools are feasible and based on the National Safe Schools Framework. 6.0 References Australian Government Department of Education.(2014). The national safe schools framework. Retrieved from http://education.gov.au/national-safe-schools-framework- 0. Chaparro, E., & Hanson, N.(2012). A model for system-wide collaboration to support integrated social behaviour and literacy evidence-based practices. Psychology in the Schools, 49 (5), 465-482 Flannery, K., Fenning, K., & McGrath, M.(2014). Effects of school-wide positive behavioural interventions and supports and fidelity of implementation on problem behaviour in high schools. School Psychology Quarterly, 29 (2), 111-124. Horner, R., Todd, A., Teri, L., Irvin, L., Sugai, G., & Boland, J.(2004). The school-wide evaluation tool (SET): A research instrument for assessing school-wide positive behaviour support. Journal of Positive Behaviour Intentions, 6 (2), 3-12. Kakkar, S.B. (1993). Educational psychology. UK: PHI Learning Pvt-Ltd. Kelm, J., & Cooley, S.(2014). Effects of implementing school-wide positive behavioural interventions and supports on problem behaviour and academic achievement in a Canadian elementary school. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 29 (3), 195- 212. Kelm, J., & McIntosh, K .(2012). Effects of school-wide positive behaviour support on teacher self-efficacy. Psychology in the Schools, 49 (2), 137-147. NSW .(2014). Bullying: preventing and responding to student bullying in schools policy. Education & Communities. Retrieved from https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/student_serv/discipline/bullying/PD20100415.sh tml. PHS (2014).Parramatta High School. Retrieved from http://www.parramatta- h.schools.nsw.edu.au/ PHS .(2012). Parramatta high school student wellbeing statement. Retrieved from http://www.parramatta- h.schools.nsw.edu.au/documents/31068011/31075365/Staff%20Handbook%20Studen t%20Wellbeing%20Revised%202012.pdf. PMH.(2014). Parramatta Marist High. Retrieved from http://www.parramarist.nsw.edu.au/. PMHS.(2006). Pastoral care policy. Retrieved from http://www.parramarist.nsw.edu.au/_uploads/_ckpg/files/Parramatta_Marist_Pastoral_ Care_Policy_OCT_2006_2.pdf Showman, J., & McCown, R.(2011). Psychology applied to teaching. Cengage Learning. UK Solomon, B., & Peller, S. (2012). A meta-analysis of school-wide positive behaviour support: An exploratory study using single-case synthesis. Psychology in the schools, 49 (2), 105-121. Wiseman, D., & Hunt, G. (2008). Best practice in motivation and management in the classroom. USA: Charles C Thomas Publisher. Read More