Behaviour management

Ipswich North State School assumes great responsibility in the teaching of social behaviour skills and uses the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) framework to create positive learning environments. PBL is ground in evidence from research and practice, developed by leading behavioural experts in the United States and is used in more than 500 schools across Queensland since being introduced in 2005.

 

PBL at Ipswich North State School is a proactive whole-school system which defines, teaches and supports appropriate student behaviours through a Tier system. The system works on data-based decision-making and evidence-based behaviour support. This system allows for facilitating positive behaviours and responding to inappropriate and unacceptable behaviours. Through our school plan, shared expectations for student behaviour are plain to everyone, assisting Ipswich North State School to create and maintain a positive and productive learning and teaching environment, where ALL school community members have clear and consistent expectations and understandings of their role in the educational process.

 

These expectations are communicated to students, parents and the wider school community via a number of strategies, including:

Behaviour lessons explicitly taught by all classroom teachers in Week 1 and 2 of Semester 1 and then fortnightly for the year;

Reinforcement of learning from behaviour lessons on school parades and during active supervision by staff during classroom and non- classroom activities;

Behavioural focus communicated to Staff, Students and the Community with acknowledgment of students who have received ROCKS awards. 

Our school community has identified the following expectations to teach and promote our high standards of responsible behaviour:

Respect Ownership Cooperation Kindness Safety 

The first step in facilitating standards of positive behaviour is communicating those standards to all students. At Ipswich North State School we emphasise the importance of directly teaching students the behaviours we want them to demonstrate at school. Communicating behavioural expectations is a form of universal behaviour support - a strategy directed towards all students designed to prevent inappropriate behaviour and provide a framework for responding to unacceptable behaviour.

A set of behavioural expectations in specific settings has been attached to each of our five school expectations.  

At Ipswich North State School communication of our key messages about behaviour is backed up through reinforcement, which provides students with feedback for engaging in expected school behaviour. A formal recognition and monitoring system has been developed. This reinforcement system is designed to increase the quantity and quality of positive interactions between students and staff. All staff members are trained to give consistent and appropriate acknowledgement and rewards.

In both classroom and non-classroom settings, staff members hand out Dojo points to students adhering to school expectations. At the same time, the adult verbally reinforces the expectation that was observed. This reinforcement occurs continuously throughout the day. Dojos are collated each week. Students are given recognition when certain levels are achieved i.e. 300 dojos, 600 dojos, 900 dojos and 1200 dojos. Dojo points are never removed as a consequence for inappropriate behaviour. Our behaviour chart in all classrooms provides consistency for dojo rewards. 

Teachers award students with Academic and Behaviour ROCKStar certificates which are presented on the weekly Friday parade and photos of the students are posted on our Facebook page.

The Principal awards students with Principal ROCKStar​ gold certificates which are presented on the weekly Friday parade and photos of the students are posted on our Facebook page.

Positive parent phone calls are made when students show ROCKS behaviour and Principal Positive phone calls are made twice a term to highlight ROCKS behaviour. Teachers also send home Positive postcards.

Each class teacher develops their own systems of acknowledgement and reinforcement within their class based on the school expectations e.g. extrinsic reward systems, stickers, group point systems. 

Whole school rewards are given at regular intervals throughout the term. These may include a jumping castle, water park, movies and games afternoons. Our mascot Terry the Tiger is a favourite with all students. Terry joins us in all school celebrations especially behaviour rewards. 

                                                                          

Our preferred way of re-directing low-level problem behaviour is to ask them how they might be able to act more safely, more respectfully or more responsibly. This encourages students to reflect on their own behaviour, evaluate it against expected school behaviour, and plan how their behaviour could be modified so as to align with the expectations of our school community. 

Each year a small number of students at Ipswich North State School are identified through our data as needing extra guidance in the way of targeted behavioural support. In most cases, the inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour may not be immediately regarded as severe, however the frequency of their behaviours may put their learning and social success at risk if not addressed in a timely manner. These students are supported through: 

Ipswich North State School makes systematic efforts to prevent inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour by teaching and reinforcing expected behaviours on an ongoing basis. When these behaviour incidents occur, it is important that consequences are predictable. Our school seeks to ensure that responses to inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour are consistent and proportionate to the nature of the behaviour.