Panther Paws

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bel Air Elementary School

2007-2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

“If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach.

If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach.

If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach

If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach.

If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we …teach?   punish?

 

Why can’t we finish the last sentence as automatically as the others?”

~Herner, 1998

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We have to be the change we wish to see in school.”

 

 

Bel Air Elementary School’s Panther PAWS program is based on the Effective School-wide Discipline model.  

 

What is the Effective School-wide Discipline model?

  • Focuses on replacing undesired behavior with a new behavior or skill
  • Alters environments
  • Teaches appropriate skills
  • Acknowledges appropriate behavior

 

The Panther PAWs program has been created based on staff feedback, assessments of discipline data, and effective behavior management principles. The purpose of Panther PAWS is to promote positive work habits, to reinforce appropriate behaviors, and to teach replacement actions when students choose to behave inappropriately.  To further teacher understanding, teachers should review Chapter 7 of Ruby Payne’s Framework for Understanding Poverty, which describes why “discipline should be seen and used as a form of instruction.”

 

The Panther PAWS program encompasses the classroom teacher’s personalized behavior management systems and incorporates these systems into a school-wide program.  Teachers are still expected to set clear expectations, model and teach appropriate behavior, and recognize and reinforce appropriate behavior on an on-going basis.  When students choose to misbehave, teachers have the flexibility to deal with minor infractions within their own management systems.     An essential, underlying philosophy of this program is that appropriate behaviors must be modeled and taught to students.   It is a teacher’s responsibility to devote time to developing and modeling procedures with students from the very first day of school.  The Panther PAWS program is designed as a support for teachers.  This program is not intended to replace good teaching.   Teachers are still expected to set clear expectations, reinforce and redirect behaviors in the classroom, utilize “teachable moments” to discuss and teach appropriate behavior, and manage behavior within the classroom utilizing their own classroom management system.  The Panther PAWS program consists of three main components to support teachers and students: classroom recognition, individual recognition, and a discipline plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Panther PAWS

Classroom Recognition

 

 

“All teachers are responsible for all students all day everywhere!”

~Howard Ormond

 

 

 

Each class will earn PAWS (paw stickers) from school staff (specialists, resource staff, custodians, cafeteria hostesses, teachers, assistants…).

 

  • The PAWS are given based on good behavior and meeting expectations

Examples

Your class came in and got settled right away. 

You cleaned up all your supplies. 

David was a great helper today.

  • The PAWS cannot be given by a teacher to his/her own class

 

When a class has accumulated five PAWS on the class paw, they will go to the guidance counselor and choose a class trophy and two medals for a week.   The class will then begin earning new PAWS.   

 

  • The trophies and medals will be housed with the guidance counselor.  Ms. Marshall will have “check-out” times when classes can come and choose their trophies.  Each class can keep their trophy/medals for 1 week. 
  • Completed class paws will be displayed around the classroom

 

The Class paw will be displayed on the class behavior board.  Each class will have a bulletin board dedicated to the Panther PAWS program. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Panther PAWS

Individual  Recognition

 

Never give up on anybody.  Miracles happen every day.

~Life’s Little Instruction Book

 

In conjunction with each teacher’s classroom behavior management system, students can earn stickers or marks on an individual chart

  • Student charts are kept on a central classroom behavior board
  • Students may trade a completed chart for a pick from the PTA school supply store
    • The PTA store will be open once a month.   

 

This system is not to replace a teacher’s current behavior plan, it is to be used in conjunction with that system.  Individual charts should be marked daily to recognize and reinforce a student’s performance in the classroom behavior management system.

  • Charts are for behavior only.
  • Charts should be completed daily

 

The PAWS program is proactive, not punitive.  The focus is on recognizing specific, positive behavior, not punishing the lack of that behavior. 

  • Stickers or marks on a chart cannot be taken away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Panther PAWS

Discipline Plan

 

“Patience and perseverance have a magical affect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.”

                                                                             ~John Quincy Adams

 

 

Each teacher will have a red behavior log.  In this behavior log, teachers will document behavior infractions, minor and major, on individual student sheets.  Each infraction is assigned a point value and consequences are assigned accordingly.   This log will travel in the class bookbag with students as they travel to lunch, encore, and other special activities.   

