How This Superintendent Encourages Positive Consequences To Improve Student Behavior

Lauren Smith, ICLE Senior Instructional Designer

Maybe you've been there. That moment you're caught in a power struggle, mid-lesson, with that kid. That perceived spotlight. That moment when time stands still. That moment when whatever classroom management you patched together the first two weeks of school disintegrates.

Sean Buchanan, Superintendent of Geary Public Schools, a 2022 Model Schools Conference Innovative District has seen the power struggles. As a building principal turned superintendent, he has been at the receiving end of those moments when the teacher has had enough. The student is sent down to the principal's office for the ultimate discipline. But herein lies the disconnect. He used his session at the Model Schools Conference this past summer to explain.

Buchanan sets the stage in his district with an overarching plan to help maintain peace and learning throughout his buildings, beginning with rules. Rules must be specific, observable, enforceable and in place at all times. Research highlights the positive impact good classroom rules can have in providing the social contract between the students and teacher as well as improving overall management (Alter & Haydon, 2017). Keep the rules short, sweet and to the point and you’ll spend more time on the positives.

What types of positives can you set up that can be freely given for outstanding choices? The answer requires you to be in tune with what is relevant in your students' lives. Who are the individuals that make up your classroom and what will maximize their incentive to be a positive contributor to the space? "The most important positive on that list is the call/email… I call it a contact - when you contact home. That is the most important positive you can do," says Buchanan.

While positive incentives help build relationships, often we forget that the opposite of these positives can also build relationships, too. Buchanan explains "Here's the point of our consequences: if a kid is making a mistake, if he's doing something he's not supposed to do, we're going to give him a warning to give him an opportunity to correct his behavior… and if he doesn't respond… we let him know 'the next time the group leaves this space, you're with me. You come to me. And as we walk to the door so you can go to the next space, I'm having a conversation with you.'"

When these warnings and ‘last outs’ aren’t enough, a solo lunch follows. The student is not left to lunch alone but instead sits across from the teacher who assigned the consequence. A solo lunch provides a better opportunity for that student and teacher to connect and work toward seeing eye to eye. When there is a cry for attention, that cry is met with one-on-one attention.

"The point of consequences is to build relationships… By the way, that's the point of positives, too. What we have to understand is consequences don’t change behavior."

All of these opportunities to reinforce or change behavior make up the myriad of interactions we have with students that strengthen relationships. "Interactions are the bricks that build the houses of relationships," It may not be the fastest way to manage, but it will fortify the building/classroom and minimize those frequent fliers to the office.

For more strategies like these and a deeper dive into the realities of classroom management, join us at the 2023 Model Schools Conference!