Positive behaviour’s not just from kids!
Focussing on positive behaviours in the educational environment, is not just associated with students, but also includes behaviours of staff, leaders and the community.
Often, we focus on the reactive rather than take the time to put the proactive practices in place. In order for the whole school to flourish, positive behaviours need to be understood and encouraged and negative behaviours discouraged through strong processes.
Four principles that we should focus on to encourage positive behaviours across the whole school community include:
The promotion and reinforcing of positive behaviours. If we spend the majority of our time celebrating the good things people do, we are more likely to see more of them (proven by research).
If we approach difficult or challenging behaviours as a sign that there is an unmet need, we are more likely to behave towards these behaviours in a positive way, looking for a solution rather than a consequence.
We should look to parents & caregivers as the experts on their children and promote positive partnerships towards a team approach for success
Focussing on encouraging students to take responsibility for their behaviour by taking action to repair the harm. Adopting Restorative Practices in our student behaviour management promotes that reparation process.
As the research consistently tells us, if we keep telling people what they can’t do rather than what they can, you will get behaviour that focusses on the negative and will lose the focus on what positive and successful behaviour looks like. And remember, that goes for all members of the school community – “monkey see, monkey do”!!
Next post we will look at positive communication across the school system.
