Discipline Plan Rationale

     In any class, a discipline plan must address 3 goals: safety, learning needs, and the social environment. The primary function of a discipline plan in the context of a Health and Physical Education (PE) class is to provide safety. Rules and routines that are predictable, clear, and known to the students ensure a safe environment. An effective class must also address every student’s needs. An effective discipline plan minimizes time wasting, allowing for more time spent on activities, thus increasing the likelihood that all students’ needs are being met. PE also provides an opportunity to address the social goals of a public school system: an emphasis on cooperation over competition, fair play, and inclusion lead to the development of a healthy self-esteem and healthy interaction between students.

     In order to incorporate safety, learning, and social concerns, a discipline plan must be precise, but must also be flexible enough to allow the teacher to address previously un-encountered problems. I have chosen the flexible philosophy of,  “respect”. Rules would be talked about at the beginning of the year, and as difficulties arose, would provide opportunity for discussion. Rules for specific games, as well as the dangers arising from these games would be laid out at appropriate times, and the relationship to the overarching respect theme would be discussed. To avoid the habit of working for the rewards, I would try to ensure that students are aware of why the rules are necessary, and to eventually extend the time, or heighten the requirements for rewards, and with internalization eventually phasing them out altogether.

Desirable Behaviors

• Respect Yourself : work hard every day to improve your fitness, be  prepared for class, wear shoes, try your hardest, challenge yourself to grow, play safely, participate in all activities, keep others on-task
• Respect Others: encourage others, listen to instructions, keep your hands to yourself, respect others’ personal space, work as a team-player, respect others’ right to learn, play  safely, stop when requested
• Respect equipment:  use equipment for intended purposes, put it away when finished

Undesirable Behaviors

• “disrespectful” behavior
• coming to class unprepared
• not following instructions
• moving and/or moving things about in an uncontrolled way
• continuing to play after being told to listen, stop, or freeze
• destroying equipment
• targeting others, in terms of physically throwing things, as well as negative comments
• disrupting activities
• not sharing equipment, space, or “ear” time (not listening)
• lack of effort/participation
• not being cooperative, not working with others

Rules

Both students and teacher may use the following verbal, and visual commands. Whenever possible, teachers will use both visual and verbal commands:

• Hands Off! - put hands in chest, and pull away towards shoulders
• Watch Your Space! – put hands over eyes, on brow, as if looking for something
• Bell/Whistle!  –  put hand at ear, as if to listen
• Teamwork! – put arms out to sides, as if to put arms around someone
• Participate! – thumbs up/thumbs down
• Respect! – two fingers held up high over head

The following verbal/visual commands are reserved for teacher use:

• Go! – one arm up, drop the arm as you say command
• Freeze! – elbows bent, one arm facing upwards, one facing downwards

Rewards

     Rewards will be determined with the whole class at the beginning of the year, and for variety and/or the development of new interests, would be re-made at the Christmas break. Rewards would also involve some degree of choice. The main vehicle that I would use for giving rewards would be, “warm and fuzzies” (or for junior, “cool and toughies”?) in which students are caught being good. Students would be immediately given a piece of paper to fill out their name, and the reason for the reward. These papers would then be put into a draw. At the end of the week, I would pull out a certain number of names to receive rewards, which would be listed, and put up on the wall. The student could choose an individual reward (1 paper), or save it for the whole class getting a reward (10 and 15 papers). The rewards are listed below.

1 paper (individual)

Treat/Activity: gym pass (to be used at a free recess), lead class in warm-up/cool down activities, choose a class-ending activity (i.e., choose a favorite game or dance in PE class), photograph on the PE bulletin board, candies/snacks, keep a stuffed animal for the day, perform PE duties/responsibilities, show and tell, listen to a favorite story, choice of seating for the day, choose and listen to music during class.

