Classroom Management & Discipline Policy

Classroom Management and Discipline Policy

BuxMont UU Fellowship Religious Education Program

This policy is guided by our Unitarian Universalist Principles.  Everyone is welcome here, but not all behaviors are.  As part of our RE program, we have a responsibility to set boundaries about what behavior is and is not acceptable in our sacred space.  The common welfare of the group comes first, because a healthy group provides a safe place for each person to learn and grow.  It is not okay for one person or a few people to disrupt an entire group.  It is important for each person to be responsible for his or her own behavior and to find a way to be a part of the group.  As adults, we are responsible for helping children and youth learn how to choose positive behaviors and suggesting possible strategies for being involved in positive ways. 

If we are welcoming, set clear boundaries, value the health of the group, and encourage good personal leadership and behavior, the whole system will work together to create order.

Classroom Management Techniques:

All teachers are encouraged to:

1. Follow the Opening and Closing Circle scripts to provide consistency and grounding for each class.

2. Set boundaries about what behavior is and is not acceptable to you – personally and as a teaching team, if possible, through creating with the children a written class covenant to refer to when issues arise.

3. Offer children who are fidgety, clowning, or overbearing something to do with their hands (modeling clay, pipe-cleaners, paper and pen, etc.)

4. Reposition children who are encouraging others to misbehave to a seat near the teacher or assistant.

5. Give children who are acting out a job to do.

6. Relate lesson materials to the concerns that children raise.

7. Utilize our outdoor  campus when weather permits – many children spend most of their waking hours indoors and a bit of fresh air can make a big difference to mood and attention.

8. Utilize large body movement activities such as dance, yoga, stretching, games, etc.

9. Use materials and activities that speak to a variety of learning styles (verbal, auditory, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, etc.)

10. Be honest (in an age-appropriate way) with each other and the children if you are having a particularly challenging time for some reason (tiredness, sadness, etc.)

Discipline Procedures:

1. When behavior issues arise in a classroom, teachers should first draw upon the classroom management techniques described above to address the situation. Depending on the circumstances, teachers should also consider reviewing what they are doing and adjusting the class activities to better accommodate the needs of the group.

2. If the problematic behavior continues, a teacher should tell the child(ren) directly what to stop doing (or do), and what will happen if they do not comply.  (Generally, s/he/they should be told that they will need to take a break from class and visit with the DRE.)

3. If necessary, a teacher should  escort the child(ren) to the DRE.  At this point, the DRE will work with the child(ren) to determine if s/he/they are able to return to class, can engage in an alternative activity in the RE space, or needs to spend some or the remainder of the program time with a parent or guardian.  The teacher should express a preference if s/he has one.

4. The DRE will communicate what happened to the child(ren)’s parents/guardians as appropriate.  Information may also be conveyed to the other teachers of the class so that they are aware of potential issues that may arise.

5. If an issue arises more than once with any particular child, the DRE will meet with the child, the child’s parents or guardians, and the class Liaison or teachers as appropriate to develop a plan for how to continue to include the child while preserving a safe and sacred learning environment for the rest of the group and teachers.

6. Each plan will be reviewed after an agreed-upon amount of time to determine if it is working for everyone concerned. If not, further solutions will be sought, including advice and support from the Minister and/or appropriate counseling, educational, and developmental professionals.