Beyond Suspension: Creating Positive School Discipline Through Alternatives
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Instead of suspension, schools can implement a range of alternative disciplinary strategies that focus on restorative justice, skill-building, and creating a supportive learning environment. These alternatives aim to address the root causes of misbehavior, teach students more appropriate conduct, and keep them engaged in their education. Examples include restorative chats, problem-solving and contracting, restitution, mini-courses or skill modules, parent involvement and supervision, counseling, community service, and coordinated behavior plans. These approaches are proactive and seek to foster positive change, reduce recidivism, and improve overall school climate.
Understanding the Limitations of Suspension
For decades, suspension, both in-school and out-of-school, has been a staple of school discipline. The logic seemed straightforward: remove disruptive students, maintain order, and deter future misbehavior. However, research increasingly reveals the limitations and potential harms of relying heavily on suspension.
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Ineffectiveness: Suspension doesn’t address the underlying reasons for misbehavior. Students return to the same environment with the same challenges, often without the tools to navigate them effectively.
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Negative Outcomes: Suspended students are more likely to experience academic failure, drop out of school, and become involved in the juvenile justice system.
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Disparities: Suspension rates are disproportionately higher for students of color and students with disabilities, perpetuating inequities within the education system.
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Missed Learning: Being out of school means missed instructional time, hindering academic progress and creating a gap that can be difficult to overcome.
Given these significant drawbacks, it’s imperative that schools explore and implement effective alternatives to suspension.
Exploring Alternative Discipline Strategies
The key to effective alternative discipline lies in understanding the student, the behavior, and the context in which it occurred. A one-size-fits-all approach is rarely successful. Instead, a multi-faceted strategy that incorporates several of the following options is often the most effective.
Restorative Practices
Restorative practices focus on repairing harm and building relationships. This approach emphasizes communication, accountability, and reintegration.
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Restorative Chats/Circles: These facilitated conversations bring together the student who caused harm, the person harmed, and other relevant stakeholders. The goal is to understand the impact of the behavior, allow the student to take responsibility, and develop a plan for repair.
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Mediation: A trained mediator helps students resolve conflicts peacefully and respectfully. This approach can be particularly effective in cases of bullying or peer conflict.
Skill-Building and Support
Many instances of misbehavior stem from a lack of social, emotional, or academic skills. Providing targeted support can help students develop the skills they need to succeed.
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Problem-Solving/Contracting: This involves working with the student to identify the triggers for their behavior and develop a contract outlining alternative behavior choices. This empowers students to take ownership of their actions.
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Mini-Courses/Skill Modules: Short, focused lessons on topics such as anger management, conflict resolution, social skills, or study skills can provide students with practical strategies for managing their behavior.
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Counseling: Individual or group counseling can provide students with a safe space to explore their emotions, address underlying issues, and develop coping mechanisms.
Accountability and Repair
While focusing on support, it’s also essential to hold students accountable for their actions and provide opportunities to repair the harm they have caused.
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Restitution: This involves the student making amends for their behavior, whether through financial compensation, community service, or a written apology.
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Behavior Monitoring: Implementing a system for tracking the student’s behavior and providing regular feedback can help them stay on track and make positive choices.
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Coordinated Behavior Plans: This involves developing a comprehensive plan that outlines specific interventions, goals, and responsibilities for the student, teachers, parents, and other support staff.
Leveraging Parent and Community Involvement
Engaging parents and the broader community is critical for creating a supportive environment and reinforcing positive behavior.
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Parent Involvement/Supervision: Increased communication and collaboration with parents can help them understand their child’s behavior and work together with the school to develop effective strategies.
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Community Service: Engaging students in community service projects can help them develop empathy, build relationships, and contribute to their community.
Implementing Alternative Discipline Effectively
Successfully implementing alternatives to suspension requires a school-wide commitment and a systemic approach.
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Professional Development: Teachers and staff need training on restorative practices, conflict resolution, and other alternative discipline strategies.
