Discipline takes a positive path

JUST as state schools quickly adopted the banning of corporal punishment in the 1980s, Education Queensland’s new discipline code is guiding its schools’ ethics framework forward once again.

From July schools will need to have in place a Code of School Behaviour drafting, an agreement signed by not only principals and caregivers but also the student.

Two hundred and seventy-five teachers, principals and teachers’ aides spent two days last week learning about their new role under the code.

Rather than blankly issuing punishment, from mid-year students’ disruptive behaviour will be explored in-depth in an effort to create a more constructive learning environment.

The official shift in thinking has impressed Winton State School’s Stephanie Greenwood; a teacher’s aide for thirty years.

“Up until now we have always been looking at ways of punishing the students.
“When something goes wrong it affects everyone. It’s not just about a student’s relationship with their teacher; the code recognises this.”

Jundah State School acting teaching principal Gemma Cameron does not envisage many changes to their current disciplinary practices.

Having only 17 students means Miss Cameron has a close working relationship with parents, which helps sort problems before they escalate.

“A lot of it comes down to how you personally approach situations and the people involved.
“What has interested me is the fact we are being told not to discipline a child in the first instance.
“Now it’s more about having a conversation.
“We are focusing on the appropriateness of the decisions children make and helping them become aware that their actions affect others.”