NSU University School Faculty, Staff and Employee Handbook

39 Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten: 1 adult with every 25 students Grade 1-5: 2 adults with total grade group Grades 6-12: 2 adults with total grade group When charges are brought against a student who is chronically defiant or disruptive, it is necessary that the charges be specific and anecdotal. Accordingly, a teacher must keep a written record of offenses. Saying simply that “he/she does that all the time” is not enough. Before you write a referral, stop a minute and consider: Is this really necessary? It means that someone outside your classroom is being asked to discipline a student for behavior inside your classroom. The best policy, whenever possible, is to handle your own discipline problems. Occasionally, you may need an administrator, but don’t expect the administrator to do what is your job. In an effort to set down an effective and consistent guideline for handling student behavior problems, consider the following: 1. Try to get the student involved in class activities. Find out his/her interests! Be positive! 2. Try changing the seating arrangement. 3. Confer with the student concerning the problem. 4. Use “kid meeting” time to develop strategies which may include, but are not limited to: a. Advisory teacher spending more time with student (lunch together) b. Conference with student (parent and/or counselor) c. Contract for behavior (academic) improvement d. Process which could include visual or verbal cues (prearranged with student) 5. Remain calm and rational. Avoid power struggles with students; give choices. 6. Be alert to students (proactive). Recognize problems: “You look angry about something,” “You look like you need some time-out,” etc. Please remember that a teacher conference (phone or in-person) with the student’s parents follows any incident in which the student is continually disruptive and/or refuses to cooperate. Procedures: a. Confer with student in private and discuss problem. Reach an agreement with the student on the course to be followed to assure correction of behavior. Emphasize that if he/she is not able to control his/her behavior, the school will take steps to correct it. b. Make parent contact. Options for dealing with continually disruptive classroom behavior: a. Create a time-out area within the classroom b. Cooperative classroom: Prearrange with another teacher to be able to send a disruptive student to his/her classroom. c. A parent conference is arranged with the Lead Teacher to discuss the student’s behavior. A functional behavioral assessment may be initiated. In the conference, the associate director, counselor, and the teacher seek solutions. Student and