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Clear Policies and Procedures: Schools need clear policies and procedures for addressing student misbehavior that prioritize alternatives to suspension.
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Data Collection and Evaluation: Schools should track the effectiveness of their alternative discipline strategies and use data to inform their practices.
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Collaboration and Communication: Open communication and collaboration among teachers, staff, parents, and students are essential for creating a supportive and effective disciplinary system.
By embracing these alternative approaches, schools can create a more positive, equitable, and effective learning environment for all students. Innovative programs like those explored by the Games Learning Society can play a crucial role in developing engaging and effective educational resources.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is “ATS” in the context of school discipline?
ATS typically stands for “Alternative to Suspension,” a program designed to provide students with a structured learning environment and support while they are serving a suspension. These programs often focus on academic work, behavior interventions, and skill-building activities.
2. What kind of consequences can I expect instead of suspension?
Potential consequences in lieu of suspension can range from a phone call to parents or a parent conference, after-school or lunch detention, suspension from extracurricular activities, restitution (financial or social), community service around the school, or a school-based or home-school contingency contract.
3. What are some examples of positive alternatives to suspension?
Positive alternatives include restorative circles, peer mediation, mentoring programs, social skills training, counseling services, and positive behavior incentives.
4. What exactly does “alternative discipline” mean?
Alternative discipline encompasses actions taken instead of traditional punitive measures like suspension or expulsion. It aims to correct misconduct, promote positive behavior, and avoid more costly formal procedures.
5. Is it better to be expelled or suspended?
Suspension is generally considered less severe than expulsion. Suspension is a temporary removal from school, while expulsion is permanent. Both result from serious violations of the school’s code of conduct.
6. What are the most common reasons for out-of-school suspension?
Common reasons include fighting, drug possession, disrespecting or challenging teachers, bullying, and violation of school policies.
7. What is the argument for using school suspension as a disciplinary measure?
The primary argument is that suspension removes disruptive students from the classroom, allowing teachers to teach and other students to learn without disruption. It’s seen as a way to maintain order and safety.
8. Does having a suspension on my record hurt my chances of getting into college?
Colleges generally still accept students with suspensions on their record. However, the impact of a suspension varies by institution and admissions officer. It’s crucial to explain the circumstances of the suspension and demonstrate personal growth.
9. Why is it argued that we shouldn’t suspend students?
Suspension can lead to school avoidance, academic failure, behavior problems, substance use, dropping out, and court involvement. It’s seen as a counterproductive and often discriminatory practice.
10. What constitutes an unfair suspension?
An unfair suspension might involve arbitrary or discriminatory application of school policies, lack of due process, or a punishment that is disproportionate to the offense.
11. What actions might get a student suspended immediately?
Actions leading to immediate suspension often include deliberate disobedience, violence, possession of a weapon, drug-related offenses, and serious violations of the school’s code of conduct.
12. Why is suspension considered a punishment, rather than just a break?
Suspension is considered a punishment because it’s intended to deter misbehavior, hold students accountable for their actions, and protect the learning environment for other students. It’s not simply a break from the classroom.
13. What is a positive alternative to in-school suspension called?
A positive alternative might be called Positive Alternative to School Suspension (PASS) or a similar program that emphasizes behavioral support and academic progress.
14. Can young children (first graders) be suspended from school?
Many jurisdictions discourage or prohibit suspending young children (kindergarten to grade 3) except for very serious offenses. The focus is on using more age-appropriate disciplinary measures.
15. What are the essential steps to take if my child is suspended from school?
- Get the facts about the incident.
- Meet with school officials to understand the reasons for the suspension.
- Ensure your child’s educational progress during the suspension.
- Know your rights, especially if your child has special education needs.
- Advocate for your child’s rights and future.
By moving beyond traditional suspension and embracing alternative disciplinary strategies, schools can create safer, more supportive, and equitable learning environments for all students. Exploring resources like those offered by the GamesLearningSociety.org can also contribute to developing innovative and engaging educational approaches.