10 papers  (whole group)

Treat/Activity: fun PE day with stations, extra-time (extend any class), candies/snacks for whole class

15 papers – (whole group)

Treat/Activity: extra PE class, watch a movie in class, class celebration

Consequences

Consequences would follow an escalation model, in which non-verbal and verbal limit-setting acts would be used first, negative consequences (taking away the reinforcement the student is getting) next, and logical punishments as a last resort.

Non-Verbal Limit Setting Acts:

• Depending on the situation, a variety of non-verbal limit setting acts could be performed, for example, eye-contact, silence, starting over, proximity, hand gestures, incorporating the off-task student in task at hand.

Verbal Limit Setting Acts:

• Depending on the situation, a variety of verbal limit setting acts could be performed, for example, first complimenting students that are on-task, then publicly calling the student by name, stating, “I need you to …. “,  pairing the off-task child with another child to have the rule explained to them, repeating the rule aloud (“broken record”)

Negative Consequences:

• if the student was deliberate or persistant in their behavior, I would then call for a negative consequence act, such as a time out, in which the student would be required to sit out for a specified amount of time. Students sitting out for a specified period of time would be required to perform a physical activity of their choice during their time-out.

After both of these stages, as soon as possible, but without disrupting the class, I would take the student aside, and immediately ask younger children which rule they were breaking, and what they would do “next time”, while for older children, I would take them aside and ask them if they knew which rule they were breaking, or how they thought they were disrespecting the rules.

Punishments:

• when the whole class were misbehaving, I would raise my hand, start to look at a stop watch, and begin counting the time being wasted, which would have to be made up at recess, lunch, or after school (students’ choice)
• after three infractions, I would have the class or individual student sit out for a longer period of time, during which they would be required to think about the rules; when able to articulate an answer as to which rule was being broken, class would resume, or the individual student would be allowed to rejoin the class
• if behavior continued, both elementary (if possible) and junior students would stay in at recess, lunch, or after-school to fill out a form in which they explained how they broke the rules
• for further repeated infractions, a contract would be made up, in which the student and teacher would isolate the behavior, and try to stop it, with rewards and punishments being given as necessary
• principal and/or parental involvement to fix the problem

Additional Individual Rewards for Appropriate Behavior

• students will always get immediate positive (public and/or private) reinforcement when respecting the plan
• for exemplary behavior, I would reward a single student by giving a benefit for the whole class, such as choice of PE class-ending game
• at irregular times, I would reward an extra gym class, art, or some other motivating activity time to the whole class or to one student
• Once a month, a student of the month would be chosen for each class, and students would get a certificate for accomplishment in behavior, effort, readiness for class, respect, and accomplishment

Additional Group Rewards for Appropriate Behavior

·        I would like to set up a system that would be school-wide, in which a whole class could award its own student of the week. This whole group of PE student of the week would each receive a certificate with their name printed on it, and would be publicly displayed. This group of students could be gym keepers for the week, who would then be in charge of coming to the PE room every morning and checking out the playground equipment for the whole school to use. These students could wear special buttons, that give them permission to be on the playground to check on equipment when necessary. They are also responsible for bringing in the equipment at the end of the day. Such student would have to be taught how to use the electric pump to put air in the balls and have access to the physical education room. This situation would also provide leadership opportunities to older students.

·        From time to time, as a challenge activity, I would give each class 4 points just for entering the gymnasium. The students would be allowed to add or subtract points based on their behaviors in class. Then, each time a class were doing an excellent job of following your expectations during PE class without being reminded to do so, I would announce, "1 minute" and compliment the group on their behavior. Then add a minute to the group's total on your chart. When the class has earned the number of minutes you have designated prior to the use of this method, the group may have an extra class period of games/activities of their choice. I would take a minute away for poor group behavior, announcing in a more stern voice, "1 minute!", and subtract a minute from their total.

·        A large colorful poster is made with each classroom teachers name and a graph or chart following this to keep track of the STARS points. At the bottom of the poster are the five targeted behaviors: