Collaborative Problem Solving

by Olga LaPlante

I am a convert. Last summer, I took a class (for my teacher certification renewal) in addressing the needs of exceptional students in the regular classroom. It was amazing. One of the things that came out of it was finding a book about problematic behavior, "Lost in School" by Ross Greene, PhD.

I am now a big believer in the CPS approach.

I have just discovered this site and noticed some of our own Maine schools practicing this approach to helping students develop skills they lack to deal with problems and demands appropriately. Check out this testimony from Kittery and in Sanford.

This approach is very down-to-earth, no-nonsense, and practical. The administrators in the videos talk about the implementation, and the success – and challenges, of course! – they have had in their buildings.

Incidents of Prohibited Behavior

Question: Should Maine local schools be forced to send names of students who commit incidents of prohibited behavior to the State?

Village Soup: SAD 40 opposes reporting student names to state

School Culture & Climate @ Oxford Hills

Oxford Hills School District devoted their professional development day today to student behavior and school culture and climate. All approximately 600 employees, including bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria and maintenance workers, started the day out with an introduction to the PBIS model. Employees later went to smaller groups to hear about ways to identify and deal with harassment and sexual harassment. The day ended with individual building members meeting together to discuss local needs. They had earlier taken a survey using one of the popular free online survey tools.

PBIS Resources

Behavior Management Resources
Rights & Responsibilities Resources
Process Skills
Classroom Management Resources
Character Resources
Bullying Resources

The Smell of Bacon at Climate & Culture Morning Meeting

You gotta love it. I connect with Mountain Valley Middle School as often as I can, being an additional resource for their literacy initiative and building-wide climate and culture focus. It is such a joy to observe the light-hearted social interaction of this staff combined with the serious work of school improvement. Today, as I arrive, a complete breakfast including the smell of bacon drew me to the home economics room where the staff gathers before the professional development meeting. Friendly place . . .nice touch.

This morning's topic was bullying. There's an enthusiastic and well-organized committee that leads the monthly late-arrival meeting devoted to school climate and culture.

Here's leadership that respects the group process, but perhaps more importantly, knows how to do it. The congeniality that comes from working through issues with patience in a collaborative manner shines through, mixing laughter and good humor with the more serious realities of working in a school. Want a model for PLC's? Look no further - they understand the concept at MVMS.

Today's task was to work in groups to try to come to a consensus on the consequences of different types of inappropriate language in the building. The discussion was to the point, relating to the realities. To me, the process was the important thing.

How is discipline and behavior management in buildings used to create a school that is friendly, caring, and encourages the best in each student as well as civility?

Behavior Management Resources
Rights & Responsibilities Resources
Process Skills
Classroom Management Resources
Character Resources
Bullying Resources

Professional Learning Communities

Teaching in 1947 . . . "The Fun They Had"

Read "The Fun They Had" by Isaac Isimov, and then view this old teacher training film. Discuss.

School Discipline

"Restorative approaches to discipline, rather than punitive, deal more effectively with student misbehavior by encouraging students to take responsibility for their actions and find ways to 'make things right' with those they have harmed, according to conference organizers. Restorative discipline empowers students to be accountable for their actions in a school environment that is caring and responsive."

I'd like to thank Ernie Easter from the New Sweden School for bringing the following conference to my attention:

Transforming School Discipline: ‘Restorative Justice’ Conference on Nov. 28 - 30, 2007, in South Portland.

Wikipedia: Restorative Justice
Belinda Hopkins: Transforming Conflict
Belinda Hopkins: Restorative Justice Consortium

Other Resources on school discipline and student behavior:

Behavior Management Resources
Classroom Management
Computer Classroom Management

Still more resources that connect with human behavior:

Icebreaker Resources
Trust Building Resources
Community Building Resources
Team Building Resources
Listening Skills Resources
Active Listening Resources
Diversity Resources
Learning Styles Resources
Expeditionary Learning Resources
Stress Management Resources

What are your thoughts on school discipline?