 

 

Handling Behavior Issues

 

  1. Clear expectations for appropriate behavior modeled, taught, and reinforced by teacher
  2. Classroom behavior management program
    1. Reminder of rules and expectations
    2. Warning given
  3. Minor infractions earning 1, 2 points

·        Handled by teacher in classroom

·        Classroom Discipline notice

  1. Minor infractions earning 3, 4, 5 points-

·        Mandatory phone call home for each offense

·        Handled by teacher in classroom

·        Classroom Discipline notice

  1. Major infractions or accumulated offenses earning 6 points

·        Submit Office Referral to administration

·        Appropriate consequences assigned by administration

 

 

Forms

 

In addition to any classroom forms and procedures, teachers have three Panther PAWS forms available for communicating with parents and the administration when a student misbehaves: (1) Panther PAWS Parent Contact, (2) Classroom Discipline Notice, and (3) Administrative Discipline Referral.  School-wide use of these forms in discipline matters will allow for fairness and consistency in dealing with students’ misbehavior as well as assist the school’s Panther PAWS committee in maintaining school-wide data on student behavior.

 

 

 

 

In general, the forms should be used in the following order:

 

1.      For persistent misbehavior, confer quietly with the student and assign the student to complete the writing prompts on the bottom section of the Panther PAWS Parent Contact form (with assistance from the teacher, as developmentally appropriate). Keep the PINK copy of the form and send the WHITE and YELLOW copies home in a sealed envelope with the student.  It is the teacher’s responsibility to monitor for the return of this form. 

 

The remaining two forms, the Classroom Discipline Notice and the Administrative Discipline Referral should be utilized based on the behavior infraction point system.

 

2.      In general, use the Classroom Discipline Notice to communicate with parents about a student’s misbehavior and the interventions being used in the classroom.  Complete the top two sections, keep the PINK copy of the form, and send the WHITE and YELLOW copies home in a sealed envelope with the student.  It is the teacher’s responsibility to monitor for the return of this form.   Pink forms should be kept in the red behavior log.    Send the signed WHITE copy to the office to be filed in the student’s discipline file.  (There will be a box specifically for behavior notices.)

 

3.     The Administrative Discipline Referral should be used for extreme misbehavior as well as for accumulated offenses.   Complete the top two sections of the form and refer the student to the office to meet with an administrator.  The administrator will complete the middle section, return the PINK copy to the teacher, and send the WHITE and YELLOW copies home in a sealed envelope. The administrator will keep the gold copy.   It is the administrator’s responsibility to monitor for the return of this form.  The signed WHITE copy will be filed in the student’s discipline file.  The administration will maintain a spreadsheet of all student referrals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consequences

 

This program is designed to allow teachers to use their discretion and make the most of “teachable moments.”  These are not hard and fast lists, just guidelines.

·        These points are cumulative throughout the year. 

·        After a student has earned 6 points and has been referred to the office, he/she begins again with 0 points, unless an FBA or specific behavior plan has been developed.

 

           

 

Minor Infractions

 

Teachers may assign 1-3 points for each infraction based on severity and teacher discretion

 

           

Disrespect/Non-compliance

 

Cheating

Dress Code violations

Vandalism

  • desks
  • books
  • bathroom stalls
  • other

Disruption to learning environment

  • inappropriate materials
  • calling out
  • out of location
  • horseplay
  • other

 

Forgery

Profanity

  • Not directed at others

Name-calling/teasing

Lying

 

 

Major infractions

           

These infractions are automatically assigned 6 points and referred to the office.

 

Disrespect/defiance

Fighting/Physical Aggression

  • Observed by staff

Theft

  • Items worth more than $10

Profanity

  • Directed at someone

Verbal or physical threats

Possession of weapons

Disruption to learning environment that impacts safety of other students, teacher, or self

 

 

 

 

Panther PAWS

Appendix

 

 

  1. General overview of all three components of the Panther PAWS program
  2. Parent Contact form
  3. Classroom Discipline Notice
  4. Administrative Discipline Referral